by June | May 8, 2017 | Blogposts
So much is happening in the world and instead of
… talking … sharing concerns … giving love … receiving love … expressing love in action, word, thought
fear and feelings of helplessness permeate conversations and thoughts.
Oh, to be this kitten embraced and protected by the dog. Oh, to be this dog
taking comfort in the gentle breaths of the kitten. Ahhh … peace … love … sweet friendship. Human animals can learn so much from non-human animals.
May we be open to learning from them. May we be willing to put that learning into practice. May it be so. Amen. May it be so.
© June Maffin
(Photo source: unknown)
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by June | May 6, 2017 | Blogposts
An unexpected gift from a friend in Ottawa brought a huge smile to my face
as I opened the parcel and discovered a package of “Canada 150 Tulip” bulbs … the official tulip of Canada’s 150th anniversary.
I excitedly planted the bulbs and eagerly awaited their beautiful white bloom with red flames that would remind me of Canada’s Maple Leaf Flag and the Netherlands which gifted Canada with 100,000 tulip bulbs in 1945 as a postwar gift of gratitude for the role that Canadian soldiers had played in the liberation of the Netherlands in WW11. They would be a constant reminder of the birthplace of my DH, Hans van der Werff.
This morning, the tulip blooms began to appear on the tulips in the front yard and I was excited! I immediately took their photo and planned a daily journal of the tulips to send to my Ottawa friend so she could see how they were growing. I came home this afternoon eager to see if the tulips had opened. I don’t know if they had or had not because the plants had been cut. Who would do that? Why would they do that?
Though I try to make sense of this senseless act I realize that I cannot. And perhaps that’s what lies at the crux of much of the angst in the world. We cannot make sense out of insensitive acts that lead to confusion, suffering, broken trust. We cannot make sense out of unkind people who only look out for their needs and their wants without consideration of the consequences of their actions on others.
I wanted to react at this insensitive act. I wanted to confront the unkind person who did this. Instead, I made a cup of Crystal Tea and decided to blog about it all. I could have gone for a walk around the block – if it hadn’t started to rain and the temperature hadn’t quickly dropped. I could have headed into the tub with the book I’m reading – if it had at least been 8:00 pm and a little closer to bedtime. I could have made time to meditate or pray or …
I needed to de-stress and having ways to de-stress from the little and bigger things in life is important to our emotional well-being. We don’t have to have the same or even similar ways to de-stress each time. But it’s important that we do … “have ways”.
Text and Photos © June Maffin
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by June | May 4, 2017 | Blogposts
Today was a dark day in the United States.
A day where … greed trumped compassion … power trumped integrity and truth … and lives will be sacrificed because a small group of very wealthy, powerful people in Washington voted on a Bill they were desperate to pass
even though they didn’t read the Bill ahead of the vote and had no knowledge of its contents, let alone its consequences.
In Native American folklore the owl represents ‘sacred knowledge’ and is a symbol of being able ‘to navigate any darkness in life.’ Where, O Owl, is the ‘sacred knowledge’ in all of what has been happening? How can this darkness be navigated? “Owl,” said Rabbit to Owl “you and I have brains.
The others have fluff. If there is any thinking to be done in this Forest, you and I must do it.” <A.A. Milne>
What can I do … living in a country that is not the United States?
If I feel so helpless and can’t imagine what people living in the United States are feeling, what can I do?
I can add my small voice to the growing international voice of outrage. I can let my neighbours to the south know that they are in my thoughts and prayers. I can move my thoughts to possibilities and not dwell on the darkness. Those are some things I can do.
What can be done by those living in the United States?
They can pray. They can blog. They can contact their local Senator and let them know their thoughts and implore them to not vote to accept the Bill when it gets to the Senate. They can add their signature to petitions that have begun to circulate. They can write their local newspapers and speak up at Town Hall meetings.
We must remember that we have brains and … the others have fluff. Together, may we be owls … wise owls … who possess sacred knowledge
and are able to navigate “any darkness in life.”
