Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons
The original Aussie self-esteem initiative, born 1991, for ALL women.
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Monday, December 31, 2012
Boxing Day
A leading psychologist on television the other day was saying that Christmas time seems to be a time when family stresses and disagreements come to the surface. Many people no longer get together on Christmas Day for that reason. In fact many families totally ignore one or more members of their family for that same reason. Which is a shame, because surely we could find it possible to be considerate and respectful to each other (even if we don't see eye to eye on many things) just for one day of the year?
However, I love Boxing Day because it's almost as though there is no pressure to be anything but relaxed. My "adopted" family joined me and my friend for lunch on Boxing Day this year. What a totally enjoyable couple of hours spent in the freedom of being who we are and able to be ourselves. Not to mention lots of laughter and fun conversations accompanied by a lovely meal.
Happiness can come in large or small doses. I count that occasion as a dose of happiness that I shall remember for a long time.
There are friends, and then there are "friends". Boxing Day 2012 I have been blessed with a special affection from a couple who I deem to be "family", and I am so grateful for their love.
However, I love Boxing Day because it's almost as though there is no pressure to be anything but relaxed. My "adopted" family joined me and my friend for lunch on Boxing Day this year. What a totally enjoyable couple of hours spent in the freedom of being who we are and able to be ourselves. Not to mention lots of laughter and fun conversations accompanied by a lovely meal.
Happiness can come in large or small doses. I count that occasion as a dose of happiness that I shall remember for a long time.
There are friends, and then there are "friends". Boxing Day 2012 I have been blessed with a special affection from a couple who I deem to be "family", and I am so grateful for their love.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Mother's Day 2012
RoseMary's NoteBook©
Mother's Day 2012
Mother's Day is here and we would like to wish all Mothers a very happy day as we celebrate the specialness of womanhood and motherhood.
Even if you are not a Mother yourself, it is still a day when we can all say a great big "thank you" to our Mums for being the amazing woman she is and will always be!
Let's not also forget our daughters who are mothers themselves. Let us share their joy, and reflect on both our pride in them and their achievements.
At this time too, we would like to acknowledge those readers whose Mothers are no longer with us and to let you know we are thinking of you at this time, too.
I know how close I was to my own Mother; Mother's Day can be both a day touched with sadness yet a very sweet occasion as I recall all she did for me, based on unconditional love. She was a most beautiful person who gave me the inspiration to see myself as a very special person - not based on looks or size and shape, but on natural and genuine characteristics of the feminine essence.
And to Mums who may have lost children - our loving thoughts go out to you as well. Celebrate this day in your own special way for you need to be reassured that you are loved - even by your friends at RoseMary's NoteBook.
So to Mums, Grand-Mums, Great-Grandmums; Step Mums; foster Mums; special Aunties and women who are regarded as "sort-of-Mums"; and Mum's to be; we say - Happy Mother's Day. May you be surrounded with and by love, physically, emotionally and spiritually, on this special day.
Fondest wishes
Rosemary
Saturday, December 24, 2011
It's Christmas Eve!
Suddenly it's Christmas Eve. Outside there is a stillness, an expectancy. Christmas carols are being played on our airways, children are waiting patiently for Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) to arrive tonight, there's a busy-ness everywhere tinged with a sense of excitement.
Christmas time is a time of celebration - for the Christian, the joy associated with the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the very first Christmas gift from God to man/woman. It's a time of drawing together - family members who may not have seen each other for years; friends who we remember in letters and Christmas cards, telephone calls and emails. Lots of laughter and love, reminiscing and planning. To those who may be lonely or going through a difficult time, we send our warmest thoughts and wishes that circumstances will improve and that happiness will be yours.
To those of other faiths too, our wish is that your Christmas season may also be one of joy, of sharing precious times with family and friends.
Thank you once again all for your encouragement and support throughout this year - you keep us focussed!
So a Merry, safe, happy, and healthy Christmas to you, one and all.
Christmas time is a time of celebration - for the Christian, the joy associated with the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the very first Christmas gift from God to man/woman. It's a time of drawing together - family members who may not have seen each other for years; friends who we remember in letters and Christmas cards, telephone calls and emails. Lots of laughter and love, reminiscing and planning. To those who may be lonely or going through a difficult time, we send our warmest thoughts and wishes that circumstances will improve and that happiness will be yours.
To those of other faiths too, our wish is that your Christmas season may also be one of joy, of sharing precious times with family and friends.
Thank you once again all for your encouragement and support throughout this year - you keep us focussed!
So a Merry, safe, happy, and healthy Christmas to you, one and all.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Prayers for our friends in the US
To all our friends in the US in the path of Hurricane Irene. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Fantasy "wish-list"
A recent advertisement in the Weekend Australian took my eye. A lovely old Inn in Tasmania, and presently operating as a Bed and Breakfast.
The name of the property is the St Andrews Inn, built in 1845, in a place called Cleveland, Tasmania. I'd stopped off at the St Andrews Inn many years ago, on a touring holiday of Tasmania and just loved the way this beautiful old Inn looked - it has character, and style (just like us).
