Two Little Thoughts.

Yesterday I really did not do a great deal in the way of thinking. I was far too busy with the physical task of cutting back a lot of the growth on the shrubs in my garden. The day was well into the afternoon before I got that and the lawns done.

I am pleased with how things are looking, probably the tidies I have managed to get the garden since I moved here.  Feeling pleased about it I thought I would go for a four mile walk around two lovely little lochs not far from where I live. In fact it is only about a mile and a half to walk round the two of them So I usually do three circuits giving me a decent walk. It is a popular walk and there are normally people who pass the time of day. Talk about the birds or the beauty of the trees at the moment is the name of the game.

Having completed my walk I decided to go home and complete the garden by planting up some of the flower pots that had been removed being past their best. 

It was at the garden centre that I had my first real thoughts of any merit of my day.

The garden centre was very busy, probably a great many people like me with the same ideas as me. But there was something that brought a real smile to my face. 

The garden centre had been, like me freshening up one or two corners. There was a notice saying , "Beware, Wet Paint." 

Now If I had told most of those people that there were over forty-two million stars in the sky they would mostly have just believed me. So why was it that so many people had to test if that paint was in fact wet. I was almost tempted to test it myself. 

This also made me wonder why banks have the doors open and welcoming, and yet they still have the pens secured with a little chain?

Have a good day and remember all those little things that can make you smile. We are constantly surrounded by the possibilities of a smile or a frown. Smiling is better.

You do not need a parachute if you are going to sky dive. You only need one if you are thinking about doing it twice. 

Cutting Shrubs.

I spent a fair bit of my day yesterday cutting back the great many shrubs in my garden. A time consuming and tedious task. 

I have only been in the house just over a year so this is only the second time I have had to do it. Why is it always cold on the days these tasks have to be done?  Yesterday I had to stop at mid point because the rain came on far to heavy to continue. 

As I was doing it I found myself thinking of ways I could possibly do it faster. At that point I was sure I saw my father over my shoulder pointing at one of the bushes.  Let me assure you I am not losing my sanity. 

It was just one of my neighbours out walking his dog.

It took me back many years when I was still in the boy scouts. It was, "Bob a Job," week. There was always competition between us to see who could do the most tasks and who could collect the most money. A bob was one shilling. There were twenty shillings to the pound, so we had to do at least twenty jobs to get to the pound. 

I was doing very well and most of the jobs I had been given were easily accomplished in an hour or so. Going for messages weeding a flower bed or cutting a lawn. 

Then I was asked to cut the lawn of one of my neighbours. it really could not be called a lawn it was really her grass. Front and back garden was knee high grass. It was a frightening task and I could see myself spending at least one whole day for my bob. 

I took the job remember my father saying to me turn down no job and do the best you can. I laboured hard on the cutting of that grass and it was exhausting work. I will never forget the time when I thought I had done well and the task was completed. 

My father stood on the pavement and pointed at some clumps he felt were not cut properly.It took me at least another hour as each time he pointed to another bit. 

I was so glad when he turned and walked away letting me call the task done.

Later that night he asked if I had collected my shilling. I told hime I was to get it the next day.  But that my chance of doing well over the week had taken a big set back. A whole day for one shilling. 

"If you do a job do it to the very best of your ability;" he said again

I slept well that night even though I felt I had been exploited. 

Next day I was up and ready scout uniform on looking for more tasks to try and reach my target.  The neighbour whose grass I had cut gave me an envelope as I headed out the gate. I thanked her and wondered where to begin looking for my first task of the day, the envelope in my shirt pocket. 

I did not have to look far. The neighbours were all asking me if I would cut their grass or weed their flower beds. I had a list of jobs to keep me going until the week ended. 

The lesson I learned and learned well was that if you do something well then others will encourage you and reward you with their support. Then the big surprise, the envelope contained not my shilling but a,  "Ten bob note.'  I was overwhelmed. 

So not surprising I see my father pointing every time I think I might take shortcuts. A lesson well learned.

Have a great day.

The Woodcutter.

There are times when we get so caught up in our lives that we fail to notice other things that need to be getting done. Normally one of the first things I do when returning from time away is get out into my paint space and make a start of paintings I have buzzing in my head. 

I have now been home two weeks and have as yet not made a start. 

I have been trying so very hard to get me weight back down to where I feel it would be good for me. Probably because I am getting older I am finding that battle a much more difficult one to win. It is taking me much longer this time round. 

I was brought to a sharp intake of awareness yesterday when I foolishly after long walk in the morning, headed out last night to do four miles in the dark. I knew I would be walking through woods and it would take me longer in the dark but set off nevertheless. Silly really. 

So I was reminded of the man who was given a job as a forestry worker.

Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. 

For those reasons, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.

His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he supposed to work.

The first day, the woodcutter managed to cut and clean 18 trees.

“Congratulations,” the boss said. “Go on that way!”

Very motivated by the boss words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he could only manage 15 trees. 

The third day he tried even harder, but he could only manage 10 trees. 

Day after day the number of trees cut and prepared became less and less.

“I must be losing my strength”, the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

“When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the boss asked.

“Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees…”

It really is all about making sure that you can see the wood from the trees. 

Have a good day. 

Who Are You

I passed a number of young folk yesterday out playing in spite of the bad weather. There was a break in the rain and they were getting ready to make the most of the time available to play without getting soaked like I was.

