cold hard truths

 In the midst of sorrow and pain, you can despair or you can rise. In the past few days, I’ve been very intentional. What are my eyes seeing, what am I listening to, what am I consuming. Recently, I’m having to be reminded that eccentricity is not a bad thing. I’m an old soul. I’m refraining from the gossip rags, the celebrity idolization, and focusing on how to be a better human being. God’s in the conviction business. 

I’m taking care of my mind and body. I’ve long abandoned it, but I can’t any longer. I took a slow thirty minute walk on the treadmill. In the past I would focus on how slow I was, but for my body to walk on a treadmill at 41 is a miracle. I remember being a child trying to walk on it, and I couldn’t physically or mentally. I’ve probably told this story, but it bears repeating, if only for my hard headed self. Progress happens even if it took forever. 

Medically, it’s a miracle I’m as ambulatory as I am. God has been good to me. More than good.   I need to write this down for the days that aren’t great. I’m fully cognizant of that fact. My body will not always have good days. I relish them right now. I’m grateful for each one. I’m having to realize that when I wrote all my goals down in a journal years ago, only two haven’t been answered. Two. That means God’s batting average is pretty darn good. I won’t sugarcoat, and tell you I’ve haven’t been humbled. 

God does that too. Right now, in helping others, I’m helping myself. I’m finding my purpose. My joy. When I told you I didn’t serve man, I meant it. I’m not going to be a keyboard warrior, or tell you you’re a horrible human being. I’m letting God do His job. I’m too mentally tired to police the world. I’m praying, and let God lead me. Every time I feel inadequate, God says the world doesn’t need your dollars, it needs your heart. It needs your light. 

A light you dimmed. Dimmed because the world didn’t understand you. A world that will never give you what you need, but a world that needs you.  More than you want to admit or finally accept. You don’t need the world, Regine, but it needs you. Love the people in the world, but don’t lose yourself in it. Trying to fit in. You never have. You never will. 

It’s okay. It’s more than okay. The girl who still chooses old classics over new hits. The girl who would rather watch ballet over breakdancing. Give me comfort over conformity. Give me the food that evokes a memory not fancy deconstruction. Odd end in a new world. I want the truth. Not a made up mystery. 

I was reminded of something. I will always care. I always have. Always will. It’s who I am. I don’t need applause even though in my humanness I crave it. My desire for it is being dealt with every day. 

I don’t know my point. Or if I’m trying to make one. 

Live and let live

For the author

Makes His judgements 

Not I



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Gripping

"The movie of the rescue was made by Ron Howard and is really sensitively made. Worth a watch if any of your readers haven't seen it. Unsworth deserves his MBE and more - the eternal gratitude of everyone who watched with bated breath for news of that rescue attempt." -  Tigger's Mum

It may seem astonishing to some "Yorkshire Pudding" visitors  but occasionally my blogposts are underpinned by online research.

See Tigger's Mum's comment above. I already knew about that film. It is called "Thirteen Lives" and I watched it this very evening. It is almost 2hrs and 30 mins long. We have access to Amazon Prime TV and I found the film there.

It makes no reference to the fellow that Bob in Camden, South Carolina has renamed Leon Skum. He didn't even get to be a footnote which was fine by me. Even Vernon Unsworth's role in the film is pretty small but he was the one who effectively made the rescue happen by urging the Thai authorities to fly in a group of experienced British cave divers.

The Thai Navy divers had been trained in sea diving. Obviously, wriggling through complicated pot hole systems is an entirely different proposition.

The cultural context of the drama took me back to my own time in Thailand. Effectively, I spent a total of eleven months living and working over there. With that experience in mind, I thought the film's Thai background was pretty authentic.

"Thirteen Lives" was in the end a feelgood film about human kindness, bravery and ingenuity - fighting to get those twelve boys and their young football coach out of the Tham Luang cave network before heavy monsoon rains made any prospect of rescue utterly impossible

Of course the ending is utterly joyous even though one of the Thai divers lost his life down there. 

It was great to watch a film that did not involve guns, murders, detectives or police enquiries. I was gripped by it. Perhaps you would enjoy it too if you can also access Amazon Prime.


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Passion

 Grateful for unexpected joys

Grateful for life

Grateful for a cute dog


Finding the good in everyday life is proving to be a blessing. Not everyday is going to be joyful, but I can be. Last night going through the TV channels we came upon my nephew and his fishing videos on YouTube. It was pure joy to see his enthusiasm. His passion. And I want to share some of that with you. 

I hope I can follow my nephew’s example. I want you to feel my joy and enthusiasm. 

His channel is MK Outdoors. I’m so proud of him. 

Love yourself and one another. 



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