Small Blessings

The little things in life are often the most effective...

Today one of my colleagues had the really bright idea of moving the radio. This had several unexpected benefits. The grumpy people who turn our radio down are less likely to be disturbed. We can hear the radio much better, in particular I can hear the radio much, much better. While doing a very, very dull job having a radio to listen to makes such a difference.... Believe me I know!

On the way to work today there was loads of traffic and it was going to make me late. I made up a simple rhyme in my head and visualized the road being clear with no parked cars or cars turning right in front of me. And you know what? Although I had to slow down, I didn't have to stop at all. At all of the roundabouts, at all of the junctions, I just kept going. This made the difference between less than a minute late and a whole lot of late...

As I left work I looked across. We are on a bit of a hill and from work you can see the sea in places. There is also a very large hill with granite stacks on top. It was silhouetted against the sky. The sun had set already but there was still some light. The clouds were highlighted in pink against a lilac sky with the dark smudge of the hill across it.

In the UK we have something called an MOT. It is a series of safety checks that cars have to have each year in order to be driven. My car had it's MOT yesterday but we didn't get to talk to the garage till today. Despite being old and requiring some welding last year, it needed minimal things doing to it. A light bulb, some screen wash and a new number plate... Maybe this is the universe's way of trying to help my finances?

All little things that if I haven't forgotten by tomorrow, I will certainly have forgotten them by next week. All of these things could have been caused by intervention but can also be explained away in all sorts of ways. I guess what I am saying is, how many times a day are our lives touched in tiny ways we don't even notice? How can you give thanks for the blessings you are unaware of?

Last night as I let the dog out for the last time I felt drawn to my bay tree that lives by the door. I plucked a few leaves and then took them in and placed them on my hearthstone. My tree is so overgrown and huge that if it grows much more, we won't be able to get out of the door. Mint used to grow underneath it but it has grown so much, all the mint died. What I have learnt recently is that fresh bay leaves have a lovely smell if you damage the leaves or rip them up.

This tree forms a large part of things for me recently. Last full moon I plucked leaves and cast them into the wind with a wish for each. For Christmas I decorated my hearth with bay branches and Jasmine. The leaves helped purify my sppon and flavour my cooking.

I have a tiny, tiny garden which is mostly full of mud right now but this one bay tree gives me so much and so many possibilities. A few leaves.... A little inspiration.... Small blessings....