Tree of Light

Die Tree of Light en ander Kersliggies is gisteraand aangeskakel by die Johannesburgse dieretuin.

Ek is mos nie regtig een vir Kersversierings nie, maar die Tree of Light wat uit 10 000 gloeilampe bestaan en 22 meter hoog is, is nogals iets om te sien.

nog tragedie

Dit voel of die tragedie rondom ons net nie ophou nie.

'n Kollega wat oor minder 'n maand sou trou se verloofde is die naweek tragies in 'n motorongeluk oorlede. Sy het haar hele lewe saam met hom beplan en aan die vooraand daarvan gestaan. Hoe tel jy die stukke op en gaan aan? Hoe kom jy verby daardie dag en die rok in die kas? Hoe kom jy alleen deur die Kerstyd. Hoe kom jy deur 'n lewe? Daar is maar net nie antwoorde nie.

My innige meegevoel aan Bernice vir haar groot verlies. Mag die herinneringe aan hom, jou 'n hele leeftyd lank herinner aan die kosbare en mooi dinge en tye wat julle gedeel het. En mag die Heilige Gees self jou troos wees in hierdie tyd.

inspiration II

During a creative writing course I did while at university, the professor (an acclaimed South African writer) used to say that there is no such thing as 'needing inspiration'. It is a matter of sitting down and write. Thus, merely putting one word after another... the exact same thing I came across in a couple of books on writing.

I beg to differ – I need inspiration.

I recently asked myself the question of whether it is a case seeking for inspiration or does it have to come to you. I came to the conclusion that it has to come to you – seeing or hearing something that opens your mind to a new direction and leads you to something you just have to write down immediately.

I found seeking for inspiration very uninspiring and forced. I don’t want to go out and look for inspiration, however going out and looking, usually leads to inspiration. Although not intentionally seeking inspiration, you have to keep you eyes and hears open for when it might come to you.

This posting started out as a single sentence comment on another blogger’s posting, and turned into a posting of my own. This is proof of my point that accidentally stumbling across a few words by someone else could inspire you to write down your own thoughts on the subject. Also see my previous posting on inspiration.

I am quite convinced this won't be my last word on the subject :)

Time well-spent

I strongly believe in something I call Annelie-time. This is time dedicated to myself. It is always spent alone and could take on many forms. It could be time pampering or spoiling myself. But more often than not it is time spent on doing something for my soul and setting my mind free of things that have been troubling me.

Sometimes it would be watching a movie on my own. This would be to totally relax and switching off from the world around me; not caring if the movie makes me cry of laugh so loud that people might stare at me.

Other times I would take a book or newspaper somewhere like Magnolia Dell – sitting under the trees and read. Or I would treat myself to a cappuccino while filling pages and pages with my thoughts. Or I would go for a walk to just clear my mind. A while ago I went on a week-long road trip on my own and I felt so liberated and free – just me and my thoughts on the road. Then again, it is just as fulfilling to lock my doors, draw the curtains and switch off my phone and spend uninterrupted time with my thoughts and feelings.

Sometimes Annelie-time entails something creative like putting colourful oil paint on a canvass or using delicate glass beads to make a necklace. However, I am not always producing something during Annelie-time but mostly its the inspiration to do so.

Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, calls this time The Artist Date. She proposed this as a tool to opening yourself to insight, inspiration and guidance. She says that spending quality time alone let you connect with your inner child and inner artist. She suggests spending about two hours per week doing things like: visiting a junk store; take a solo trip to the beach; watching an old movie; visiting an aquarium or an art gallery; go to a strange church to hear gospel music; or go to an ethnic neighbourhood to taste foreign sights and sounds. The list goes on and on with things I like to do or should to do during Annelie-time.

I found a link titled ‘Me’ Time on Oprah’s website – one of my great inspirations in life. Here she gives stress-busting tips to take care of yourself, five books she thinks everyone should read to change your understanding of the world, audio meditations to get in touch with your soul, quotes of inspiration to open your heart and ways to transform the quality of your life. All this ‘Me’ Time tips she gives are things for your soul - the kind of things I would do during Annelie-time.