Blessings, Gratitude, Love and the Precious Gift of Life

This week I have been 'receiving' gifts of appreciation from some people who were in Leiden. I have experienced awe, joy and been moved to tears of pure bliss. Thankyou.

The exchanges too between Sylvana Storey and Matthieu Daum were so powerful in their intensity, intimacy, connection and pure manifestation of the power of love and appreciation as a constructive action. .


Whilst this was happening I met with Kirsty Foster where we were exploring some of her reflections after working with some young men in the making from an all boys school. She was amazed at their capacity to teach each other; to hold and be together full of admiration and support; where there was a recognition that group survival was more important than the survival of the 'ego'. She said. . .

'their ability to embrace each other was awesome. .it was somehow cool to do that in that school. .they understand the magic of it'.

Yesterday, Karen Izod and I connected about doing some work together themed around 'Creativity in Humanity' - initially some gender focussed work. .and her poem that she shared in Leiden held even more resonance...

TUG OF LOVE

With your tug I am
being cast adrift.
I feel the pull
under my feet.
Vapour trails criss and cross
their ways through my consciousness.
Their mists settle upon us.

Yesterday - Zachary came to Wales, I was able to offer a hosting haven and whilst we met Karen sent through this wonderful link - blessings. .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BkT6-CDIjw

And last night there was a three way connection between us and Karen shared another of her wonderful poems. .

ON LONDON'S STREETS

More black boys
More white boys
Lie, dying.
Dead even.

Bayonets through the gut, through the arm
Punctured
Head, for some reason,
over the top of some particular parapet.

Who is this enemy?
Is there some general, back straight
pondering the strategy?

Mothers watch
Fathers; eyes casting for the
Relief on the landscape.

What did we learn before
About sending our young men to their deaths?
Wasn’t it that we had to find a way to talk?

Did I miss something, or
Did we say it wouldn’t happen again?

Copyright Karen Izod 2008

Today. . . I see that the footballer Jermaine Defoe's brother, Jade, a man of colour has been killed. I am reminded of the preciousness of my life and the gifts contained within it. This links so strongly for me with Rene's earlier Facebook invitation this week regarding Appreciation and Inspiration.

I remain even more aware of the need for our collective connective to act constructively in the world. Between us we have a range of shoes, boots and sneakers , we are going to put on our Red Shoes and dance - will you too?

Thankyou for your precious gifts, blessings and much love
Christine
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