Category: May 2024

Through the eyes of a child….

Today, we went to Brookgreen Gardens. Our ticket lasts seven days, which is wonderful as we could not take it all in on the first day. This afternoon, we visited the Sculpture Garden and were drawn into the children’s sculpture garden. Cathy and I commented on how inviting it was and how some sculptures drew you in and caused you to stop and wonder. or provoked joy.

What is it about a children’s area? Is it that everything is smaller instead of large and sometimes larger than life? Are the sitting areas cozier and inviting conversation instead of straight benches? Or maybe it is how the descriptions of the sculptures are a bit more interesting and use fewer words, such as Happiness or The Turtle Train, getting nowhere quickly.

I wanted to share some pictures I took to get a sense of the wonder. There was one called Standing Tall. It was so clear and expressive. There was no long written explanation of why or how it happened. I could see kids wonder and talk about the idea of standing tall.

See if you can feel the invitation of these sculptures, both an invitation to enter and then an invitation to stay a while. Take some time today or in the days ahead, or maybe even make a practice of this: listen, observe, and engage the children around you. Learn from what they are saying and how they are playing, and listen to their words and nonverbal messages. Observe their compassion and what is important to them. Perhaps we need to all spend more time learning from the young ones among us!

Upon leaving the children’s garden, you read the following: As you leave this Garden Room for children, carry with you the eyes of a child and try again to see this world with joy and innocence. ❤️ trish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The greatest challenge of being alive…

Whenever I am out of my routine, I think of blog topics throughout my day. Today, I kept thinking, “I might have a week’s worth of content; every conversation or situation seemed to develop into a potential blog.”

But tonight, I will save them for another day and time.

I am sharing this with you because I believe the invitation is important for us all to embrace. It is one of the greatest challenges of being alive.

The first step, my friends, is to witness the injustices of this world. I encourage you to take time and think about what those are. As you name them, become aware of them and witness them.

We must not stay focused just on injustice. Perhaps the most important part of our response to injustices around us is that we do not allow them to consume our light!

Shine your light at all times, but especially as. you encounter injustice! Always remember you can bring change, hope, and love to those around you! ❤️ trish

 

Self Preservation and Hope

I read this and found it fascinating. I never imagined a butterfly was so fragile to the storms of life. I think about how quickly storms begin and how quickly the butterfly adapts until it is clear again. But the adaptation is not the invitation for us tonight.

During life’s storms, the butterfly takes time to rest. Through God’s unique creation design, even the butterfly knows when and how to take good care during rainy and stormy days. I have almost always only associated a butterfly with vibrant life and hope. I am grateful to know this part of the story as well.

And so, I wonder how you self-care on your “rainy days?” These will look different for everyone. For one person, it might be the day before hosting a family gathering, the day after, or both. For another person, it might be around long days at work or emotionally stressful events where extra care is needed. Sometimes, it is just at the end of a busy day. Take time to name one or two spaces where you are aware that you may need to live like a butterfly on a rainy day and do a little self-preservation. When we take good care on rainy days, it is easier to live full of hope on those good days as well!

🦋❤️ trish