I read the blurb - "the building is very well maintained, with good heating, well appointed rooms, antique furniture, carpets, curtains, commercial kitchen, cool room all in a very good condition. There is a sun room, a walled garden, large decking area, orchard and vegetable garden on approximately 1.75 hectares". I hadn't even finished reading the wording than I immediately took out my pen and notebook and added it to my
"fantasy wish-list".
What would I do with it if I owned it? Simple really.
I'd manage it as a "Retreat" for plus-size women. A place where they could relax for a week or longer if required; a lovely private room fitted out with antique furniture; plenty of clean fresh air; excellent dining facilities; massage, sauna and spa as well as on-site hairdressing and makeup technicians. A bus trip to Launceston/Hobart/Burnie for mad shopping sprees. A visit to the Lavender Farms and other places of interest. Afternoon tea (or High Tea) at the Sheraton Hotel, Hobart, and a pleasant stroll around Salamanca Markets.
A walled garden in which to sit and meditate; to rest and read a favourite book; or a place to have a sleepy little doze. If it were cold then we'd retire to the sun-room. In the evening we'd play cards, stand around the piano and sing to our heart's content, play charades or just sit and sip a glass of champagne.
We'd all dress up for the evening meal in long gowns, and deck ourselves out in favourite jewellery (even if it were only paste or costume), after being pampered by our beauty technicians.
There'd be no such thing as talk about 'diets', or having to lose weight, or trying to meet unrealistic demands from other people who see our size as something to be scoffed at.
We'd be at ease and we'd be so "spoiled" that the retreat would be a frequent repeat performance. And others would come too.
Well - we can all "dream", can't we? And to be honest I've thought about something like this for decades.
Of course I can't afford the $700k plus, but it's nice to have such a "dream".
Friday, February 4, 2011
Friendship!
Many women from all around Australia and overseas are part of the RoseMary's NoteBook© mailing list. They're all very special women, and over the years we have come to know each other, and in many cases to share each other's problems and lives. It's amazing how having a friend, even the other side of the world, can brighten and lift us up should we be feeling down at heart or worried about life issues and matters. One thing that I have always guaranteed and plays a big part in my Code of Ethics which I set back in 1991 is confidentiality. I am proud of the fact that I have never digressed from those aims and objectives. Women trust me, and I hold that trust very high.
With the arrival of the storms that hit Australia in the early hours and days of January, which have continued unabated and increasingly fierce with the arrival of Cyclone Yasi, many of my friends have been effected by these incredible occurrences. Not only in Queensland but in most of the other States as well, as the torrential rains and floodwaters continue to cover vast expanses of this, the "driest continent". The tail of Cyclone Yasi is expected to bring even heavier torrential rains into Victoria, where an "inland sea" continues to cover many parts of the North West. Those rains are also expected to concentrate on the North East as well.
The personal and financial bills of these floods and now the cyclone are almost beyond comprehension. Thousands upon thousands of families have been effected and in a sad majority of cases, relationships are already being torn apart. Children are traumatised. Homes and farms that haven't been washed away are still under water and could be for another two months - how does one deal with that?
At times like this we are at a loss to know what to do. Those who can, volunteer to help out through agencies and by individual assistance. Those who can, give financially. Those who are limited in their ability to do much at all, do what women have always done, sat and prayed about their friends.
And this morning a darling friend of mine from Louisina, USA, wrote to ask how I am faring. Now that's a sign of friendship. Writing a loving message from the other side of the world to say that she's thinking of me.
And that is the sort of thing that friends do. Not only care about each other, but tell each other that they're important. And my dear friend has done just that. She's reminded me that a few words can make a difference to how we feel - about circumstances, about ourselves and about our lives.
With the arrival of the storms that hit Australia in the early hours and days of January, which have continued unabated and increasingly fierce with the arrival of Cyclone Yasi, many of my friends have been effected by these incredible occurrences. Not only in Queensland but in most of the other States as well, as the torrential rains and floodwaters continue to cover vast expanses of this, the "driest continent". The tail of Cyclone Yasi is expected to bring even heavier torrential rains into Victoria, where an "inland sea" continues to cover many parts of the North West. Those rains are also expected to concentrate on the North East as well.
The personal and financial bills of these floods and now the cyclone are almost beyond comprehension. Thousands upon thousands of families have been effected and in a sad majority of cases, relationships are already being torn apart. Children are traumatised. Homes and farms that haven't been washed away are still under water and could be for another two months - how does one deal with that?
At times like this we are at a loss to know what to do. Those who can, volunteer to help out through agencies and by individual assistance. Those who can, give financially. Those who are limited in their ability to do much at all, do what women have always done, sat and prayed about their friends.
And this morning a darling friend of mine from Louisina, USA, wrote to ask how I am faring. Now that's a sign of friendship. Writing a loving message from the other side of the world to say that she's thinking of me.
And that is the sort of thing that friends do. Not only care about each other, but tell each other that they're important. And my dear friend has done just that. She's reminded me that a few words can make a difference to how we feel - about circumstances, about ourselves and about our lives.
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