TIME TO BEGIN AGAIN

Easter Sunday was a perfect day for me, from start to finish. A frosty sunrise, to a sunny, increasingly warm day with a hot afternoon before the evening clouded over again.  By then, I welcomed the drop in temperature. Nevertheless, at the hottest time of the day, how pleasant it was to have sat under trees by a loch watching butterfllies - such delicate creatures to have come through the last harsh winter. Easter seems to be the time, when all around us we can see Nature's hand in the creation of new life beginning again.

Yesterday, invited to visit an art exhibition in a church, at the venue there were bookmarks with the picture of a butterfly settled on some blossom and the statement "Easter, time to begin again" - an interesting selection of words open to many interpretations. Later, looking at butterfly photographs I had just taken, I thought again about the bookmark phrase in connection with words a best friend had read to me on Good Friday. Whilst on the phone, she accidently knocked items to the floor and stopping to pick these up, she read to me some words from where a book's page had opened - beginning with the sentence about time, that "There is a right time for everything: A time to be born and a time to die." And we had talked about this, myself remembering my mum saying "people fear death and yet, some die without ever having lived and that should be feared much more." How precious was our time, our share of life.

TIME: There is a right time for everything;

There is a right time for everything;
A time to be born, a time to die

A time to plant;

A time to harvest;

A time to kill;

A time to heal;

A time to destroy;

A time to rebuild;

A time to cry;

A time to laugh;

A time to grieve;

A time to dance;

A time for scattering stones;

A time for gathering stones;

A time to hug;

A time not to hug;

A time to find;

A time to lose;



Easter - Time to begin again?



A time for keeping;

A time for throwing away;

A time to tear;

A time to repair;

A time to be quiet;

A time to speak up;

A time for loving;

A time for waiting;

A time for war;

A time for peace.

All around nature is beginning again, flowers coming in to bloom, young animals being born, birds nesting on eggs soon to hatch. To do something 'again', some can focus on an action being repeated because it wasn't done correctly the first time around. Yet surely, it is more liberating to focus on the positive - that with wisdom from past experiences, a person can take a new opportunity to "begin again". So, here is to new beginnings at the start of a New Year, at Easter or indeed, whenever they are taken - "Life is to be lived!"  



The verse above about 'Time' is from the Bible, Ecclesiastes Chptr 3. And I think, whether a person is religious or not, The Bible can make interesting, thought provoking reading. In this chapter, the passage moves on to question "What does a person really get from hard work" and states "Everything is appropriate in its own time." We can not see from the beginning to the end of eternity but we can conclude "there is nothing better than to be happy and to enjoy oneself as long as possible - to eat, drink and enjoy the fruits of our labour."

With a smile, I could translate the above as knowing when it's the right time to go with the flow and when instead, it's the time to paddle as hard as you can! Yes, sometimes, it is best to drift down stream with the current but, at other times, you need to face the immediate situation - find the strength required to paddle your own boat against the flow, safely steering your own course (as best as you can) through whatever storm in life it is that you face.

Yet, after the storm, embracing the need to pull your boat safely up on to the shore, taking time out for a walk to relax and reflect. By a loch, on a beach or looking down from a hill at the beauty below. Anywhere scenic is always a great place to think and focus the thoughts so that calm and refreshed we are ready to "begin again".

Easter Sunday, my day perfect from start to finish. Some clouds at sunrise causing the sun to illuminate the sky with an orangey hue. Then the continuing sunshine warming up the earth so that dormont butterflies took to the air. Then in the evening, after a long, hot day, the temperature finally dropped and by then, high above East Lothian on the Duns Road, I watched the misty clouds roll over the Firth of Forth. Time, is as always moving on. Easter Sunday drawing to a close before the start of the post holiday working week and my Monday morning - a time to begin again.

EASTER - MORE OR LESS?

