Here and now.

“The trick is to enjoy life. Don’t wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead.” ~ Marjorie Pay Hinckley

365: Day 133

The boy and I have a history of gurning at the camera; there’s quite a big collection that we’ve amassed over the last 5 years…and it looks like it’s going to keep growing. This was actually one of the “nice” ones…we pulled some pretty crazy faces that day!

365: Day 132

Happy sunshine day…and I was free, so I went to the park for a bit. Sunshine + park = happy Sarah.

365: Day 127

This was a lovely evening, spent besides the docks, for a friend’s birthday. I love discovering new places in London, and this was certainly a great discovery. Will definitely be returning to St. Katherine’s Docks…and it will make it’s way onto my 100 Things I Love About London list…

Life, and other things.

Hey y’all!

Sorry for doing a little disappearing act on you over the last week! Seems like I’ve just been sucked up by life, and it’s only today that I’ve actually stopped – although, having said that, I do have a list of things I need to get done today, but one of them is “BLOG”…so, y’know. Life has been good, though. Ever get that feeling when things are going right and slotting into place? Yeah. I feel like that. And the best thing about life right now? Living each day as it comes. It makes me so much more alert and aware of my surroundings when I live this way.

What have I been up to?

• Saturday, I met up with a good friend from the first year of University, and it was lovely to see her and catch-up. We had coffee…and wandered around Tate Modern and SouthBank…one of my favourite things to do in London – which reminds me, I need to carry on with the 100 Things I Love About London series…
• Monday, I spent the day with the boy, and we went to a subtitled screening of Avengers Assemble (The Avengers)…we loved it. Definitely one to go and see…
• Tuesday, I met up with a lovely lady who works with children, and taught her to sign a song, which she is then going to teach to the children she works with. It was a lovely experience, and great to meet someone new!
• Wednesday, at Handprint, we had the first rehearsal for Something’s Gotta Give. It felt so exciting to put our ideas into motion and start seeing the production develop… You can see the post I did about it on the Handprint Blog, here.
• Thursday, yesterday, I spent the day editing photographs and then last night had another Handprint rehearsal…
• Reading, reading, reading…and still got more reading to do!

That rounds us up to now…and I’ve still not had time to sit down and sort through my 365 photos…rest assured, I haven’t given up, I just haven’t had time with them at the computer. It’s on my list for today, though. Life is about to get busy again, as tomorrow I start working with the inclusive theatre group again, working with children every Saturday.

It’s all good.

Summer is on the way, I turn 23 in 2 weeks, life is ebbing and flowing in harmony. Looking back to this point last year, when I was grieving over losing so much hearing, and feeling confused over a break-up of a “close” friendship; well, I am extremely grateful to be where I am today. Over the summer, last year, through counselling, I learnt to harness the power of positive thinking and moving my life forward in the way I want it to go. I am a firm advocate of the attitude of “life is what you put into it”. When you put yourself out into the world, you will reap the benefits. It’s scary, at times, and it involves going out of your comfort zone, but that forces you to grow and learn as a person. Yes, it’s all good.

So, hold tight, you’re about to be swamped with a backlog of 365 photos!

How has life been treating y’all?

Big hugs, and lots of love,

Sarah xxx

365: Day 121

Well, what can I say? I love a bit of Starbs, especially if it’s a treat from someone else…in this case, the boy (thank you). I also love the sunshine, and sitting on the grass…perfect combination!

The Important Things.

What is important in life? It may be different for most of us, but there will likely be similarities; companionship, health, happiness, amongst a few. Over the weekend, I spent some time with close friends of Merritt Butrick; whilst he passed away in 1989, I could still feel the sense of pain they felt in the fact that he is not here anymore. They had tender memories and recollections to share. Merritt is still here, he goes with them wherever they go.

It made me think about my own friendships, about how much I cherish them and appreciate them. The people in my life are very special, and over time, I’d like to share them with you via Stars and Rainbows, either through photographs, antidotes, or through guest blog posts. The ones who are still with me today are the ones who are likely to stick with me through all the highs and lows in life; we have weathered the storms thus far, and have learnt how to dance in the rain, rather than complain. I love that.

After going through my own personal storm last year, I have come through it with positivity, and I would much rather acknowledge all the little things in life, all the things that are important, with a positive mind, than focus on the things that have gone wrong that day, or be too sceptical and pessimistic to value the good things in life. Whilst it is hard, at times, to keep a smile on your face, if you simply change the way you think, you can bring sunshine back into your life. And, if not sunshine, then at least you can learn to dance (and sing) in the rain, because, let me tell you, that is just as fun.

I have a wonderful friend, who has been with me since I was around 15 or 16, and I think over the years, we have learnt a lot from one another. We listen. We share. We give our experiences, in the hope that it will help the other. Coffee dates are aplenty. This friend sent me her answers to the questions I posted a little while back, and I thought it would be nice to share them with you all. From her answers, you can get a sense of what is important to her.

1. What is the one thing that makes you happiest, each day?
Hearing the words “I love you”

2. What is your biggest dream?
It sounds really Stepford wife-y but my dream is to have a beautiful house where the door is always open to family and friends, children and a husband who loves me.

3. If you could meet your 16-year-old self, what advice would you give to her/him?
To listen to others advice but not take it as gospel. Follow your heart sometimes and do what you feel is right not what others tell you is right. Also that you are perfect the way you are and that someday soon others will love you for it.

4. What is your most prized possession?
My camp blanket. It has my whole guiding history on it and is the thing that I would save in a fire.

5. What did school teach you?
I loved school which is probably why I want to teach. I think it probably taught me too many things to list here but no doubt I will look back on my own schooling a lot when it comes to teaching.

