THE CORNER 4 WOMEN

Thursday 14 December 2023

REMAINING CALM by Tahlia Hunter

"REMAINING CALM"
by Tahlia Hunter

"What is your secret to remaining calm?" she asked.

"I am a traveller of life.

I am here for only a short while,

for I am merely passing through.

I came into this life empty-handed

and I shall leave empty-handed

and in every moment,

I trust that I have what I need

and that what I need is enough.

I need not compare my path to others

for my purpose is not their purpose

and my lessons are not their lessons;

all that is required of me

is to be who I came here to be.

I welcome change,

knowing that all is impermanent

and only that which is truly real will last.

In the storms of life,

I find stillness within,

knowing that the temporary emotions I feel

are merely visitors.

And I do not fear pain,

for I know that I will find relief

and that pain is simply a messenger,

and so I welcome it with compassion,

asking it "What are you here to teach me?"

And I embrace each step of my path,

knowing that within it lies the destination

and in every step I take,

I am worthy of love.

And I affirm to myself daily,

"May my light shine

upon those who are presently in darkness,

and may the world be a different place

because I am in it."

Words by Tahlia Hunter

https://www.facebook.com/TahliaHunterBlog

Artwork by Katarína Vavrová Artist

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AGING by Bianka Luz

"AGING" by Bianka Luz

You grow old, they told me, you are no longer you, you become distant, sad and lonely.

I didn't answer...

I don't get old, I get wise.

I stopped being what others like me to become, but what I like to be.

I stopped seeking the acceptance of others and accepted myself.

I have left behind the lying mirrors that deceive mercilessly.

- No, I'm not getting old.

I just become more selective with places, people, customs and ideologies.

I have let go of attachments, unnecessary pain, toxic people, sick souls and rotten hearts... bitterness and unhappiness are not for me, I release them for my health.

I'm ditching party nights for learning and embracing insomnia.

I stopped living stories and started writing them, I threw aside the imposed stereotypes.

I no longer carry eyeshadow in my bag, now I have a book that beautifies my mind.

I exchanged wine glasses for coffee cups, forgot to idealize life and started living it.

- No, I'm not getting old.

I carry freshness in my soul, innocence in my heart, and I discover myself daily.

I have in my hands the tenderness of a cocoon that, when opened, will spread its wings to other places unreachable for those who seek only the frivolity of the material.

I have that charming smile on my face when I observe the simplicity of nature.

I carry in my ears the chirping of the birds that delight me and accompany the walk.

- No, I'm not getting old.

I become selective, betting my time on the intangible, rewriting the story I've been told, rediscovering worlds, saving those old books I've forgotten half open.

I'm becoming more cautious, I've stopped the outbursts that teach me nothing, I'm learning to talk about transcendent things, I'm learning to cultivate knowledge, plant ideals and falsify my destiny.

- No, I'm not getting old.

I begin to live who I really am

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Wednesday 13 December 2023

CHRISTMAS TIME IN HEAVEN by Joanne Boyle

"CHRISTMAS TIME IN HEAVEN"
by Joanne Boyle

I watched you dancing in the clouds,

underneath a Christmas tree.

I heard you singing carols,

like you used to sing with me.

I saw the angels surround you.

I saw their halos shine.

I whispered as I gasped,

that angel there is mine.

A rainbow then appeared,

in fact it turned to two.

It was then I saw you weren't alone,

but that Dad was there with you.

I cried at all the beauty,

the pictures in the clouds.

The shadows of your lives,

still danced amongst the crowds.

Christmas time in heaven,

where real angels go to live,

where memories are wrapped in love,

and are the gifts that they still give.

Joanne Boyle

https://www.facebook.com/poeminabottlle

photograph by Rachel Johnson

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YOU ARE YOU by Becky Hemsley 2023

"YOU ARE YOU"
by Becky Hemsley 2023

If you asked your nearest and dearest what they loved most about you,

I bet you’d be surprised at their answers.

