Day 168/366 days Towards Self-Mastery
The thread that has supported me throughout my journeying has been the love and support of a very few close friends.
Distancing myself from my passed took me to far, far away. Physically and emotionally I needed to put a lot of space between my trauma and my search for wellbeing. Consequently my friends were abandoned... but not forgotten.
In the early days, that meant writing and receiving longed for letters, delivered by what we now know as snail mail. I still know that exquisite joy of receiving a letter in the mail, fumbling to get it open, and seeking out a tree or park bench to sit in quiet exultation as I read the written words as I'm hearing the whispers from her heart.
In spite of the years between visits, my friends have remained near and dear.
Sarah suggests a range of activities to nurture friendships.
Through all of life's ups and downs, friends are there to lean on, celebrate with, compare and contrast experiences, learn from, and simply spend time with enveloping love and mutual appreciation.
Consider ways to nurture friendships. Begin by identifying those that come naturally to you, and build on new and meaningful ways to connect.
Conversation is a strong suit of mine and one that has bridged the distance between us for decades. Sharing stories, recounting experiences, planning dreams. Staying in touch has been the glue that has kept my friendships strong over the decades. And of course, making time to visit on the rare occasions that I return home.
Nowadays I have returned to live closer to those cherished friends. Close enough to meet more often, to share crafts with, to spend long days with equally long conversations over coffee and cake and walks in the parks or on the shoreline.
Planning crafting days to help each other out with our particular expertise, lunch out, walks together through bushland, brunch on Sundays. All recently cherished experiences with beautiful friends.
The one constant in this changing parade of life's experiences and events has been the reliable support of my dearest friends. The ones who by their very presence, ground me.
How do you nurture your friendships? What are the special rituals that you indulge to keep love and connection alive?
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.