When one part of the whole is missing.

“Life is the train, not the station.” 

~ Paulo Coelho

Yesterday morning's sun-rise

Cloudy skies made for a less than sunshiny vista on my ramble today.

Yay for a posse of bright yellow daffodils lauding their own brand of sunshine on the sidewalk.

This morning's sunshine!

I love daffodils.

It's that Welsh heritage shining through.

Chatting to Pete at the co-op this morning got me thinking.  

The difficulties I face here in NZ are nothing 

compared to the difficulties others face in the far-flung corners of the world.  

Here “news” is school zoning, 

rugby,

lower drink driving limits, 

the looming general elections 

and the greater Auckland City Council’s mayor, Len Brown.  

Much has been written of him, 

not all of it flattering

Found a Wood Pigeon in the Dell yesterday!

I have so much to be grateful for in this little country I now call home.  

Cosmo, the 4 month old cross Border Collie/Huntaway we met in the Dell

In the bigger world out there the difficulties are HUGE and a lot of them MANMADE. 

What’s happening to our world when compassion, 

kindness and decency are no longer practised.  

War ravages countries. 

Politics tear nations apart.

Greed and ambition destroy lives. 

Hercules coming for his morning cuddle

It’s all pervasive and touches the lives of family and friends worldwide.

No-one is immune.

What happened to CARING?

I’ve been the recipient of much caring of late

both from friends and strangers.

Without being aware of it the hound and I are noticed by many.

We’re synonymous of one another

When one part of the whole is missing, people notice.

NOT that you’d find her rambling through the village without me, mind!

Me, Yes.

Her, No.

So many people stop to ask where she is.

Hesitation slows their words as they steel themselves for bad news.

The visible relief on their faces when I answer makes me smile.

Western Springs Lakeside Park ... so much birdlfe!

In a gentle way, EVERYONE can shake their world if they choose to.

Mommy Swan with her babies

My difficulties, when considered on their own,

and in terms of my capacity to deal with them, are huge

... for me.

BUT

they are nothing when compared to the extreme poverty 

and abject misery that others are suffering.

I can choose, despite the chaos in my life, for my story to be a happy one.

Others don’t have that choice.

Eels swimming around the bridge pylons ... they were huge!