I just now watched a youtube video called "an experiment in Gratitude/the science of happiness" by a group called "soul pancake"
Now. I love pancakes, happiness and gratitude so of course I clicked on the link.
A group of students asked volunteers to come in and do a 'happiness test'. The volunteers were asked to write a short paragraph or page on someone they admire/someone who has influenced them/someone they're thankful for. Once that page was written, the volunteers were asked to phone who they wrote about (wheeyyy) and read the paragraph/page to them.
I like that idea.
With 2 hours and 15 minutes left of work (no one is in the building - or at least it feels that way) I'm going to tell you who I'm grateful for and why.
Get a cup of tea, this may be a long blog post.
*goes and fills up her own water bottle*
Right. I'll start with ALUN.
I of course love him. I'm crazy about this guy. But I want to tell you why I admire him. It's because of his heart. His spirit, character and core values are incredible. He believes in goodness, fairness, equality, love, care, forgiveness and passionately believes in following his heart and making dreams come true. When he was growing up, he always felt a strange pull to move to Australia. This 'urge' was fed by how much he loved his Uncle Pete (Al's favourite person in the world) and when his Uncle Pete sadly passed away at an early age (it was sudden and unexpected), Alun wanted more than anything to move to Australia as he felt he was not only seeing his own dream come true - but that he was doing it for his Uncle Pete, as well.
All alone, he flew on a plane to country he'd never been to. He quit his job in Wales, said goodbye to his safety net of friends and family - and flew the furthest you can fly across the world without starting to go back the way you came - to fulfil his destiny. His dream.
That is incredible.
Alun got himself a job before he flew out and was shaking his new bosses hand when he landed in Perth airport. He set his mind to getting a profession that Australia wanted (Nursing - DONE), getting a permanent visa (done) and then to becoming an Australian citizen (done). I have seen the gleam in Alun's eyes when he decides to do something and I have seen him - time after time - no matter what - accomplish it.
That's pretty badass.
I couldn't be more proud of my husband if I tried.
I love and admire my favourite UK youth - Marc. He's an incredible person. He's strong and he's wise beyond his years. He is someone so much younger than I am, but I look up to him and I absolutely adore him. I nicknamed him LB and I love him like a little brother. He's amazing. I can always count on him, rely on him and trust him. He never lets me down.
I love and admire my friend "Christabel" for similar reasons. She moved from the Middle East ALL BY HERSELF to Perth, Australia. She studied here and she worked her ass off. She must have been scared and being confronted with Western culture and the weird way we do things here must have been such a huge change and culture shock for her, but she took it all in her stride and she shone like a diamond the whole time she was growing and learning. Christabel stuck with Uni, graduated, and moved to Melbourne where she moved mountains (metaphorically and in paperwork for the Government) to move her younger brother over to Australia. Because of her love for her brother Nick, now he has a better life. He has more opportunities and can realise his dreams - whatever they may be - because of the sacrifices and hard work Christabel went through for him. Christabel works hard to provide for them both, keeps them both housed, fed, happy and whole and reports back to their parents still in Mumbai/Oman (?) at regular intervals in the week. She's dedicated, passionate, brave, super smart and really, really caring. She cares deeply about the people around her. She bakes and cleans for her family members, lovingly and patiently looks after her brother, checks in with her family and is the best friend anyone could ever hope to have. Christabel is reliable, strong, smart, kind, sweet, funny and a warrior, really. I've never seen anyone pull off for themselves and then their younger siblings what Christabel has done. It floors me every time.
I love and admire my friends Sue, Mary Ellen and Christine. They are all a little older than I am and I think of them as adopted Aunties, really. I've got Aunts in the Philippines; but I'm not close to them and don't really know them so Sue, Mary Ellen and Christine are - to me - perfect replacements. They're each in their own unique ways - the strongest, most reliable, most wise people I know. Especially Sue. Sue looks after her family, cares deeply and grieves over her children if they are unhappy/not getting along with each other and is there for all her friends. One of Sue's friends is blind and Sue goes and visits regularly and takes her on shopping trips. I can't imagine how huge a blessing that is to her friend. Even though her Dad is mostly unhappy where he is in a care home, Sue visits regularly to make sure he's okay. Mary Ellen does the same with her Mom. Christine and Sue are always spending time with their grandchildren. I have learnt from all 3 women to be grateful for what I have. To be thankful for every day we get to spend with those we love and to be compassionate and purposefully helpful to those in need.
