Young love

Stephanie sat staring at the screen. No new views yet again, no young male suitors wanting to meet her.

She just didn't understand it. She'd registered with the site, filled in all of her details truthfully, added a recent photo and nothing.

Was she really that boring? Didn't anybody find her interests, well, interesting?

She'd led an exciting life up until now, travelling the world, living out of a back back, skinny dipping on remote beaches under a moonlit sky.

She rose, stretched out her aching muscles and ran herself a hot bath. Maybe that exercise class earlier had been a bit much after the party of the night before.

She sank into the fragrant, bubbly water and began to think.

What could she do to get more views? How could she appear more interesting? 

A smile slowly formed on her lips. Yes! Of course, that could well be the answer to her problem!

She dried herself and headed back to the computer, her plan now fully formed.

She opened her profile page, looking at her photo, let's have something a bit different, she said to herself with a smile.

She browsed her computer, looking through photo after photo. Ah, yes, that would do. Her 21 year old, smiling face looked back at her, tanned and healthy.

She remembered that day vividly. It was on a back packing holiday in the Australian outback with a friend. She pressed the button and uploaded it to her profile.

What next? Maybe a little massaging of the truth? Yes, just a little, nothing too obvious.

After all, once they'd met her, they would realise how attractive and interesting she really was!

She finished her work and smiled. Yes, this should draw in some nice gentlemen who would like to meet her for a date.

She looked at the clock – ah, time to go!

She rose, grabbing her pension book from the table and headed out to the Post Office.

Well, she hadn't exactly lied, had she? A young toyboy would be just the thing to put a spring in those old legs of hers – she'd always liked them young!

The Money Shed

I like to earn some money,

A little on the side,

A survey here, some testing there,

I take it in my stride.

I found a site, that helped me,

To glean a little more,

Lots of new ideas,

To make money my way pour.

It's full of lovely people,

Helpful to the end,

You can ask them lots of questions,

It won't drive them round the bend!

The owner's name is Jon,

A sterling kind of chap,

Full of fresh ideas,

To him I doff my cap.

Why not take a look,

At his website, oh so great,

He'll get you earning money,

Treat you like a mate,

So here is a pointer,

Over here you should head,

Sign up, enjoy and earn,

At the wonderful Money Shed

Stepping forwards

Sometimes life goes exactly as planned and everything feels great, but at other times, it seems to throw a spanner in the works at every opportunity.
 
When we feel knocked back by life, it is very easy to just give up, because everything just seems to be so hard.

But if we give up, we will also be giving up on attaining our dreams and goals.

Even if things are difficult, it is better to take a slow and steady ramble then to just stand still.

Feeling sorry for ourselves doesn't achieve anything. It just makes us feel that our goals are all the more unattainable, it saps us of our self worth, our inner spark.

Despite what has happened to us, we should continue to look forward, to strive to keep stepping out on our journey, learning and growing.

So what are you waiting for? Put on those walking shoes and step forwards.

Sort it out!

How often do you put off things that need doing? The chances are that it is quite often.

Sometimes it is because it is a task that we don't enjoy, and at other times it just never seems the right time.

By getting things done as soon as possible, our life feels clearer and brighter, more organised.

Not doing things can cause stress, as they are forever on our minds - that room that needs decorating, that dripping tap!

These are examples of simple things, but annoying and stressful all the same and can be easily sorted out.

Other things are harder, more problematical, but ignoring them will not make them go away.

So why not deal with it right now? If you don't, then it will still be there, taunting you, waiting to be done tomorrow.

Instead of obsessing about how difficult or time consuming it will be, just get on and make a start.

The sooner that you start, the sooner it can be finished.

So sort it out, get it done - don't wait a moment longer.

Fitbit fun

I bought myself a fitbit,

A couple of weeks ago,

To help me get fitter,

Stop me getting quite so slow.

On went the band,

And I went for a roam,

Oh my legs ached so much.

You could hear me moan and groan!

But two weeks on,

I'm getting much better,

Stronger and fitter,

Following my goals to the letter!

Just a few more stairs,

A few more steps to go,

I'm quite enjoying myself,

Getting out and about, you know.

I meet up with a friend,

Walking with their dog.

Have a nice chat,

That's another walk to log!

I watch the birds,

Singing in the trees,

Ducks a swimming,

Hear the buzzing of the bees.