Easter, a time of the year which means all sorts of different things to people. From a period of religious celebration, to an opportunity to spend a weekend walking around superstore sales buying items for the house. For me, Easter is a time for getting outdoors and seeing new life beginning with flowers in bloom and spring lambs in the fields.

Constant visits to shops result in buying much more than we need and it seems to me - less is more!

When we are starting out in life, we can work so hard to gain skills and qualifications to get that better paid "more successful job" - but it's important to stop and consider, "what is success?". If we aim for a goal, what do we do when we achieve it? Do we continue to push on, set new goals or do we actually enjoy that we've accomplished what we set out to?

I have owned a couple of houses in my life, all bought because of the principle "location, location, location". Indeed, I always smile when I recall the absolute shock of my boss (back then) who, when visiting my house for the first time, blurted out in a horrified voice "This is it? What sort of statement does this house make, it's tiny?" I remember laughing and saying I didn't buy my house to make a statement but to live in!  Near enough to my work in Edinburgh but with beautiful views of the sea and with easy access to the city bypass and surrounding coutryside  (my boss and I were good friends but we were both people with very different values and priorities).

Nevertheless with my second house, again bought for the view, it was much larger. And when it came time to leave, and half packed boxes and chaos seemed all around me, I thought to myself  "time to downsize! But, where to begin?" Sitting on my bed to think that through, I moved my fiddle and camera (all placed there with my laptop for safety) and that was my 'Eureka moment' - did I really need much more than my fiddle, camera and laptop, to live and enjoy life?

Out for a drive yesterday evening a few miles from Edinburgh, no where particularly special, I was watching the sun sinking behind a hill and a 'field of coos.' Such simple things are worth appreciating. At this time of the year, all around us new life is beginning. Time is, as always, moving on but in ALL ways it is so very precious. Each day consisting of 24 hours in which a series of opportunities will pass by us each, chances that we can take (Carpe Diem) to make a day remarkable or, chances lost, so that the day of potential ends with the sun setting on time that has only served to come and go. Yet, our lives are built up from the chapters in which these individual days have been gathered - lives shaped by choices that have been made.

Watching wee lambs running around in the fields, stopping their antics to run up to their mums and watch me (as if saying - "Mum, why's that woman watching us?"). And the young calves too, like this curious little critter last night, fascinated, wanting to come over and investigate me and my camera but instead giving a nervous "Moo" to his mum. Such simple but such lovely things, just to take the time out to stand and watch nature on a still evening in the countryside, far away from the hustle, bustle and noises of the town.

Yes, the Easter weekend may be an opportunity to "go to the sales" or get that "DIY project in the house completed" but I hope that there is also enough time put aside just to "enjoy life". Time passes by us all so quickly and if we had a goal to live in a certain house, to buy certain nice things or own that special car we always wanted - when we have attained these goals, surely then, is it not time to take the foot of the accelerator through life, to slow down and enjoy the view. If you have read to here in my Blog, thank you - and now maybe, it's time to get outdoors? Taking more time to fully enjoy life. Is this Easter a time for the shops and buying more clutter for your house? (Possessions you probably don't all need.) Or, is less actually more? More time to really live and enjoy the beauty that is all around us, to find time to stop and smell the flowers!

Happy Easter and may you enjoy your dance through life!

Oh yes and, I nearly forgot about chocolate and bunnies!

May the magic Easter Bunny come in from the fields to visit you this Sunday morning with lots of Chocolate Easter eggs!

One of my favourite memories of Easter is from Feakle, Co. Clare in Ireland. Staying there, with this lovely family - I was  woken early on Easter Sunday morning by a great commotion! The door to the garden had been thrown open and the young children were tearing all round the garden at great speed looking for chocolate eggs that the Easter Bunny had hidden. (I never saw this 'tradition' celebrated in Scotland but it was wonderful to see such great excitement!).

Just think - If you run round your garden enough you can work off all the calories of the Chocolate Easter eggs you'll eat. And, think of 
the entertainment value you'll give your neighbours!!!  ;-D