I love and admire my friend Kim D. She's honestly one of the most loving, generous, caring people I've ever met. She thinks of everything you could possibly need in a really bad/tough situation and then she provides it. It sounds simple, but in reality, it's ground-breaking. Kim has 4 young boys to care for and she loves them all with passion. They are each cared about, cherished, celebrated and when I see Kim with them, not a boy goes without her attention. I don't know how she does it. Watching Kim with her children is like magic. The best kind. Kim has flown across Australia to comfort a friend going through depression (who does stuff like that?!?) and I honestly think she'd do it for anyone who needed it. I believe people like Kim are the reason there is goodness in this world. I really do.
I love and admire my friend Lynelle who goes through a painful illness but that doesn't stop her for one minute from being fierce. She's hang-gliding, she's climbing obstacle courses, she's being adventurous and hiking or attending a crazy dress-up event/party. She lives life to the fullest and seeing her facebook posts remind me to cherish every day and to not let illness hold you back. Lynelle says "YES" where so many in her position would say "no". That's pretty awesome.
I love and admire my friend Catherine. She's an Ambo and she's AMAZING at it. She works long hours, hard shifts and probably does NOT get appreciated for how much she's changing the world by being there for one sick person at a time - but she's determined and she never gives up.
I admire my Mom for her dignity and her ever-enduring strength. She is Pokahontas in a real life woman. She's fierce. My Mom can burn with the rage of a 1000 suns. Mom can level an entire block with one steely look in her eye and a box of matches. Even now - at 58 years of age, she can take down ANY threat - no matter how huge - with a few swift karate moves. My Mom is strength, passion, anger, fire, determination, stubbornness and A WILL OF IRON. Over the years, she's thankfully (!) mellowed out and is now a Mom who will hold my hand on the bus ride home - just because. She'll make me an entire tray of lasagne (yes - just for me) when Alun is in hospital as she worries "I'm not eating". My Mom grew up as a street kid on the dirty, foul-smelling, dangerous streets of Cebu so she's very cautious. She's fast. She's wary and she's super 'street smart'. She knows a shoddy deal and can spot a bad person from 20 paces. She's also a little cheeky punter herself - because she's been known to help herself to things she hasn't paid for and should definitely not be taking home but that's who she is. Now that I'm approaching 40, I admire my Mom more and more. Mostly because on the dirty, dangerous streets she lived in - my Mom kept me. My Mom raised me. I don't know what she went through or had to do or sacrifice to bring me up, but she made sure I was loved, I was clothed, I was fed and I was homed - even if it was in a tiny shack with mud walls and a broken, thatched roof for those early years in my life. I honestly feel it would have been easier to abort me or leave me on a street corner once she finally gave birth to me - or maybe even sell me - but my Mom saw something of value in me and she kept me. And for that, I am so incredibly thankful.
I love and admire my friends Dianti, Amy, Sevasti and Sarita. In their own unique ways, they're the sassiest, bravest, fiercest women I know. They're a constant reminder to do better and be better. They remind me to reach for the stars, to not accept "just ok" as good enough. They push me to strive for more in my life and they remind me to be thankful for every step forward I take in this world. While Amy and Sarita are "go getters", Dianti and Seva are the ones who endure quietly, patiently, lovingly and with a strength that astounds me because it's so serene and so lovely, you can hardly define it.
Lastly, I'm thankful for Pete and Lyn Ambrose - who are the lights of my life. They are the parents I adopted for myself and I love them both with all my heart. They've been there for me, cheering me on through everything I've gone through in the last 20 years. They're always proud of me, they always think the best of me and I honestly believe that I can call them anytime - night or day - and they will be there for me. Whenever I visit with them, I get the strong sense that I'm home. That I'm loved. That I'm important and included. Whenever my phone beeps and Pete's name flashes on the screen, I smile - because it will be an encouraging or loving text. I can (and have) told them everything I think and feel. Lyn will nod wisely while Pete's blue eyes will twinkle and he'll sigh and say "typical CJ...you nutter" (CJ stands for "Crazy Janet" - a name he fondly gave me about 4 years ago that somehow has just stuck, I guess). I know if I was in jail and only had one phonecall - well I'd probably be in there with Alun (lol) so I wouldn't be able to phone him...but I'd call Pete and Lyn and I know without a doubt, they'd sell their house if they needed to, to bail me out. I know over the last 20 years that they've never thought badly of me. They believe in me and I can feel it in every inch of my body when I'm with them. I've never been loved the way they've loved me - unconditionally and always - and I'm very, very grateful for them in my lives.
