Positive power of Social Media

Over the last year I have had a lot of problems with my health. I had a lot of viral infections which left me drained. These left my immune system on a low ebb and it seemed I could not fight any infection. I finally ended up quite sick and in mid October last year I had to take a week or so of sick leave...or so l thought. My sick leave has extended and is now approaching the eight month mark. There was nobody more surprised than me. It seemed that once I stepped off the fast track of professional career, full time job, mum to two young kids and all that goes with it the adrenaline that was obviously keeping me going finally switched off. I was floored. LOTS of Antibiotics followed and they upset my stomach. The viral sickness left behind post viral fatigue.

I literally spent all of winter in an armchair in my kitchen/diner with my laptop and knitting. I was gradually withdrawing from my world, I was sick and tired literally. My kids, my husband and my folks and a wonderful cousin, and my pal are what kept me going. It's now almost June. I still get sick a lot, I have had to listen to advice and to listen to my body and go gently and keep resting and not overdoing it every time l feel my energy coming back.   I am still taking meds and tonics and vitamins etc. I'm more relaxed now. As my husband keeps saying, as long as l am well  all the other worries, and the finances will sort themselves out.

In the midst of all this I turned away from Facebook which l had loved. I used it as a means of keeping in touch with family and friends, especially those overseas.

 I found Twitter.  Initially, I  used it for keeping up to date with news and current affairs, entertainment news etc. I didn't know what to tweet and I didn't want to connect with anybody I knew.  I wanted Twitter as an outlet for myself, a way to connect with others anonymously, but at the same time I wanted to connect with others just being myself.

What has transpired is that Twitter has provided me with a Forum for Redemption and rehabilitation. Where my broken body and soul has found light, fun, kindness, compassion, a community of warmth, support and interest in each other and shared likes. It has been My Twitter Family who have helped me begin to find my way back after months and months where I was so sick, tired, unhappy, anxious, worried or myself and my health, worried bout loss of earnings.
I am grateful for this community of wonderful, warm, kind and terribly funny people.

Health is Wealth

l have been sick on and off for the last seven to eight months. I stopped working because of it.  I spent all the winter, which is even longer this year, at home.  For October until Christmas l only left home to collect my kids every day. My mornings were spent watching tv and knitting, l literally had little energy for much more than this.
Every time l would get a burst of energy l would get into walking each morning, then l would have another infection so that routine would be parked again.
I have spent years of my life focused on weight, losing weight, maintaining weight loss, wishing l was lighter.
Now l find, l am focusing on health , being better, feeling better, feeling brighter, having energy and inclination to exercise.
I take tablets, iron, multivitamins, ginseng, drink green tea, eat lots of fruit and veg, porridge and cinnamon, honey...you name it, l do it.
But, l still love my sweets- jellies mostly and chocolate too..it remains my vice...my little treat at the every day.

l hope the energy comes back, l hope l feel brighter, l hope l feel great again

WOOLWICH 2013

A fallen soldier in the road,
men run wild with cleavers and machetes
blood covered hands
pumped full of adrenaline
jumping and running around the streets
preaching their story


hundreds of passer bys
standing watching
recording images
they do not falter either
they continue filming as this man lays lifeless on city street
they do not join together and run at these men to restrain them
they stand, and watch and record
even when approached by a man with a weapon as he outlines why he killed the soldier, they do not run for safety,

this is not Angola, This is not Palestine or Syria,
this is Woolwich, broad daylight 2013

Sympathy & Empathy

All day long, every day, we ask people  how they are doing but..do we really want to hear?
most times people ask the question when they see a friend or colleague, maybe a neighbour, a family member
but they keep walking and  not  listen for the answer.

What would you do if somebody actually tried to tell you...would you be interested, would you listen and try to understand how they were feeling even if you couldnt relate to it?   Would you be mentally making out your grocery list or all the things you needed to do on your way home.

It can be very hard for people to reach out to others.

Even harder to tell people how you are feeling, what is worrying you, what your stresses are, what difficulties you may be experiencing.

I think  sharing is exceptionally hard for people.

 People feel the need to save face, to keep respect.  They also see barriers to sharing or confiding that are put up by others.

The barriers to this are grounded in fear:
fear that the person will not listen
fear that the person will not understand
fear that the person will not respond in a sensitive or empathetic manner
fear that you will be judged

So could we all in a  very very small way, take tiny steps
-make ourselves available to others
-put out signals that we will listen,
- we will try to help
- we will not judge

these steps alone could go along way towards understanding where our loved ones may be in their lives right now

the kindness of strangers

when things are not going well,

 lots of things start falling apart,

you hit a run of bad luck,

feel like your world is falling apart,

you try to imagine how you can turn your world around, start feeling like things will never improve,

and then, a ray of sunshine comes through the darkness,
but from the least expected source,

kindness, not from a loved one, not from a friend,
but from someone you have never met,

and somehow that makes the display of kindness and thoughfulness
all the more endearing, all the more touching and all the more heartwarming.

memories of childhood, the summer months

all in the car to go to sporting events
packed lunches and drinks
the sound of the turnstile
the smell of deep heat from the players
the whistle goes, the crowd roars, we cheer,we clap, we look around and drink it in

beach trips with cousins
all meeting at the beach, unloading of deck chairs,
hurleys, tennis rackets and balls, footballs,
towels, swimsuits and the magical lunch
sandwiches, crisps and warm lemonade with the catch phrase of the day being BE SURE TO LEAVE AT LEAST HALF AN HOUR BEFORE YOU SWIM AGAIN AFTER YOUR LUNCH...i remember counting down the minutes.
a game of rounders would follow, all involved, cheers, laughter, getting out of breath, trying not to get sunburned.
then all off home in a clatter of car doors closing and an echo of "wasnt that a great oul day"


summer sun, brown faces,
 freckles, bare legs, tennis shoes and Robinsons barley water,
wimbeldon spawning chalk lined tennis court in every housing estate,
conversations turned to volleys and game set and match
strawberries and fresh cream,

end of summer edges nearer,
school books to be covered,
new shoes to be bought,
uniforms to be fitted,
new stationary,
smell of new books,
full sacks and off we go again

summers end..stories exchanged at school, summer antics re-lived and then autumn takes over