Oh Willow:a poem

Please read “Sovereign”, a poem written by Roxy St. Clair at http://Roxy St. Clair.com

I once knew a tree that moved me like this Oh willow, Oh willow, you gave me your gifts.

So stoic, so sad, yet joyful your call. We rejoice in your presence, shed tears when you fall.

Our shelter, companion, our home and our berth, you cleanse the air and feed the earth.

You open your arms, embracing us all. Take comfort, my brothers… The willow stands tall

Less is More

Minimalism is about unburdening your life from unnecessary possessions, obligations, and distractions.

But it’s about much more than that. It’s about freeing up space and time for the really important things.

Clear your clutter, clear your mind. We’ve all heard that before, in one form or another. But it works. (I’ve done it. More than once.) Not only for your mind and your space, but for your time and your finances as well.

Your excess “stuff” requires a much larger investment in money, time, commitment and peace of mind than you may realize. I’ve been practicing simplicity for some years now, but for me it’s a question of survival.

Growing up, I always felt that something was wrong with me, but I didn’t know what. Only that I was tense, restless, and unhappy 90% of the time.

Growing up in a family of nine children was extremely painful for me. To protect myself, I spent as much time in my room with my books and hobbies, or outside with my animals as I was allowed. I didn’t do as well in high school as I could have (my full brother and sister were both valedictorians), and though I had girlfriends, I never dated. I was always my own best friend.

When I left home and began a life of my own, I began to see that too many people, too much noise, too many obligations and too much clutter would trigger feelings of anxiety in me and block my creative voice.

Wanting to do more, to know more, to be better allowed my activities and commitments to snowball until I was overwhelmed and something had to give.

Practicing minimalism is work, sifting through each area of one’s life until the dross is separated from what’s necessary and important. But what is gained in the process is invaluable.

Craft me a List

I’m a consummate list maker.

It’s not so much a compulsion as a need to categorize the vast amount of information stored in my brain.

It is done with pen and pape. Firm and soft. The feel of these two items in my hands comforts me, while the simple act of combining their functions is pure magic. It stills my rracing thoughts and brings order once again when life turns chaotic.

The first list is an outline for goals in every area of my life, with steps to accomplish them. Other lists include passwords, phone numbers, books I want to read, movies I want to watch.

I even have a list of the next few knit or crocheted projects I want to make. This keeps me from getting distracted or over- whelmed by the myriad patterns and designs I view online each day.

All of these are kept in a spiral notebook with 3 sections. The last section is entitled “finances.” The first page is a list of the current month’s expenses, which lets me know if I’m sticking to the 50-30-20 budget plan or not. Next are the proposed expenses for the following month where I can make adjustments and hopefully do better. And so on…

These are only examples. A list can be practical or fanciful. It can have whatever purpose you choose, or no purpose at all. Your favorite words or your least favorite foods. A brain test or a brain tease.

The important thing is that it makes you think. And you have complete control.

I keep my to-do list in a 3×5 inch notebook, small enough to have at my elbow or to take along to an appointment. Big enough to jot down blog post ideas, quotes that inspire me, a pattern, a recipe, a dream…

Now go make your list, and I’ll make mine.

On Writing

I’ve always loved to write. First it was poetry, stories and writing assignments in school, interspersed with a need to journal. Now I’m writing a blog.

Blogging is different from journaling. Writing for others forces you to think seriously about your subject as well as your audience before you publish. Is it factual, entertaining, educational and/or thought provoking?

The mere act of writing a post makes me look deeply within myself, examining the experiences and attitudes that make me who I am today as well as those which have been holding me back.

For me, writing is both cathartic and life affirming. It clarifies my passions and nourishes my spirituality.

I would love to hear your own perspectives on why you write.

More Words Please!

I’m in love with books. And the words that make up the stories, facts and inspiration within.

Big words, small words, each has a meaning.

Each has the power to evoke a memory or feeling.

Increasing my vocabulary has always been a game to me. I challenge myself each day to find at least one new word in the articles, novels, inspirational, motivational, or fact based books and yes, blogs I consume.

I love crossword puzzles. They help keep my brain sharp, exercise memory skills and teach me new WORDS!

Today’s new word is: Sumismatics, the study of change.

And I love to write. With words. Words that hopefully work some magic for the reader.

I want them to see vivid, colorful images, smell wonderful smells that bring warm memories to mind, even bring a tear to the eye, or a smile to the lips.

My curiosity is insatiable. At times I am unable to shut my brain down to sleep. That’s one of the times when meditation comes to my aid. I focus on my breathe until my mind is quiet. I practice compassion for myself instead of judgment and soon I am asleep.

Usually with a cat wrapped around my head or tucked behind my knees and all is right with my world.

“and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Steve Jobs

Most of us have had childhood dreams of what we want to become when we grow up. Some of us are even able to make those dreams a reality. But more often our vision changes. Often we are left with making career and other  choices based on external factors because we are out of touch with our inner world. We find we don’t really know ourselves.
I have been through this decision making process more than once in my lifetime because I was too distracted by external factors and the opinions of others. I’m in my 60’s now and I finally feel that my current choices were at last made by truly listening to my heart and  trusting my intuition. I sincerely hope none of you has to repeat my mistakes.
I have tried meditation on several occasions, and though I did receive benefits from each attempt, I didn’t follow through with a daily practice. I had difficulty maintaining my concentration for more than a few minutes, let alone the 20 minutes to an hour that was recommended. My thoughts were too many, I became uncomfortable, and so on and so on with all the excuses I made for my lack of focus and discipline.
But I contineed my search and recently received a recommendation from Amazon based on previous kindle books on growth and inspiration I’d chosen. It’s called “You have 4 Minutes to Change Your LIfe” by Rebekah Borucki. She begins by debunking the myths about meditation we’ve all heard, which immediately gave me hope that I could finally start a practice I could follow through on.
I am so excited to begin! I believe in the process and am eager to heal and grow- and most of all to share with you the inspiration I receive and the progress I make.
You can get a free sample on Amazon KIndle to see if it’s for you, You won’t lose anything by giving it a try and you might be pleasantly surprised by what you gain for such a small investment of your time.