36. We don't need to search for something we already have...

She warned me,
“Don’t be swept up by the feeling that we have to keep on pushing

and rushing and working and toiling really, really, really hard to be successful and happy.”

She told me, “Happiness is simple and it is always there.

We don’t need to search for something that we already have,

we just need to notice and enjoy."

Through all the changes in life, the things that bring me comfort and joy remain pretty much the same, maybe it's time I climbed up into the attic and dusted of some of those simple pleasures.

35. All the amour I'll ever need...

Self respect sometimes came at a price

but it was one of the few things worth fighting for.

That was what he told me.

He also said to wear my self respect always

because it would be all the amour I would ever need.

But he never got round to telling me where to get it.

When I'm a Grandma ....

When I'm a Grandma there'll be special times when I'll sit with the children under the moon light and I'll tell them stories. Tales of pirates and princesses.

They'll know that Daddy was a hero and we never quite figured out how he came to be so clever but we think it's because of his old soul that's been around learning stuff before he was even born.

And Mummy was an exotic soldier who's ancestors once ruled the world. They'll be proud to know of her secret shiny sword with the power to slay the meanest dragon of all.

I'll tell them about the magic fairy that lives in their Aunty's ear and shows her how to look deep into the hearts of people and understand the stuff she sees there.

I'll tell them our stories of love and broken hearts, of power and success, of our journeys and celebrations.

When we go inside to make cupcakes and blow bubbles we'll all feel deep in our hearts that we are part of something big and sound and special.

33. Just like you always did ...

It's really hard to believe all the stuff people say when a special person dies, like them never really being gone and they'll always be with you ... blah blah blah.

Then I catch myself chating to you, and you are solving my problems, making me feel like I came up with the answers all by myself, just like you always did.

32. A broken heart keeps on beating...

I know how much a broken heart hurts while it just keeps on beating.

Even now the scar feels so cruel.

But I’ve heard that light passes most easily through shattered things,

so I guess that’s why a broken heart can leave us just that little bit more enlightened.

Maybe that's why we feel compelled to shield the hearts of our babies

but if we lock them away how will their love ever shine through again?

31. It's just not your turn....

When I told her about my longings. She explained,
“It’s just not your turn at the moment, one day your turn will come.”

And suddenly my sadness was gone and my yearning was eased. That‘s when I knew that I must throw myself into loving my life, right now, as it is today, because when my turn did come along I wanted to be ready. I even felt happy for all the others to have their turn.

30. The stuff heros do...

I understand that the stuff heros do is tough and everything.
But mostly it’s the everyday things

that take the most courage.
Going into the world day after day
forgiving and loving all over again and again and again.

29. life was so beautiful...

She cried almost everyday.
Sure on some days there was sadness,
but mostly there were happy tears.
Because life was so beautiful
and she was so lucky.

28. Freedom

Few of us are free to do whatever we like.

Our freedom comes when we like whatever we do.

27. The sound of her giggle ...

"There are many sweet memories that return to me with the sound of her giggle.

I'm grateful for magic like that. "

26. ...the meaning of life ...

Have you ever done something that made no money and made no sense but felt just right? Could that be the meaning of life that everyone is talking about?

25. She was always told to act her age...

She was always told to act her age.
Which she usually did, but not for long because she would bore herself silly. So she would reinvent herself. Then she became my new friend who I already knew quite well.

24. The forest and the trees ....

She was just one of those people

who could see the forest and the trees

all at the same time.
But then everything about her

was just a little bit magic.

23. Holding a memory for a moment

Sometimes I experience fragments

of childhood recollections

like pieces of a picture,

or smell or sound that I can’t quite hold.

But if I could catch a few

and hold them together for a moment

I know it would be delicious.

22. Nothing is as dreadful as it seems.

Dear old Dad always said,
“Nothing is as dreadful as it seems.”
But he went to live in heaven
before things got really messed up down here.

21. And she set herself free ...

She realized that we all
deserve to travel our journey

of change and evolution without
interference or judgment.

And she set herself
free.

20. What She Wished For

Her wings were weary from the search,

but her heart was glad to discover

that what she wished for could be found

right there in her own nest.

19. There's no disgrace in going back.

“There’s no disgrace in going back”, she told me.

“Often we journey and return to discover

what we truly need is right there at home.”

There’s no place like it, I thought.

18. Empowering them for their journey

She knew that letting them go would empower them
to take responsibility for the journey
that their choices would lead them.
But she couldn’t help but wonder where that might be.

17. ...her view of the world tickled me.

She had a way of seeing all the everyday things with fresh delight.
Her view of the world tickled me.
It was contagious and I wanted to be
set adrift with her forever.

16. .... it doesn't matter what you believe

Her wide eyes were full of life and passion,

and they held his attention for a moment,

so she told him,
“It doesn’t matter what you believe,

just that you believe.”

15. .. take your breath away.

She bend down and whispered,

“You know you are living in the present moment

when the little things take your breath away,”

and she squeezed my hand.

14. ... he created her fairy tale kingdom

She was a princess and he had created her fairy tale kingdom. She cried for a long long time after she learned that this is just not the way it is in the really truly grown up world. But then she remembered that the jewels may have been plastic but the love was authentic.

13. Perfection just wasn't so important

On the day she was finally rescued from her tower,

the princess was disappointed to notice that

her knight in shining amour

was showing signs of tarnish.

She considered replacing

him but she had waited oh so long,

she thought about scrubbing and polishing him,

but maybe perfection just wasn’t so important after all.

12. And it was love ......

She saw him clearly, without denial,
and she accepted him completely just as he was.
And it was love.

11. ... change itself is constant and reliable

It seemed that you just couldn’t rely on anything.

Everything was always changing.
Her childhood had seemingly evaporated

and her memories were fragile shadows

changing with the morning light.

Then it occurred to her,

"Change itself is very constant and reliable."

10. ....chance to start anew.

Once upon a time the sun rose over the earth

and spilled a bright new day into the sky.

That was the moment she realized this was

her chance to start anew.

9. "How come life washes up ....

“How come life washes up all kinds

of lovely surprises for some people.”

he asked her.
“Oh they are the people who are present enough to notice.”

she answered.

8. Once I ached to be...

“Once I ached to be OK in your eyes”,
she confessed, “Now it’s OK I’m not.”

7. If I don't catch you ...

"If I don't catch you when you fall,"

she whispered into the wind,

"It's because I believe you can fly."

5. The more you focus on a matter

“The more you focus on a matter,

the more it matters to you.”

And he took my hand and led me

toward the things that did matter.

4. It's what i see that matters

“What I am looking at is not important,
it’s what I see that matters”, she thought.

It was then she realized

that she saw all kinds of things

that most people missed.

3. ..and she was the richest little girl

He held her tiny hand close to his heart,

and he told her,

“All the riches of universe are worthless,

love is our only treasure.”

And she was richest little girl in the land.

2. "What is left of my dream....

“What is left of my dream could fit in a matchbox,”

she didn’t mean to complain to him

but the words had escaped

from a crack in her broken heart.
“Sounds like a cozy little future after all,”
he said with a wink and a grin.

1. "Shh", she hushed

“Shhh”, she hushed, “Listen”.
That’s when I heard it. The answer.
It came right from my very own heart.