They were about to pick their teams and play a game of football. The goals were made up with four jackets lain in a bundle on the soaking wet grass. I could already hear the comments when they took those home.

I also smiled and wondered how long it would be before they had the inevitable argument about wether the ball was or was not over the non existent crossbar. 

It took me back years. I did play the occasional game even though I never ever was really into playing games of football. In fact when I think of it I was never into team games at all. I was always very much a person who preferred games involving imagination and thought played by one or two people at any one time. 

I do though still remember how important those things were. 

As I was leaving the young folk to the serious business of sides I heard one person making the next big important decision. "I will be Messee," said one young boy. Another , "No I will be Messee."

I did not wait for that argument to be solved.

I was smiling as I walked on. Young people do have the art of keeping you young, because in spite of them never believing us things do not really change all that much. That discussion could have taken place in my school playground.

It reminded me of the two brothers. 

Their mother had decided to give the family a treat and make a batch of pancakes, something they all enjoyed.

As she mixed up the batter and prepared the griddle the two brothers were arguing about who would have the first one.

On hearing them the mother thought there was a chance of a little moral lesson here.

She said to the boys, "If Jesus was sitting here he would be saying. Let my brother have the first one I can wait."

Immediately Jack turned to his younger brother and said, " You can be Jesus David."

A bit like us all, desperate to be first in line for things just in case we miss out. But who is to say that the second pancake might in fact be far better then the first?

Have a great day. Heading out for a long walk this morning you never know what you are going to see or hear. But there is a smile just around the corner if you let it touch you. 

What do you wish?

 

Yes, you will all be familiar with this picture it comes with apple computers. I just thought I would have some fun with it and paint it. It is a lovely picture. 

I had a very late night last night attending the jean Michelle Jarre concert in Glasgow. What a marvellous evening of music and light show. I have listened to the music of this man for almost forty years and it still moves me in many ways. Not my usual quiet music it certainly was loud. 

I mention this because I laughed very hard when I heard a conversation between one of the stewards at the concert and a patron. I will not repeat it here because It was very obvious that both had misunderstood the other. Each rather than ask for one to repeat again in the midst of the din took umbrage.  Yet I could see there was a misunderstanding but stayed well out of it. 

Reminded me of Joe. 

Joe went to a restaurant and after being shown to his table was approached by a very beautiful waitress. She very politely asked hime what she could get him. "What would you like sir?" she asked.

His reply was, "A quickie."

She strode off very embossed and upset.

After a short time she returned having given herself and him time to calm down.

"What would you like sir? " she asked again.

Again Joe answered her, "A quickie."

This time anger bubbled forth and she slapped him and marched off. 

The man at the next table came over and whispered to Joe. 

"Um, I think it is pronounced Quiche."

We really do have to listen and make sure we are also saying what we really mean.

Have a great day.

Anyone who has a heart!

I thought I would share this picture with you this morning. I do so for all those friends who jokingly say to me so often that I have no heart. We'll here you are friends I do have a heart. 

Ok so I was about to bread the fish and cracked an egg into a dish ready to whip it up and there it was a heart. 

Reminded me of the story of the man who was obviously full of heart. 

A lad named Joe was given a free ticket to go and see the Super Bowl in the USA. He was given it by his company for his good service for the previous year. 

Unfortunately when he arrives at the stadium and is shown to his seat he discovers he is in the back row what feels likes miles from the action.

About a quarter of the way into the game he is looking through his binoculars and notices an empty seat right down near the field of play. 

He decides to take a chance and makes his way through the stadium to the empty seat.  He passes the security man without a problem and approaches the seat. 

Sitting next to the empty seat is an old gentleman. Joe turns to him and asks, "Excuse me is this seat empty?"

The old man turns to him and says,"No." Joe says, "Now why would anybody pay for such a marvellous seat and not use it. "

"The seat actually belongs to me," says the old man. "I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first super bowl we haven't been together at since we got married."

"Well, that is really sad," says Joe. "Couldn't you get anybody else to take the seat? A friend or a close relative?"

"No," says the old man, "they're all at the funeral."

Have a great day. Probably nothing more important on the schedule than to enjoy ourselves.

Bad Luck

Being back home and trying hard to get back into some routine some modicum of normality I find myself thinking back to other places I have lived. I suppose naturally I have even thought about where and when it all started. Because over the years the choices and decisions made in those days have brought me to where I am now.

This building depicted above was where a great many of the important decisions I made in my early life were made. There are some who read this will recognise this as Rosyth Parish Church. The people of this church played a large part in the decisions that shaped my whole life. 

While quietly thinking about this, and wondering what might have been different if I had made other choices way back then. 

This brought to mind the story of the Chinese Taoist Farmer. A story I return to often. 

There is a Chinese story of an old farmer who had an old horse for tilling his fields. 

One day the horse escaped into the hills and, when all the farmer's neighbours sympathised with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, 'Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?'

A week later the horse returned with a herd of wild horses from the hills and this time the neighbours congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, 'Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?'

Then, when the farmer's son was attempted to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this very bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was, 'Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?' 

Some weeks later the army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer's son with his broken leg they let him off. Now was that good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?

So back to my early thoughts. Would life have been different? Who knows?

Good luck , bad luck, who knows? The reality of life is that we just have to make the very best of the day that lies before us. It really has little to do with good luck bad luck. It is about making decisions and making the very best of the actions of the day.

Have a great day.