My brain cells tingle!

Tara came running up to me yesterday and said, "Mummy! Quick! I need to eat some cucumber. My brain cells are tingling!"

My child...asking for a green vegetable to eat? I wasn't going to waste any time in idle chit-chat or wait for another cute story. I raced into the kitchen and cut a few sticks of cucumber and watched her eat them, a bit gingerly at first, then more confidently. After Tara was done, she relaxed visibly and said her brain was now fully charged and she was ready to play some more.

All right then.

It's every mum's dream to feed fruit and veg to their children. It doesn't usually go to plan. It's taken me years of perseverance and a few sneaky tricks. While Tara could be a bit more adventurous in the veggie department, I don't think she's doing too badly either. We have conquered apples, pears, pineapples, bananas,  grapes and the odd dry fruit like raw unsalted cashew nuts, almonds and pistachios. Tara also has the odd strawberry if 'the shape is right.' Also carrots, beans, peas, cucumbers and yucky ol' sweet corn have made the grade.

My brain cells tingle a lot these days. I should take a leaf out of my little one's book and eat a few more healthy things myself. It is after all terribly important for Mums to have their brains charged at all times.

To ask or not to ask

I am a Reiki channel. Probably the most sceptical Reiki channel around, who is also a curious, questioning doubting human being, who has limited understanding of so many things. It's a good job that Reiki works without the need for belief . It's like putting a plug in a socket. Once you put the plug in and turn the switch on, power will flow whether you want it to or not. The channel simply facilitates the energy to flow from the Source to the Destination. I am not a Healer, I am only a means for healing. Of course being positive helps. Even the scientific community agrees that a positive attitude can work wonders.

The fundamental premise of Reiki is to live in a state of gratitude. Reiki also encourages me to ask for anything, but not expect results. Reiki assures me that whatever I desire will come to me in abundance, but only if it is in my best interest. Letting go of expectation, all the while asking for everything is very, very difficult. It's been many years and I'm still grappling with this, all the while pursuing my commitment to Reiki.

How do you explain to someone who approaches you with tremendous expectation, for sometimes desperate circumstances, spending time and resources, that maybe at the end of the Reiki session they may not get their desired result? How do you tell someone to submit completely, let the energy flow through them, advise them to ask for their deepest held desires, and expect then to just walk away feeling real gratitude at receiving Reiki whatever the outcome? It is a very big leap of faith. I took this leap of faith and do really practice living in gratitude. I however have a big block when it comes to asking.

Why is it so difficult to ask? Is it our ego or a sense of pride? At work we put our heads down and expect our results to 'speak for themselves.' Then we wonder why someone else who is not as deserving gets that promotion or walks away with the accolades.

Does asking make us feel inferior? How many relationships have withered away because one person expects the other to know what they want. We expect our partner to demonstrate how they give us what we want without even asking! What does that achieve besides showing off to others how much 'in tune' or 'in love' we are with our other halves. It would take so much pressure off relationships if we just ask instead of assume.

Theories are easy to share. Putting them in practice is not.

I know. I'm still trying

Grace and warmth

I visited a 'posh' establishment today.  I haven't turned into a millionaire overnight. But I do sometimes like to go to 'posh' shops and look at nice things. It could have been my imagination, but I'm almost sure I sensed an extra bit of 'snobbitude' in the well made up, smartly dressed shop assistants.

In the hand bag section, I was soon approached by a scarlet lipped lady with her hands clasped together, blue lidded eyes fluttering almost shut, who asked breathlessly, 'May I help you today?' I clarified immediately that I was only looking. She raised her left super arched eyebrow so high it almost joined her hairline, smirked and turned away to talk to another equally resplendent colleague. Later when I asked to see a few more things she rolled her eyes in a manner enough to make anyone feel unwanted.

At the end of the day I happened to board the same bus, at the same time, as the rather haughty hand bag 'consultant' who I interacted with at the store. She glided into the bus, in her own little bubble, clutching her employee-discounted designer bag close, making her way home like the rest of us.

Does working in a high end, luxury establishment demand a hint of coolness and an air of superiority in some of the people working there? Or is that a misplaced assumption that all wealthy folk who visit these places behave in a certain fashion, and would like to be served by people 'like them'. I would love to be a fly on the wall in one of the training sessions there. Is it the management asking for a certain demeanour? Or is the demeanour a result of the aspirations of a working class person.

I don't know. What I do know, is that it doesn't take long for life to turn the tables. Today's window shopping housewife could be tomorrow's hand bag collecting millionaire, and vice-versa. Well, something like that anyway. Whether we are in turbulent times economically or not, forgetting to interact with people, whoever they are, with grace and warmth is surely not the right way forward. 

Hot food

The Husband called yesterday. He can't make it back home this week, and is feeling low. It's a sad fact of the times that families are separated out of economic necessity. It's a new job and we need to see how it goes.

If The Husband does get offered a permanent post and he likes his job, we will have to move to a totally unknown part of the country. It will mean major upheaval especially for Tara. It has taken a long time and a lot of adjustment to settle in her present school. People say that children are resilient and adapt easily to change. Tara is a creature of routine and likes familiarity. It might be a bit challenging.

On the positive side we will all be together as a family, and the change might be a good life lesson for Tara. For now,  all The Husband wants is a hot meal for dinner. I really don't know how to get around that. There is no kitchen where he is living at the moment, just a bedroom and loo, so he can't cook either. Any suggestions anyone?  

The difference a day makes.

Just yesterday my chest was tight with stress. I had been waiting for the test results of a loved one with suspected cancer, I was worrying about Tara's health, worrying about money issues, worrying about another loved one who had recently lost his job. In addition to this I had a severe attack of 'what if's'. It was obvious that I didn't sleep very well either.

This morning, I got a phone call that there was no cancer in the reports, Tara seemed much better and had slept well last night, and that a promising job interview had suddenly appeared. I know my money worries are still here, but I feel a whole lot better.... and the 'what if's' are under control too. Having the great gift of good health of loved ones puts a lot of things in perspective. When I fell to my knees and looked upwards yesterday, my prayers were not to resolve my money worries but for the restoration of health of my loved ones. After that I didn't pray for anything else. 

A day can be awfully long or too short, depending on circumstances. The old saying 'Sleep on it' when times are tough, and 'Time flies when you are having fun' are both so true.