Saturday, February 16, 2013

being kind feeling the love

My children and I gave a basket with fresh bread out of my oven, x2 soups, and scones with cream to my elderly neighbour whom we are friendly with but not friends with if you know what I mean. While she hasn't actually told us that her husband is probably dying we had guessed.


In my act of being kind I felt I was giving love to another person and as tears welled up in her eyes (and mine) she gave me a big hug and explained that it was really good timing for her as she is struggling. I had been meaning to do something for her and her husband for some time. When we moved here, 1 year ago in a few days, she potted up some herbs for me which I always meant to say thank you with some baking but never have. We don't see them from our house but they can see (and hear!) us. However we have noticed the district nurses have been visiting. 


I'm so glad that I took the time today to do something for somebody else, to be kind. I feel like I'm teaching my children something and I've learnt that if there is something you want to do for another but life gets in the way just don't let life get in the way. Stop. Slow down. I feel both happy and sad that it took Kindness Day organised by The Sisterhood for me to do it. 

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Kindness


The Sisterhood is organising the very first National KINDNESS DAY, Saturday 16th February. Please check out the details here but basically the idea is to be intentionally kind.

Here are some ideas I like from The Sisterhood page:
  • post a chocolate in all the letterboxes on your street 
  • write an anonymous card and post it to someone you admire
  • mow the verge in front of someone else's property
  • pay for someones coffee at a cafe
  • drop baking in to your local op-shop/hairdresser/doctor
  • let someone go in front of you in your car
  • leave the park at the mall for the person behind you and drive on to find another one
  • tell a stranger you like how she is dressed
  • leave deflated balloons at the local park
  • wash an (elderly) neighbour's car
  • read to your children about being what being kind means.
If there is something close to your heart that has effected your life think of something related to this and do something kind. for example, for me one idea would be to do something for people suffering from cancer (or their carers). As I think my almost near retirement neighbour's husband is ill and we notice the hospice is visiting daily I'm going to make them some tasty treats. I have been wanting to do this for some time and this date gives me the incentive I need. 

The Sisterhood have a facebook page/event and you can email sophie@moo2.co.nz to get these cards to use.

Do you have any ideas that you would like to do to be kind?

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Old Hu-Hu

The death of someone I don't know who has died too young has spurred me on to continue my series on books about life and death. The first book I reviewed was Beginnings and Endings with Lifetimes in between.

Old Hu-Hu is written by Kyle Mewburn and illustrated by Rachel Driscoll. It was awarded the New Zealand Post Children's Book of the Year in 2010.
***
Synopsis (pretty much straight word for word from Scholastic New Zealand)
"Old Hu-Hu flew to the moon and back. Then fell to the ground. Dead."
Old Hu-Hu is a thoughtful tale of young Hu-Hu-Tu’s search for understanding about what happened to his beloved Old Hu-Hu. Everyone loved Old Hu-Hu but Hu-Hu-Tu misses him most of all. He remembers all of the exciting adventures that Old Hu-Hu had when he was younger and can’t accept that the empty shell lying upside down on the ground is really Old Hu-Hu. But then where has Old Hu-Hu gone? Hu-Hu-Tu endeavours to answer this question by searching for Old Hu-Hu and asking his friends if they have seen him. This makes Hu-Hu-Tu feel even more dejected and confused because all of his friends seem to have different ideas about where Old Hu-Hu is. The Ladybird believes that he is sitting on a cloud with all his old friends. Butterfly believes that soon Old Hu-Hu will wake up and be born again as an elephant, a snake or a hen. 
***
But when Old Hu-Hu doesn’t wake up Hu-Hu-Tu believes that he is gone for ever. He is inconsolable because he never got to say goodbye. As day breaks Hu-Hu-Tu hears Old Hu-Hu’s voice. At first he can’t figure out where the voice is coming from, but then he realises that it is coming from inside of him. 

***

Hu-Hu-Tu reaches an understanding about Old Hu-Hu’s death and realises that what would really make Old Hu-Hu happy is if he lives his life to the fullest – just like Old Hu-Hu did. Old Hu-Hu is a poignant celebration-of-life story that contains beautiful illustrations. 


And might I add the cover employs subtle use of UV spot lamination to create a really rich finish and texture.  


Scholastic said the book was best suited to readers 4+ years. My daughter was almost 4 and that is probably about right. I think Beginnings and Endings with Lifetimes in between is slightly better for younger children but I found reading these books good for me as an adult too. It is a starting point for conversation. Of which you could have quite a lot if you check out the teacher notes Scholastic have written here. An awesome resource. Here's a little tip- read the books first yourself so you can anticipate the bits you might find hard to read out loud. Always a different kettle of fish in my experience. I'm not the only one who thinks this, a review here said "read this book lying down, with the book held above your head. That way you won’t get the pages wet. (ha ha, you think I’m joking don’t you!)"


Have a good cry 
wash out your heart 
if you keep it inside
it'll tear you apart. 
(from this pin)

Saturday, February 2, 2013

moonrise

The below link was taken of the moonrise in Wellington, New Zealand a few days ago (where this little old blog is written). It makes me want to go and enjoy the everyday more as it is so breathtaking. http://vimeo.com/markg/fullmoonsilhouettes
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