Because whilst you’re worrying about not being smart enough or pretty enough or generous enough…

Whilst you’re wishing you could look better, do better, be better…

They are admiring the way you can warm a room just by walking into it. How you somehow bring light to whatever you do.

They are remembering every time you’ve been there when they needed you. How you selflessly put them first.

They are smiling as they think of the way your eyes brighten and widen when you laugh. And how you have a way of making everyone else smile and laugh with you.

They are thinking of all the things that make you lovable. That make you, you.

So stop searching for reasons not to love yourself.

You do not need to look better or do better.

You are warm.

You are kind.

You are fun.

You are you.

So maybe it’s time to start

falling in love

with yourself.

Becky Hemsley 2023

Stunning artwork by Emma Leonard Illustration

From 'Letters from Life' https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHL9MZC1...

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I WANT TO KNOW

"I WANT TO KNOW"
(author unknown)

"It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon.

I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true

I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.

If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, ‘Yes.’

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.

I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments."

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Tuesday 12 December 2023

THE CARPENTER AND THE GREEDY FARMER

"THE CARPENTER AND THE GREEDY FARMER" (author unknown)

One day, a carpenter's goose which had laid six eggs died. The carpenter took the eggs to his neighbour, a farmer and said.

"My goose died and she had laid six eggs. Now, if you give the eggs to your broody hen, she would sit on them and they would hatch after about thirty days. If all the eggs hatched, you will have two of the goslings, and the other four will be mine".

The farmer looked at him incredulously and said.

"Oh, no... if all six goslings hatched, they will be shared equally between the two of us. I'll get three, and you'll get three".

The carpenter paused for a moment, then with no other choice, he agreed. He gave the eggs to the farmer and left.

One month later, the carpenter returned to the farmer and said.

"I believe that all the eggs have hatched by now. So can I get my three goslings?".

However, the farmer scrunched up his face and said.

"I'm sorry, none hatched! It turned out that all the eggs were bad. I already threw them away".

The carpenter did not look happy to hear that. He left immediately afterwards.

The following morning, the farmer heard a knock at his gate. When he opened the gate, he saw an old man dressed in an old black coat. He had a long white beard and wore a hat. He spoke in a hoarse voice.

"I am a traveller and a farmer who buys different types of poultry birds. I heard you're a farmer too. If you have goslings, I will buy them with a large sum of money".

The farmer smiled and asked.

"How many do you need?"

The old man asked back.

"How many have you got?"

The farmer responded.

"Six"

Then the old man said.

"I need three, and I will pay handsomely for them".

The excited farmer rushed in and brought out three goslings and gave them to the old man. Then, something shocking happened.

The old man took off his hat and began pulling out his fake beard, revealing his true identity. He wasn't old. Then he said.

"Are you surprised? Well, it's me, your neighbour... the carpenter. You think you're so smart, but you don't know anything! I now have my three goslings. They've been shared equally between the two of us. Goodbye".

Moral Lesson: Don't lie, cheat or try to make a fool of others. People can be smarter than you think.

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The Little Witch's Big Spell by English With Mia

"The Little Witch's Big Spell" by English With Mia

Once upon a time, in a tiny village nestled between rolling hills and colourful meadows, lived a little girl named Lily. Lily was no ordinary girl she was a witch in training! Her dream was to cast the most magnificent spell the world had ever seen.

Lily had a small wooden wand that she'd crafted herself and a book of spells passed down to her by her grandmother. But despite practicing day and night, her spells always ended up causing small, funny mishaps rather than big, impressive magic.

One sunny morning, as Lily sat outside her cottage practicing her spells, she noticed a group of butterflies fluttering around a nearby flower garden. With a bright twinkle in her eye, she had an idea.

"I'll cast a spell to make the flowers sing!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Lily flipped through her spell book, searching for the perfect enchantment. She found a spell that promised to bring melody to nature. With a determined expression, she waved her wand and recited the words carefully.