Photo, Wise Owl Card and Text © June Maffin
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by June | May 3, 2017 | Blogposts
Tomorrow … what will you be doing tomorrow?
Here’s what will be happening in the world: The Queen of England is making a major announcement tomorrow ... why call it an ’emergency’ meeting when it’s only announcing Prince Philip’s retirement?
The Republicans are going to try and put their version of the ACA to a vote tomorrow in Congress … why scare people when even if it passes, it is most unlikely to pass a Senate vote.
The President of the United States is apparently going to sign at least one controversial Executive Order ... why do this at all?
And the local meteorologist has indicated that the sun will come out tomorrow. We all want sun to come out! We all want a “tomorrow” in our lives.
I don’t know about you but … whatever the Queen announces … whatever decision is made in Congress … whatever Executive Order is signed, I am going to sing, whistle, hum or at least ‘think’ the words to Annie’s “Tomorrow” song; and “hang on ’til tomorrow come what may!”
because tomorrow is always “a day away.”
That “day away” gives me hope that there will be another tomorrow
and another and another.
So we hold on … do what we can do to allow the sun into our lives and wedon’t let the clouds roll in to the point that they occupy our hearts or our minds or our souls.
Tomorrow is always
… a day away!
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by June | May 1, 2017 | Blogposts
It would be easy to allow my feelings to determine who I am.
It would be easy to blame life’s difficult circumstances on bad luck, genetic inheritance, family, the government, others, God.
But that would be putting energy “out there”
when I need to focus on rebuilding energy “within” to continue to heal, learn, grow and continue my journey of ‘becoming’ the person I am meant to be.
It’s taken time and work and energy … in the yesterdays of my life … and in the todays of my life to refuse to put energy ‘out there’ on blame
in spite of experiences of rejection, hatred, envy, poverty, pain, betrayal, being on death’s doorstep, and experiencing deep loss.
And it will take time, and work and energy in the tomorrows of my life.
But I will choose to do so because those times have taught and continue to teach that each day is a privilege a new beginning an opportunity to make choices.
Choices about who I will be that day, how I will act / respond that day, who I am becoming.
To quote Carl Jung “I am – what I choose to become.”
I am still in the process of ‘becoming.’ I am still in the process of Choosing.
Choosing To Be … the very best me I can be.
Photo and Text © June Maffin
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by June | Apr 28, 2017 | Blogposts
Antidote to latest news from the U.S.?
Make art!
As Andy Warhol said
“Don’t think about making art
… just get it done.
Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad
… whether they love it or hate it.
While they are deciding
… make more art!”
Ahhhh, Andy Warhol
… such wise advice.
When we create
we are
… being child-like
… moving further in our process of “becoming”
… growing spiritually.
Making … creating … playing … being
Imagine the spiritual possibilities
… when we make time for each of these.
And when they are woven together
into something tangible
it’s art!
Yes, even these “Four Funky Kids” cards
… made out of cardstock, paper clips and yarn snippets.
Let’s create.
Let’s make art.
Let’s play.
Let’s “Get It Done!”
“Four Funky Kids” cards, Photo & Text
© June Maffin
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Time to make some more “Funky Kids” cards
as these have all found their way into
mailboxes of grandkids, nieces and nephews. 🙂
by June | Apr 27, 2017 | Blogposts
Need a break … from the stress of life?
Need a break … from the news and threat of war?
Need a break from … busyness … anger … fear … confusion … sense of helplessness … something else?
When that happens for me what happens is to intentionally open my eyes and heart and to consciously seek beauty around, above, below, within
helps in some way … like these cascading blue pansies in the yard with their smiling faces and open mouths singing their sweet “Welcome Spring!” song.
May renewal come our way through the gifts of Mother Nature when it’s “time for a break.”
Photo & Text © June Maffin
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by June | Apr 24, 2017 | Blogposts
how do i know … when … if god speaks?
