Vision

Sunday 3.33pm

I have a few ongoing projects, especially in cooking. Naan bread is one, pizza another and mayonnaise yet another. I do not tackle them all the time, and I don't stress over them, just every now and again I'll have another go at one or another, today it was mayonnaise. I know what I am after something plain and creamy, pretty much like "Helmann's" or "Best Foods" here in New Zealand, but one that I have made and know exactly what has gone into it.
But what am I chasing?, what brings me back to try again and again. I think it is the vision in my head, that thing that I cannot describe and yet can taste, smell and see in my mind. And when what I make matches that I'll know. Vision and doing go hand in hand in achieving anything. Yes it is also good to play around every now and again just to see what can be discovered, but as I get older I am noticing more and more the power of visualisation.

Life is never dull when you know where you are heading.

Holidays

Wednesday 10.16am

I always resist going on holiday. " It is too expensive", "I can't spare the time away" "There's too much to do here" etc, etc. But once I decide to go and then actually do it , I am always glad I did and it usually turns out that the more I oppose the idea the more I actually need a holiday.

The problem with being at home is that I am surrounded by reminders of what I should or could be doing. If I was better at getting things done I would have all these "open loops" in my head written down and accounted for, but that is an ongoing project and by no means under control yet. Being away frees my mind from all of that and suddenly the world seems a much bigger place. But actually, although my conscious mind is relaxing my subconscious is still working away. I have had some of my best ideas, the solutions to problems that just have me stumped, when I get stuck and finally take a break. A walk, a trip to an art gallery or garden or just sitting in a cafe watching the world go by all work for me, but holidays are best.

Holidays are for doing whatever you feel like. For eating whatever and whenever you want. And especially for walking along the beach at six thirty in the morning because you were both awake and you can always go back to bed again later if you want.

Trees

Sunday 7.33am

Sitting on our little veranda here at home I look out upon trees as far as the eye can see. I have always been drawn to trees, I do not know why and I am certainly not the only one that feels this way but there is just something . . .

Like the first movement in the salute to the sun that I do every morning the trees have their roots solidly grounded in the earth, and from here stretch up tall reaching to the sky. When the wind blows they do not oppose it but roll with it in a seemingly random swirling motion that brings them back to the centre once again to continue as before. I find this movement both the sight and sound of it very relaxing to watch, to hear, to feel even, for it seem to echo somehow within my own centre. As far as I know the trees are just doing their own tree thing and do not know I exist but when I am close to them I feel surrounded by . . . . possibilities.


LIfe is never dull when there are possibilities.