Unless You Become As A Little Child…

Unless You Become As A Little Child…

It is true that you need a childlike heart to fully appreciate all that life has to offer. Unless under duress, a young child is uninhibited and reacts naturally to what he sees, and feels. If surprised by joy, he will laugh and giggle. If that joy embraces the sight and sound of a band playing, he will likely ‘be one of them’ or dance to the music. This is natural pleasure embracing our God-given senses. Sadly, we become shy as we get older. Fear of disapproval sets in. By the time we are adults (in our own country at least) we smile and laugh with joy, but dance? Maybe, in a ‘correct’ setting, but not openly in the Market Square where people are likely to think you are an exhibitionist. Or will they? Certainly not if you are part of a group, clog dancing or Morris dancing. Or otherwise ‘expected’ to perform. Of course, those who lose their inhibitions through drink may well dance — before they fall flat on their faces. Sad isn’t it? Why can’t we be naturally happy and dance for joy — any time, any place!

We have a band playing in Ulverston’s Market Square most Thursdays throughout the summer. Lovely foot-tapping music that makes you happy inside. Oh how often I would love to let go and fling caution to the wind. Dance to my heart’s content. What is there to stop me? Me, just me, and my fear of what others might think.

So I tap my feet and occasionally dare to sway!

Today I saw an infant in a pushchair watching the band and bobbing his feet to the rhythm of the band. I walked up and encouraged him. He smiled and before long his hand and feet were doing just what I truly wanted to do myself. So I had a good excuse to tap and clap! The lady with him was clapping in encouragement too. Such happiness written on that little boy’s face.

‘And a little child shall lead them’…

Magpies Nest Publishing
Writing For Joy
Diary of a Country Lady
Lakeland Saga — Checkmate. Beautiful Cumbria and the wonder of Lakeland in photographs”
Hobson's Books - All my books in one place
My Space for photographs, stories and poems, plus Ann Dunning singing Any Dream Will Do
Ask Gran Hobson about times gone by — designing, wartime, food, play… what you will

Writing For Joy

For They Like Sheep Have Gone Astray...

Now if I happened to still be preaching, I would have had a good 'true from life' story to start off with. For this morning a number of sheep found their way into our back garden. They must have come from a field a little distance away, following a stream that led through a neighbour's garden. No doubt diving their heads under the dividing wall — unless they broke a wall down somewhere or did a bit of jolly good leaping, of which sheep can be quite good at. Anyway, there they were on the lawn, one of them eating the leaves fallen from the oak tree (much to my hubby's delight as it meant less for him to sweep up). I took these photos of the beautiful woolly creatures before hubby drove them back the way they had come. Why did the sheep leave the flock and a nice green field? Why do we go astray when things are fine as they are?

Free Harvest!

A small tree suddenly appeared in the front garden two or three years ago. Nothing unusual because we are continually having to pull out trees grown from seeds carried by birds or fallen from our trees. This one appeared amongst shrubbery so it could have been there longer without me noticing until white flowers appeared two years ago. Last year it had grown considerably and I found a few small plum-like fruit on it. I looked the fruit up in a gardening book. It seems they are cherry plums. I wondered if it had grown from a runner from a nearby grafted cherry tree (the grafted on part is an ornamental cherry but the stock is likely a strong variety not grown for flowers) As I said, this tree has masses of small white flowers in early spring, just like the damsons growing wild in hedgerows. Now matter how it got there, I decided to keep it. I like having blossoms in early spring. It has rewarded me with a kilogram of fruit. I'll give it a bit of pruning and maybe next year...

In my mind I saw a kind of parable. How easily we push aside talent. Talent which, if nurtured, could bring forth that which could give pleasure to many. (I have in mind publishers and art critics/dealers. But it applies to businesses too.)


Magpies Nest Publishing has been brought up to date with my latest novels.
See Wrinkly Writers for a spooky picture of a cat
See Writing For Joy
My Space to hear Ann sing (Any Dream Will Do) while the photo carousel turns. And read a few posts there. (mostly my poems and short stories)