I'm now a bit lighter,

Much less out of puff,

I'll run up those stairs,

Have I done quite enough?

Buzz buzz,

Today's goal is done.

But tomorrow's another day,

I'll walk and have some fun.

I wonder!

We travel through our days, often doing exactly the same thing, seeing exactly the same things and rarely do we stop to think about them.

We just take them for granted and accept them as they are.

But what if one day we didn't. What if we thought about them, examined them, saw them in a different and new light.

Just a simple thought can change our whole perspective on things, lead us to new and exciting things.

Instead of taking them for granted because they have always seemed the same, we will see them as new possibilities, new ideas.

Our day will become different, more exciting, new and fresh.

So instead of just accepting that things are just the way they are, think I wonder what would happen if I did something different, looked at things a different way.

Look around, add some sparkle to your day.............wonder.

Rapture

I sit, close my eyes,

I fall, deep within myself.

My body numbs,

My mind is set free.

A gossamer touch against my face,

Whispered voices heard,

Love, enveloping me.

Warmth, rapture, joy.

Knowledge, whispered knowledge.

Things of which I know nothing,

Knowledge of all, everything,

Swirling within, filling me.

I am at one, I am free,

I am filled with light, with love.

Flying, flying in the never ending abyss.

Here is where I want to stay.

But I must return,

There is much to do!

Messages to give,

Hope to inspire.

I leave, my body becomes heavy.

I open my eyes.

I feel empty.

I stretch, get up, connect with this mortal world.

My whole being yearns to be back in that place for eternity.

To love, to learn, to be free of pain and suffering.

The time will come, but not for many years yet.

I must stay, live, be human!

Love everlasting

Today marks our 30th wedding anniversary. How the years have flown.

It doesn't seem that long since our wedding day, and here we are, still together 30 years later!

It made me think about love, in all of its many guises.

When we are in that first flush of love in a new relationship, it is all encompassing, it fills our very being to the brim, leaving little space for anything else.

But over the years, that raging fire dies down into a more consistent warmth.

But that does not mean that the love has died, it has merely changed character.

It is at this point that many couples feel that they are growing apart because the love is not as strong.

But that is not always true, it is just that we have grown and adapted to that love as a couple.

We still love and care about each other, still hold hands, cuddle and talk about our hopes and fears, just as we did all of those years ago.

Love changes as we do. As we grow to know each other, we feel more comfortable and at ease in each others company without feeling the need to have such flamboyant gestures to prove our love to each other.

Love has many faces: Looking after each other when we are ill, dropping other things when we are needed, laughing and crying together.

Love has many faces and guises which are eternally changing.

Love should be cherished and kept alive today and every day.

Accept your problems

We all have problems, we all have hardships.

How we react and deal with them can make them easier to accept and deal with.

We can either fight them and get angry and stressed, or we can accept them and try to do the best that we can in the circumstances.

That is not to say that we shouldn't try to solve them if it is possible, but by accepting them, we will be in a better mindset to deal with what life has dealt us.

If we approach our problems with good humour and a positive mindset, then we are much more likely to find that things are not as bad as we thought.

And even if they are bad, our acceptance will put us in a very powerful mindset to deal with them in the best and most constructive way.

We all have the power within us to deal with problems and hardships, we just have to tell ourselves that we are capable.

So be strong, accept your problems and hardships and deal with them, rise to the challenge and shine.

Look back

In the future, when you look back at today, will it be a day to be proud of?

It is very easy to squander our days, drifting through them and achieving very little.

But each of our days should be seen as a precious, once in a lifetime thing.

Once this day is finished, it can never be relived, so make it count.

It doesn't matter if today is going to be an easy or a hard day, as long as we fill it to the best of our ability.

If you do choose to spend it doing very little, then make sure that you enjoy your laziness, relishing the break that it gives.

If you choose to fill it to the brim with activity, then enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes from it.

But, whatever you do, make it count, make it good, make it a day to look back on, knowing that you made it the best day that you possibly could.

My eyes are tired!

My eyes are tired,

I can not see!

I haven't bought,

My glasses with me!

The print is so awkward,

Confound it all!

How can I read,

It's all too small!

I'll ask that lad,

Just over there,

Can you read this,

Have a care!

As we grow old,

It's often true,

Our eyes get weak,

It makes us blue!

But a pair of specs,

Will make it right,

Then we can read,

All day and all night!