"Flowers bright, petals so fine, let your voices intertwine! Sing your songs, let them swell, with a tune that weaves a magic spell!"

As Lily finished the spell, she waited with bated breath. Suddenly, the flowers rustled and began to hum softly. The hum turned into a melodious tune, and soon, each flower was singing a different note, creating a beautiful harmony that filled the air.

Lily clapped her hands in joy, delighted by the sweet music the flowers were making. But as the melody grew louder and more enchanting, something unexpected happened—the flowers began to lift off the ground, dancing and twirling in the air!

"Oh no! This wasn't supposed to happen," Lily exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and concern on her face.

She tried to reverse the spell, but the flowers continued their dance in the sky, painting ribbons of colours against the bright blue canvas. Villagers gathered around, marvelling at the magical spectacle unfolding before their eyes.

Just when Lily was starting to worry, the flowers slowly descended, gently landing back in the garden. The villagers cheered and clapped, amazed by the wondrous sight.

"Thank you, Lily! That was incredible!" they exclaimed.

Lily smiled shyly, happy that everyone enjoyed the unexpected show. She realized that even though her spell didn't turn out as planned, it brought joy to the village.

From that day on, Lily continued her magical studies, learning to control her spells better. And while she never quite achieved the big spell she dreamt of, she discovered something more important—magic was about spreading happiness and wonder, no matter how big or small the spell.

And so, the little witch, Lily, became known in the village for her kind heart and the joy she brought with her whimsical spells.

https://www.facebook.com/MiaEnglishTeacher

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The Pegasus and the Starlit Sky by English With Mia

"The Pegasus and the Starlit Sky"

by English With Mia

Once upon a time, in a small village nestled between rolling hills and green meadows, there lived a young girl named Lily. Lily loved to spend her evenings gazing at the stars, imagining all the wonders that might exist in the far-off sky.

One night, as Lily lay on the grass, she saw something magical—a shooting star streaked across the sky, leaving behind a trail of shimmering stardust. She closed her eyes and made a wish. "I wish to see something extraordinary," she whispered into the night.

The very next evening, Lily heard a gentle whinnying sound coming from the woods near her home. Curious, she followed the sound and discovered a beautiful Pegasus, a winged horse, with a coat as white as freshly fallen snow and wings that sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight.

The Pegasus introduced herself as Celestia and spoke in a voice as soft as a gentle breeze. "I've come to take you on a special journey, Lily," Celestia said, her eyes sparkling with kindness.

Lily's heart skipped a beat with excitement. She climbed onto Celestia's back, and with a flutter of her magnificent wings, they soared into the sky.

They flew past clouds that looked like fluffy pillows and sailed through the stars, painting the night sky with streaks of silver and gold. Lily couldn't stop smiling as the wind tousled her hair and the stars twinkled above her.

Celestia took Lily to the highest peaks of the mountains and the deepest valleys of the ocean. They saw mystical creatures and secret gardens hidden within the clouds. They danced with fireflies and sang with the nightingales.

As the night drew to a close, Celestia gently landed back in the meadow. Lily hugged Celestia tightly, feeling grateful for the most magical adventure of her life.

"Thank you for this incredible journey, Celestia," Lily said, tears of joy glistening in her eyes.

Celestia nuzzled Lily affectionately and whispered, "Remember, the most magical adventures are often found in the simplest moments. Keep looking up at the stars, and the wonders of the world will always be with you."

With a graceful leap, Celestia soared back into the starlit sky, leaving Lily filled with wonder and happiness.

From that night on, whenever Lily looked up at the sky, she knew that somewhere, Celestia, the Pegasus, was soaring through the stars, painting the night with magic and reminding her that dreams can come true.

And so, Lily's heart was forever filled with the enchantment of the starlit sky and the beautiful memories of her extraordinary journey with Celestia, the wondrous Pegasus.

https://www.facebook.com/MiaEnglishTeacher

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