Now. I love pancakes, happiness and gratitude so of course I clicked on the link.
A group of students asked volunteers to come in and do a 'happiness test'. The volunteers were asked to write a short paragraph or page on someone they admire/someone who has influenced them/someone they're thankful for. Once that page was written, the volunteers were asked to phone who they wrote about (wheeyyy) and read the paragraph/page to them.
I like that idea.
With 2 hours and 15 minutes left of work (no one is in the building - or at least it feels that way) I'm going to tell you who I'm grateful for and why.
Get a cup of tea, this may be a long blog post.
*goes and fills up her own water bottle*
Right. I'll start with ALUN.
I of course love him. I'm crazy about this guy. But I want to tell you why I admire him. It's because of his heart. His spirit, character and core values are incredible. He believes in goodness, fairness, equality, love, care, forgiveness and passionately believes in following his heart and making dreams come true. When he was growing up, he always felt a strange pull to move to Australia. This 'urge' was fed by how much he loved his Uncle Pete (Al's favourite person in the world) and when his Uncle Pete sadly passed away at an early age (it was sudden and unexpected), Alun wanted more than anything to move to Australia as he felt he was not only seeing his own dream come true - but that he was doing it for his Uncle Pete, as well.
All alone, he flew on a plane to country he'd never been to. He quit his job in Wales, said goodbye to his safety net of friends and family - and flew the furthest you can fly across the world without starting to go back the way you came - to fulfil his destiny. His dream.
That is incredible.
Alun got himself a job before he flew out and was shaking his new bosses hand when he landed in Perth airport. He set his mind to getting a profession that Australia wanted (Nursing - DONE), getting a permanent visa (done) and then to becoming an Australian citizen (done). I have seen the gleam in Alun's eyes when he decides to do something and I have seen him - time after time - no matter what - accomplish it.
That's pretty badass.
I couldn't be more proud of my husband if I tried.
I love and admire my favourite UK youth - Marc. He's an incredible person. He's strong and he's wise beyond his years. He is someone so much younger than I am, but I look up to him and I absolutely adore him. I nicknamed him LB and I love him like a little brother. He's amazing. I can always count on him, rely on him and trust him. He never lets me down.
I love and admire my friend "Christabel" for similar reasons. She moved from the Middle East ALL BY HERSELF to Perth, Australia. She studied here and she worked her ass off. She must have been scared and being confronted with Western culture and the weird way we do things here must have been such a huge change and culture shock for her, but she took it all in her stride and she shone like a diamond the whole time she was growing and learning. Christabel stuck with Uni, graduated, and moved to Melbourne where she moved mountains (metaphorically and in paperwork for the Government) to move her younger brother over to Australia. Because of her love for her brother Nick, now he has a better life. He has more opportunities and can realise his dreams - whatever they may be - because of the sacrifices and hard work Christabel went through for him. Christabel works hard to provide for them both, keeps them both housed, fed, happy and whole and reports back to their parents still in Mumbai/Oman (?) at regular intervals in the week. She's dedicated, passionate, brave, super smart and really, really caring. She cares deeply about the people around her. She bakes and cleans for her family members, lovingly and patiently looks after her brother, checks in with her family and is the best friend anyone could ever hope to have. Christabel is reliable, strong, smart, kind, sweet, funny and a warrior, really. I've never seen anyone pull off for themselves and then their younger siblings what Christabel has done. It floors me every time.
I love and admire my friends Sue, Mary Ellen and Christine. They are all a little older than I am and I think of them as adopted Aunties, really. I've got Aunts in the Philippines; but I'm not close to them and don't really know them so Sue, Mary Ellen and Christine are - to me - perfect replacements. They're each in their own unique ways - the strongest, most reliable, most wise people I know. Especially Sue. Sue looks after her family, cares deeply and grieves over her children if they are unhappy/not getting along with each other and is there for all her friends. One of Sue's friends is blind and Sue goes and visits regularly and takes her on shopping trips. I can't imagine how huge a blessing that is to her friend. Even though her Dad is mostly unhappy where he is in a care home, Sue visits regularly to make sure he's okay. Mary Ellen does the same with her Mom. Christine and Sue are always spending time with their grandchildren. I have learnt from all 3 women to be grateful for what I have. To be thankful for every day we get to spend with those we love and to be compassionate and purposefully helpful to those in need.
