by June | Dec 9, 2017 | Blogposts
“Is Santa real?” “Does Santa exist? “Is there really a Santa Claus?”
How many times has a child asked such questions? Countless!
Santa is each of us.
When we are able to … encourage … affirm … accept … love others
When we are able to … identify with the marginalized … care for the animals and this planet earth … support the oppressed … advocate for justice and human rights … acknowledge that ‘they’ are ‘us’
That’s when our inner Santa emerges, giving hope and joy to others.
Isn’t that what Santa is about?|
If “yes, “then Santa is real. Santa exists. There really is a Santa.
© June Maffin
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by June | Nov 10, 2017 | Blogposts
On November 11th each year, communities across Canada gather at local Cenotaphs, people take a moment where they live, work, go to school to remember. Remember the sacrifice of those who have served, suffered, died on lands far away and those who have served, suffered, died here at home that we might live.
We uphold in our remembrances the men and women who serve on our behalf as part of the Canadian operations and peacekeeping forces at home and around the world: … Operation Artemis: Arabian Sea … Operation Attention: Afghanistan … Operation Calumet: Sinai Peninsula of Egypt … Operation Crocodile: Democratic Republic of the Congo … Operation Foundation: Tampa … Operation Gladius: Golan Heights … Operation Hamlet: Haiti … Operation Jade: Middle East … Operation Kobold: Kosovo … Operation Proteus: Jerusalem … Operation Saturn: Darfur … Operation Serval: Mali … Operation Snowgoose: Cyprus … Operation Soprano: Republic of South Sudan.
Thank you all who have served. Thank you all who are now serving. Thank you to those who are about to serve. We remember. We are grateful. We will not forget.
Text & Photo
© june maffin
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by June | Nov 9, 2017 | Blogposts
What do you do when you’re stressed? Or bored, frustrated, grieving,
angry, sad, lonely, in pain? What do you do for fun, for challenge, etc.?
For me, I play. Well, to be honest I create. Something. Sometimes that creativity happens in the kitchen with food. Sometimes it happens in the garden with earth and bulbs and plants. Sometimes it happens in the Studio with paper and paint and cardstock. Sometimes it happens in my recliner chair with the laptop computer. Sometimes it happens on an airplane or the deck with yarn and fabric. Sometimes it happens on the bus, hospital, dentist’s office with pen & ink. But it happens. And when it does, I discover physical pain diminishing, emotional sadness lessening, spiritual dis-ease becoming transformed
But what if what is created turns out to be a mess? Or not what was intended? The old adage “give it a try” often whispers in my mind. Like this summer when I found some records in a church fall sale and thought I’d see what happened when I poured acrylic paint on them. Didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. I was going to paint over them but then decided to try writing on them instead … like this one. It “sort of” worked … but the rough surface wasn’t easy to write on. But that won’t stop me. I’ll “give it a try”again. Sometime.
And in the meantime I’ll continue to play and create and whatever the “it” is at the time “give it a try.” Hope you do, too.
photo & text © June Maffin
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by June | Nov 4, 2017 | Blogposts
Ot’s been snowing most of the day, gently dropping light flakes from the sky
over flowers that seem to be in a petrified state by last night’s frost. Power remains on, fireplace glows with soft light and gentle warmth, soup bubbles on the stove, quiet music plays in the background. What a blessing it is to be safe and warm, fed and relaxed. But many are not.
They are outdoors at night. They are outdoors during the day. They are cold and hungry and fearful. Clothing can be shared. Food and shelter can be provided. But what to do about the emotional and spiritual dis-ease that continues to devastate individual lives, families, countries, this world.
Perhaps hope can be offered by these flowers from our garden. Frozen on the vine this morning, this afternoon they were transformed into an arrangement of unusual beauty by love. Love – the key to open the chamber of fear … to speak to wounded hearts … to address societal wrongs
to set-free creativity and joy … to bring about reconciliation, transformation
… and welcome hope.
Photo and Text © June Maffin
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by June | Nov 2, 2017 | Blogposts
First power outage of the season today. How quickly the house got cold!
But it was great preparation before the next power outage, because it will happen. And before it does, there’s time to review and take care of the recliner chair back-up battery system that didn’t work, finding the extra flashlights, learning how to make the generator work. While the portable phones didn’t work in the power outage, I was grateful I kept the old plug-in land line.
While I miss my DH, Hans, every single day, it’s in situations such as this that remind me what a calming influence he was in power outages and tsunami warnings. Within minutes he would “take charge” of the situation.
So this afternoon, I invoked his spirit and before I knew it, I had taken charge of the situation. And as I did, once again I could hear his almost-final words “Remember, you’re stronger than you think you are.”
Our loved ones really are with us. Just in a different way.
May we remember them, give thanks for the ways they enriched our lives, and may they all rest in peace.
by June | Oct 27, 2017 | Blogposts
Ahhhh, the wrinkles
… are definitely here.
The aging process hasn’t ignored me.
But that’s okay.
I like to think that wrinkles are an indicator that I smile often.
And why wouldn’t I smile?
I have so much for which to be grateful.
I’ve lived through difficult situations
yet I am still here.
So let the wrinkles appear.
I’ve earned them.
I welcome them.
What about you?
Photo and Text © June Maffin
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