– is god … the voice deep within … the thought that flits through my head … the heartbeat that races … the questions … the answers
– is god … any of these … none of these … all of these
– is god really god – holy other – creator – spirit … or is it simply me
when god speaks … do i know for certain what i must do? am i certain it is god who speaks? not really and yet … yet i cannot remain inactive or unresponsive
higher power – god – spirit – holy other – creator – invites me to live,
to risk, to move forward, to respond to that quiet inner voice, to trust the source whose Name seems hidden … in mists of confusion … in voices of doubt … in shadows of uncertainty, expectant that what lies ahead will nurture and challenge and bless and believe that the true voice of spirit
will not lead me to chaos or confusion
Photo & Text © June Maffin
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by June | Apr 23, 2017 | Blogposts
It’s been quite a weekend! Only way to describe it was to create a neologism: … one word combining two words. SERENDINCIDENCE
serendipity (serend) … “a pleasant surprise” … + co-incidence (<co-in> incidence) … “accidental events that might have been arranged but weren’t”)
It began yesterday when I went to the shed to get the compressor to put air into the utility trailer so garden branches etc. could be taken to the recycling depot. When I opened the shed, I heard a “twittering” sound
… a bird had somehow become trapped inside the shed. But it wasn’t a bird.
It was Mama Raccoon.
I checked the shed again and she was still there … menacing, ready to strike. “Babies – she’s protecting her babies” I thought. Leaving the door open, I hoped she’d make her way out with her babies. No such luck.
I want to get rid of them … humanely … so I googled, posted on FB, made phone calls and learned a lot (!) about raccoons and how to get rid of them:
… leave door open … put bright light inside … play talk-radio (they don’t like human voices) … “disturb” their “den”
Last night … the shed door was left open … talk-radio was played, but a recent shoulder injury meant I couldn’t hang the light or move things out of the shed to disturb the “den.”
And then co-incidences: … I left my scarf in church this morning … a friend came by to drop it off … I told her about the raccoons in the shed … and that I couldn’t hang the light because of the shoulder injury.
Before heading home, she noticed a neighbour unloading his car, told him about the situation
and then serendipity … he hung the light … emptied the shed and cardboard that Mama Raccoon had used as a nest for her kits.
If the co-incidences hadn’t happened, I’d not have had the serendipitous pleasant happening of Mama and the Kits leaving. They’re gone!
And I’d never have had the fun of creating a neologism SERENDINCIDENCE.
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by June | Apr 19, 2017 | Blogposts
The wise words of my parents “You were given a brain. Use it.” often surfaced throughout my life. At the age of fifteen, I decided to leave the church of my youth which seemed to expect me to leave my brain at the door. When I would ask a question I was told “Do not question” but to “read the books of our faith.” I did.
I had more questions and continued to be told “Don’t question.” “Don’t question?” Isn’t that why I was given a brain? … to ask questions
… to doubt … to consider possibilities … to challenge situations of injustice
… to think for myself … to come to my own opinion
When I became a parent. I intentionally taught my son to … research subjects … be open to learning from others … discuss what he was learning … listen to the opinions of others … come to his own independent opinion
In other words, he was raised to be a thinker … not simply go with the crowd … not simply to agree with my views, but to come to his own opinions about … what is truth … relationships … politics… religion
… abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment and more.
I like to think that … reading and doing research … becoming informed … respectfully listening to the opinions of others … discussing and debating
… and eventually coming to our own opinions is a spiritual responsibility.
We were given and gifted with a brain. Surely the Giver of the Gift
expects us to use the gift at all times and particularly in these difficult days of elusive truth.
We must seek truth. We must pursue truth, even if it alienates us from loved ones, from political party adherence, from religious tenets
We must think.
Think … For …. Ourselves.
Photo & Text © June Maffin
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I excitedly planted the bulbs and eagerly awaited their beautiful white bloom with red flames that would remind me of Canada’s Maple Leaf Flag and the Netherlands which gifted Canada with 100,000 tulip bulbs in 1945 as a postwar gift of gratitude for the role that Canadian soldiers had played in the liberation of the Netherlands in WW11. They would be a constant reminder of the birthplace of my DH, Hans van der Werff.