I love and admire my friend Kim D. She's honestly one of the most loving, generous, caring people I've ever met. She thinks of everything you could possibly need in a really bad/tough situation and then she provides it. It sounds simple, but in reality, it's ground-breaking. Kim has 4 young boys to care for and she loves them all with passion. They are each cared about, cherished, celebrated and when I see Kim with them, not a boy goes without her attention. I don't know how she does it. Watching Kim with her children is like magic. The best kind. Kim has flown across Australia to comfort a friend going through depression (who does stuff like that?!?) and I honestly think she'd do it for anyone who needed it. I believe people like Kim are the reason there is goodness in this world. I really do.
I love and admire my friend Lynelle who goes through a painful illness but that doesn't stop her for one minute from being fierce. She's hang-gliding, she's climbing obstacle courses, she's being adventurous and hiking or attending a crazy dress-up event/party. She lives life to the fullest and seeing her facebook posts remind me to cherish every day and to not let illness hold you back. Lynelle says "YES" where so many in her position would say "no". That's pretty awesome.
I love and admire my friend Catherine. She's an Ambo and she's AMAZING at it. She works long hours, hard shifts and probably does NOT get appreciated for how much she's changing the world by being there for one sick person at a time - but she's determined and she never gives up.
I admire my Mom for her dignity and her ever-enduring strength. She is Pokahontas in a real life woman. She's fierce. My Mom can burn with the rage of a 1000 suns. Mom can level an entire block with one steely look in her eye and a box of matches. Even now - at 58 years of age, she can take down ANY threat - no matter how huge - with a few swift karate moves. My Mom is strength, passion, anger, fire, determination, stubbornness and A WILL OF IRON. Over the years, she's thankfully (!) mellowed out and is now a Mom who will hold my hand on the bus ride home - just because. She'll make me an entire tray of lasagne (yes - just for me) when Alun is in hospital as she worries "I'm not eating". My Mom grew up as a street kid on the dirty, foul-smelling, dangerous streets of Cebu so she's very cautious. She's fast. She's wary and she's super 'street smart'. She knows a shoddy deal and can spot a bad person from 20 paces. She's also a little cheeky punter herself - because she's been known to help herself to things she hasn't paid for and should definitely not be taking home but that's who she is. Now that I'm approaching 40, I admire my Mom more and more. Mostly because on the dirty, dangerous streets she lived in - my Mom kept me. My Mom raised me. I don't know what she went through or had to do or sacrifice to bring me up, but she made sure I was loved, I was clothed, I was fed and I was homed - even if it was in a tiny shack with mud walls and a broken, thatched roof for those early years in my life. I honestly feel it would have been easier to abort me or leave me on a street corner once she finally gave birth to me - or maybe even sell me - but my Mom saw something of value in me and she kept me. And for that, I am so incredibly thankful.
I love and admire my friends Dianti, Amy, Sevasti and Sarita. In their own unique ways, they're the sassiest, bravest, fiercest women I know. They're a constant reminder to do better and be better. They remind me to reach for the stars, to not accept "just ok" as good enough. They push me to strive for more in my life and they remind me to be thankful for every step forward I take in this world. While Amy and Sarita are "go getters", Dianti and Seva are the ones who endure quietly, patiently, lovingly and with a strength that astounds me because it's so serene and so lovely, you can hardly define it.
Lastly, I'm thankful for Pete and Lyn Ambrose - who are the lights of my life. They are the parents I adopted for myself and I love them both with all my heart. They've been there for me, cheering me on through everything I've gone through in the last 20 years. They're always proud of me, they always think the best of me and I honestly believe that I can call them anytime - night or day - and they will be there for me. Whenever I visit with them, I get the strong sense that I'm home. That I'm loved. That I'm important and included. Whenever my phone beeps and Pete's name flashes on the screen, I smile - because it will be an encouraging or loving text. I can (and have) told them everything I think and feel. Lyn will nod wisely while Pete's blue eyes will twinkle and he'll sigh and say "typical CJ...you nutter" (CJ stands for "Crazy Janet" - a name he fondly gave me about 4 years ago that somehow has just stuck, I guess). I know if I was in jail and only had one phonecall - well I'd probably be in there with Alun (lol) so I wouldn't be able to phone him...but I'd call Pete and Lyn and I know without a doubt, they'd sell their house if they needed to, to bail me out. I know over the last 20 years that they've never thought badly of me. They believe in me and I can feel it in every inch of my body when I'm with them. I've never been loved the way they've loved me - unconditionally and always - and I'm very, very grateful for them in my lives.
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