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Married to Nick for 13 years, with 2 children; Sabrina - 12 and Dominic - 11. I am a girlfriend through and through in that I love girly things and anything that celebrates the essence of being a woman. I love vintage, shabby chic, the country and try my best to do my bit for the environment. SO yes...we have 3 bins in our house and try our best to recycle! I believe that with everything in life, the closer we stick to nature, the better off we'll be. I would love to have a balance in life, but have learnt that balance is not always possible, so strive for significance instead, in the hopes that that will be just as meaningful, and the rest will hopefully follow.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

The simple things in life are free.....

As I sit here in contemplation, I can't help but marvel at how this little blog of mine has become one of my happy places - a place where I love to go and run amongst the lavender fields (LITERALLY - in my mind), and delight in the smell of freshly brewed coffee, as I sit and chat animatedly with friends; people who I've known for like EEEEVAAAA who are very near and dear to me, and my new friends who have snuck into my life, like a rose that gets presented to you quite unexpectedly.... . But sadly, I've haven't been spending as much time as I'd like here this year, and I've MISSED this place, I really, really have. The photo below is an area of the Springside Nature Reserve, which borders our property - the winding path with tall grass either side reminds me so much of how wonderful it is to lose yourself in the world of blog.... and as you wander along aimlessly, taking the time to smell the roses...or in this case..admire the beauty of wild flowers that are a burst of colour amidst the tall grass...you know what life is and should be all about......and how much of it can pass us by, every day if we let it.
2009 has kept me busy, after having made a decision at the onset of it to devote more time to my family (not that I don't already!???!??!??). I have however realised that there is much truth in the fact that as your children grow older..... they need you more. My wise sister-in-law Lou has often said to me, "B - picture yourself as an elastic band....and just when you think you're stretched to the MAX, you find it in you to stretch yourself even more", and boy is she RIGHT! So my time has been limited, but with my mind having become quieter this year, I've found myself being able to pay more attention to what's going on around me, and I'm just going to put this out there, but I do believe that maybe, just maybe, our world really is going positively mad!

I'm generalising I know, but people have become manic to say the least, and I'm talking everyday, "ordinary Joe's", like me!!! - not just the axe wielding, crazy types with guns, but just us ordinary folk, going about our daily lives, who don't even notice how ever so subtly our lives have become dictated to, by the demands, gadget's, deadlines and the "absolutely everything and anything's" that are available to us in the modern world. I feel so divided from all of this. Our lives and the lives of our children are a hive of activity, and revolve around our diaries, and trying to do everything, as much as possible, as quickly as possible. And just when did the term multi-task become the RAGE, because really, honestly, I'm SOOOO over it? The scary thing about the rat race of life is that when you're in it, it's hard to stop, because you look around you and everyone else is doing it, so you keep at it.

The photo below was taken a few Sunday's ago. We spent a wonderful, relaxed afternoon in the nature reserve, whilst the children ran a mock and explored close by, just as we did when we were young - I just LOVE the photo below - I don't know why it speaks to me - maybe because of how free they look, and partly because I can still hear their squeals of delight, and their laughter, as they chased each other down the path....


And yes - that is a NAKED child in the photo below: Rachael playing in the stream in her birthday suit, with Melanie suspended in a tree like a little fairy. I love that our children can still at times, enjoy life the way we used to.


This little bench and clearing below is conveniently situated at the same spot where our children love to play in the stream.
When, how and why did we start wanting it all - all at once? My DH and I often talk about the days when Sunday's were about family/s coming together over lunch. That was before TV, satellite, 24 hour shopping, malls, the MUDMAN, kids soccer, movies, etc. etc. - the list is endless.... . Two weeks ago, I watched an episode of Oprah, and stood rooted to the spot, and shocked to the core, as she illustrated by using a map, the rapid spread of pornographic material sent via the internet, between paedophiles. Sadly it could be a neighbour, a friend, a relative, and suddenly my mind just couldn't comprehend the extent to which society in general is just so LOST and dysfunctional for the most part. We stopped caring about the earth a long time ago, and it's becoming more and more evident that so many people in the world have now also stopped caring for each other.


I'm truly grateful for days like this one. It's a great reminder that at the end of the day, we can still choose the simple life if we want to, when we want to, and that in a world that seems to be losing the plot, we still have a choice to enjoy a lazy day enjoying what nature has to offer, whilst children play in the stream (naked if they want to!), and do our bit to save the earth, and read (or blog = creativity, sharing and caring!) instead of watching TV, and say no to a watch, a schedule, and A DIARY (unless it's the kind where you're sharing your innermost secrets!)....and live the life we choose!

The photo above is of a mostly undiscovered "secret garden", maintained by residents who own properties that border this area. The serenity and beauty of it can't be described.

7 comments:

  1. lekker - love it all - reminded me of what my childhood was like....we need to do that more - it is crutial to our children - no TV no DS now Wii just nature and fresh air and freedom - communication with one another - giggles and deep chats - lvoe love love days like that - well done - you are raising children the proper way - BALANCED

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  2. Hey B ...

    The truth is simply that the {BEST} things in life are FREE ...

    The love of our children ...
    The perfection of nature ...
    The thrill we get when a scrapbooking page turns out just right ... tee hee ...

    Thanks for sharing ...

    Love, Tracy G

    P.S. I do not own a watch - it is pretty liberating to some extent ... except that I am usually running late and so rush like a wild woman ... gotta love the RAT RACE ... sigh ...

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  3. Oh it was great to pop in here again to be reminded of the small and simple things in life which we should take more time at to appreciate. TFS your beautiful photos with us. Hugs from Desire

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  4. Great post Beryldene!
    I'm all for the simple pleasures of life that are overlooked by so many & scorned by others.
    You are incredibly blessed to live in a such a beautiful part of the world, but I think you know that... so kudos to you for appreciating the beauty on your doorstep & making the most of it :o)

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  5. Oh my friend you have such a beautiful way of putting things and as I have said a million times before your children are so blessed to have the parents that they do.....you are raising them with good old fashioned values and they will only benefit from it.

    Enjoy your nature reserve my friend I can just see you walking those paths and hear you eeking and shrieking about those beautiful wild flowers.

    xxx
    A

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  6. Those photos are beautiful! :) I am also from Kwazulu-Natal after having lived in the Free State for all my life. Love this place!

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  7. Stunning photos and I agree we need to explore and appreciate nature more and do the things we love. I gave up watching TV to be able to do that. Great post as always, so exciting to read the next one!

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