Enough

NOW THAT I AM OLDER

The list of things I want, has grown smaller with every passing year.

These days, I can pretty much narrow it down to,

good health for us all, 

enough money, 

enough time,

enough fun,

enough adventure,

enough work,

really, just enough. 

Enough. 

That’s really all that I want.

The list of things I don’t want, however, has grown bigger, a whole lot bigger.

At the top of that list comes unnecessary drama.

As I get older, I realise that I can handle pretty much any negativity or adversity life may throw my way.

But I don’t have to.

I don’t have to sign up for it all.

It’s pretty freeing.

In fact, I can cancel my subscription to anyone’s drama, anytime I please.

And I have.

If it costs you your peace, it’s too expensive right?

Spend wisely my friend,

Life is short.

Donna Ashworth

📕 ‘to the women’: https://amzn.eu/d/0Sn3cY1

Art by sarahbethbacaart  #sarahbethbacaart

#ageing #aging #wisdom #wiser #growingolder #growingoldgracefully #women #poetry #quotes #wordstoliveby

Taking time to notice

As I get older I'm finding I no longer need the thrill of far off lands or the buzz of the city.

Everything I need is right here in front of me.

The first morning coffee on the veranda, whilst being serenaded by the birds. 

The evening finale in the warm hues of a beautiful sunset before dusk are enough to make me appreciate that the simple refrains of nature are medicine to my soul.

My time is no longer burdened by obligation or duty.

I have enough to give attention to the things that don't demand it .. a passing butterfly or a visiting robin are a blessing.

The things that I was once too busy to notice, now notice me,  and are very much a part of this new world.

A world of slowing down, and appreciating all that passed me by, when I was younger and rushing to the next experience.

It's almost like going backwards and retracing my steps, only this time I'm noticing all the beauty I missed the first time.

This time I have time ..time to appreciate the beauty in simplicity and everything life has been offering me from day one. 

My focus is here and now as I have no need to rush anywhere anymore.

I can just enjoy being here, for this moment..

C.E. Coombes 🦋 Serendipity Corner 

Art sourced via Pinterest

Just be you

How brave you are for slowing down. For not finishing that to-do list.

How courageous you are for not crossing that finish line, because your body said “enough.” 

How fearless you are for choosing the quiet of your soul over those voices driving you always towards more.

How bold, how rebellious - 

you, out there, 

honoring your own natural rhythm, 

going against the culture’s breakneck speed.

We tend to make heroes of those hungry with ambition, relentlessly doing, producing always more. 

We applaud those who refuse to stop or rest. Who push themselves so hard in the name of achievement, that they sacrifice their body and soul and heart in the process. We celebrate those who are ill or aging but never show it, never slow down, never reveal a moment of vulnerability.

This drivenness can be heroic, at times. It can be necessary for our survival or the greater good.

But,

I want to make heroes of those who slow down.

I want to make heroes of those who listen to their bodies, who do not strive for more than what the soul truly needs.

I want to make heroes of those who do not force or push, but surrender to each moment as it opens.

I want to applaud those who may not be driven towards success as we know it, but instead are nurturing something deep and subtle and needed.

I want to celebrate those brave enough to cease all doing, even for a second, and sit with the ache in their hearts. A task many find harder than summiting the highest peak. 

I want to make heroes of those who honor their limitations. 

Who are unable to keep up with the busy-ness of our times, yet show up to each profound, necessary moment.

It is truly an act of courage and rebellion to do any such thing, in a world demanding you resist your own self, your own rhythm, your own soul.

And the paradox is, that often when we cease our incessant doing, even for a minute, and listen to that quiet voice within, we discover what it is we absolutely must do, and what instead can fall away. 

We finally hear the call towards what serves our soul, and what then will serve the world. Nothing more, nothing less.

A hero is simply someone brave. 

So come, be softly brave. 

Be a new, quieter kind of hero. 

Few may applaud, it’s true, 

but your soul certainly will ...

Leyla Aylin  🌺

Artist Credit : Laivi Poder

cherish your friends

A strong friendship is not about daily conversations or spending every moment together. It is about the deep connection that remains, no matter how much time passes or how far apart you are. True friends understand that life gets busy, responsibilities grow, and priorities change, but their bond remains unchanged.

A real friend is someone who supports you even when you are not constantly in touch. They celebrate your achievements, comfort you during struggles, and stand by you when you need them most.

They do not demand your time but appreciate the moments you share. Even if weeks or months go by without speaking, when you reconnect, it feels like no time has passed.

Friendship is about trust, loyalty, and mutual respect.

It does not require daily validation. It is knowing that no matter where life takes you, you have someone who genuinely cares. A simple message, a phone call, or even a shared memory is enough to reignite the warmth between true friends.

Cherish the friends who stay in your heart, even when life keeps you apart. They are the ones who truly matter, proving that real friendships are built on love, not on constant presence.

- The Storyteller