Five Words... and a few more

One of my favourite bloggers did this... so I asked them to send me five words too:

1. Fragrance - Breathe in - sun ripened peaches, fresh air dried laundry (especially wool wash), and my favourite frangrance of all: Australian Rain (see water) - Breathe out.
2. Compassion - To wear my heart on my sleeve, and to never forget why I am here or where I am either.  To remember how blessed I am and how that blessing can be shared.
3. Home - I am a South-eastern Australian, I was born here, I live here now, I feel like I belong here (most days).  However, Home IS where my Heart longs to be... and so I won't get home for a good while yet I hope.  I have a home, but I am also homeless, I am on a journey destination known... route less clear!
4. Goals - In Australian Rules Football = AFL = Footy! - There are four goalposts - 2 short ones on the outside and 2 long ones inside (in a straight line).  "Kick it straight" = 6 points (a goal) "anything that is outside including any post" = 1 point (a behind, don't ask!).  My goals are much like Aussie Rules Footy: If they're aimed straight they produce blessing, any other goals less so... oh and if you kick it wide - it's "out on the full" and possession goes to the opposing side.  I could say so, so much more about goals, with more analogies of various ball games... Aim for the stars, if you fall flat the view is still interesting?!?!  Goalsetting God's way is fraught with difficulty.
5. Water - my country is among the driest on earth and has been so for a long, long time... only now are we realising what a precious resource water is.  Humans are 75% or so water.  Melbourne (city) water tastes the best in the world - really, it does.  Grass goes from vivid green & flowering, though yellowing to brown and patchy, through to dead and dusty.  Humans and other living things complete this cycle much, much more quickly and fatally.  And yet, one of my old, old (97) patients suffered hyponatremia last summer, she recovered and was sent back to her own home to live independently!  Lastly, I love the taste of water, the smell of expectant and recently fallen rain (it has something to do with the dryness of Australian air, I'm told, as well as Australian plants, I'm sure.  It's always my top-missed fragrance when I am O/S)  The feel of cold water running down from lips to stomach (on a hot day) and also the warmth of a hot beverage warming from lips to gut.  I am so, so fortunate to have grown up in a place where water is what it is (and is cared for).  Now it is also treasured and that is good too.

I see a picture (sorry I can't find one, so you'll have to go with me here.....)

It's a beautiful Melbourne (note 1 Melbourne is situated at the top of a natural bay of sea water and fed by springs and a river from the hills that surround it, many, many years ago it would have looked a lot more like a wetland, than it does today!) It is a beautiful "Melbourne" day and I'm here beside the Yarra River (note 2 It's well known for flowing slowly with a colour closer to brown/grey than blue or green) alongside the free gas BBQs.  All my family is here with me (Roger, Gaynor, Tim, Amy, Glenda, Tom + any others too).  We're having a BBQ/picnic... I have so, so many good memories attached to this place, I could stay here for ages (note 3 the Yarra and parklands beside it host a wide variety of interesting things to see and do).... but now it's your turn.  Read the instructions and then give it a go.  I'd like to hear about what you "see"....

Find a comfortable place to sit.  Minimise distractions, like music, telephones, TVs, etc.  Take a deep breath in and breath out slowly.  Close your eyes.  Breath in - Picture green grass and moving water - breath out.  Breath in - what do you see? - Breath out (What do you hear, smell, etc repeat as required and until you have a vivid picture).  Breath in - are you alone or with others? - out, in - if yes, who? (if no, what's there with you?) - out, in - what are you doing? - out, in - stay here for a little while, take it in, enjoy it - all the while breathing in and out slowly with your eyes closed.  Now it's time to pack up:  Keep breathing slowly but as you feel comfortable open your eyes and return to your chair in the room you started. (Insert smile)

That cycle should take a minimum of two minutes and a maximum of 10.  Feel free to return here any time you need to.  I'd also like to hear if it worked, and what you saw, but only as you're comfortable......