6. What has life, thus far, taught you?
Everything happens for a reason, even the really shit things. Just hang on in there and your luck will change.

7. How would you describe your style?
I would love to say I have one but I fear I do not. I wish I had the courage to wear the clothes I love everyday but I don’t yet know if I have the gutso to pull them off down the aisles of Tesco.

8. What is your favourite thing about blogging?
I love reading magazines and blogs are like magazines but they just get updated far more regularly.

9. What is your favourite meal? Describe it, in a way that will make the reader want it.
My favourite meal would be a Moroccan banquet on a rooftop in Marrakech. I would be able to feel the sun on my back and hear the hustle and bustle of the djemaa el fna square interspersed with the call to prayer. I would drink freshly squeezed orange juice and eat warm bread with dip and salad whilst waiting for my tagina to arrive onto the table in a cloud of smoke. The warm aroma of the cumin and other spices would hit you as you served the deep brown tagina onto the pale yellow couscous. I would finish with sickly sweet baklava and other sweets whilst the sun set over the Koutoubia Mosque.

10. Imagine you are off on an adventure, and you need to pack a bag of food. What will your picnic consist of?
A hybrid of afternoon tea and Greek meze. Lots of dips and olives followed by cake galore!

11. What is the one thing that you wish everyone could understand?
That everyone is different and that it’s OK. I also wish people would be freer to say “I don’t know a lot about that subject please tell me more about it” rather than talk with authority about things they have no idea about because they are afraid to seem silly.

I hold these answers close to my heart, because it is a glimpse into the lovely mind of my friend. We might not talk as often as we’d like, but when we do, it all slots into place, and we can spill the news that we have been excitedly waiting to tell. Each of my friendships are different, but no less important than each other, they are equal. Why? Because each of my friends add something different to my life, something unique. The friend above, she gives me calm and clarity, a sense of direction if I ever feel slightly off-track, and lots and lots of giggles. She gives me a different life to hear about, to learn about. That’s important, in life, to learn about others, to hear stories from other lives, that teach you that really, we’re all intersected. Our lives touch others, in some way or another, big or small. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way; but we can learn from it all.

For me, I feel like life is one big journey, made up of lots of adventures and lessons to learn. It’s a chance to grow. A chance to explore. I am 22, and I am only just starting to discover what it is that I want to do in life, yet, it’s still slightly unclear. This is okay. Whilst a year or two ago, I felt extremely on edge and uneasy about the fact that I didn’t know what I wanted to do, today it is okay. I feel relaxed. I am starting to do what I love, and love what I do. It involves working with children, it involves performing, it involves writing, and it involves taking lots and lots of photographs. Some day soon, I am sure, I’ll be able to describe what I do. I’ll be able to give my “work” a name, a description. But for now? I am still having fun trying to find that description.

What is important? To me? Love; family, friends, the boy, the love you can share with strangers, simply by smiling at them. Creativity; through photography, baking, crafting, performing. Exploring; travelling, learning, discovering new things. The most important things to me are the little things in life; I believe that all the little things add up to make the big picture. Each day, I try to find and appreciate the little things, whether that be a cup of tea, a text from a friend, or spending some time with our cat, every little thing is important.

If you want, feel free to answer the questions above; your answers will probably give us a peek into your life and the way you think. Sharing is becoming something great. If you answer on your blog, leave a comment below, or leave your answers in the comments.

The whole time I have been writing this, it has been tipping buckets of rain down outside, but now the sunshine is trying to break through the clouds; I love Spring weather like this, it resembles life. I hope you are having a lovely Wednesday, remember to let sunshine into your life.

A photograph from last summer, when I was learning to let the sunshine back into my life.

365: Day 113

This is Lucy, one of the lovely Handprinters. After the children’s performance on Sunday, there was a puppet making workshop for the children…and this, here, is one of the puppets that we can now add to our growing collection!

A Little Road Trip; Instagram Style.

As you probably already know, from my last post, the boy and I took a little trip to Brighton on Sunday. Here are the little glimpses into our day, via Instagram.

The last three days have been busy and hectic, with Handprint. Tuesday and Wednesday, we rehearsed, rehearsed, rehearsed. Today, we rose early, met at 6.45am, and I drove us all to Reading. We set up, got into costumes, and performed…and then relaxed. Watched the rain fall. Packed up. Then I drove us all back to London. Long, tiring day, but it was good. My Facebook status: “Laughing uncontrollably on the last leg of the drive home definitely means I’m tired, and all the nerves have finally tumbled out! Not sure if that Starbucks coffee did me good or bad?! Either way, good day. Happy times.” It was a good day. But I am happy to be home. I still haven’t caught up with all the photo editing, or my thoughts, but by the weekend, proper blogging will hopefully resume. Whatever “proper blogging” means?! I sincerely hope that you have all been having a good week, and I hope you have laughed, whether prompted, or not…like me. Seriously! I just suddenly started laughing, to the point of tears, and I think I worried the other two in the car with me…oh well, we didn’t crash, and that’s the main thing, right? Happy Thursday, big hugs.

Jump!

Hello my lovelies. I know I have been absent for a little while, and Sunday Night Inspiration didn’t happen, but life has kept me busy. On Sunday, the boy and I drove down to Brighton for a little celebratory trip. We have been “us” for 5 years. Happily united in our weirdness. This is just a little post, to say that I am still here, and to share a couple of pictures that are now up there with my favourites; and I will be back very soon, once I have finished all my photo editing. I hope that you have all had a wonderful weekend, full of smiles. Happy Tuesday!