You are unique.

| Mairead

1

(Rusty Hearts)

On the last weekend of my course my tutor said something nice to each of her students. She told me I was unique…. And of course we are all unique. We can’t fit into a normal, correct mould, but we often try. Well, I try a lot. I hear what someone else is doing and I think “why can’t I do… ?” I look at a successful relation or friend and wonder “why didn’t I do… ?”

2

(Peeling Paint)

And then I wake up and remember, I’m unique, I can only do things my way…. Today was one of those “why can’t I?” and “why didn’t I?” days. I woke up when I read the quote: Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature. – Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhist monk author and teacher.

3

(Christmas Decoration)

To me it means that even the smallest thing I do is my uniqueness added to the world. Even one foot placed in front of the other. Even if that’s all I do today then I have written my signature here in the world…. and that’s success.

With every breath you write your signature, Mairead.


The Artist.

| Mairead

1

(Karen)

This morning I went to visit Karen. Karen is an artist and she attended the September Success Teams. When she came along on the first night she did so because she wanted to make time for her painting but couldn’t see how that might be possible. She was working long hours at a job that paid the mortgage and there didn’t seem to be any space in her life for painting.

2

(Work in Progress)

About week three Karen still had no more time but the beginnings of a dream had started to form as she told her team about an idea for an art gallery with coffee shop. Then disaster struck…. Karen took a tumble and broke some bones in her right arm along with her shoulder joint. She was in terrible pain and couldn’t work…. what a disaster…. or was it?

3

(Detail from one of Karen’s paintings)

Ok, the pain was terrible and she did need a lot of help from her very patient partner, but… now she had time…. (and she’s left-handed!) So she started painting. She hasn’t recovered enough to go back to work but when she does she intends to keep a space in her life for painting.

4

(Tools of the trade)

Now she has begun to sell her paintings, (you can see one in Roundwood post office) and soon she’ll be launching a website with her work (I’ll let you know when its up and running). She’s also started taking commissions and she’s thinking of starting an art group from her home in the Wicklow hills.

Don’t wait to break your arm to follow your dreams, Mairead.

Create beautiful things

| Mairead

The Yarn

(Mosaic sign over the door, sigh)

Today I went to visit The Yarn Room. They sell wool and wool type crafts like felt-making, they also have books. Being there reminds me that I love being around these colourful things. It also fills me with the possibility that I could create something beautiful. And the possibility of creating something beautiful is very attractive to me. The possibility has always been attractive, but the creating was scary….. What if I can’t do it? What if it’s not good? What if it’s ugly? What if I’m not that creative?

1

(A robin who was happy to wait while I took his picture. See the beautiful blue sky today?)

In my craft cupboard there are lots of crafting materials. There’s coloured card, glue, stickers, fancy scissors, markers and paints. There’s material, lots of material and threads of many colours, wool and dyed blankets. And knitting needles and crocket hooks and buttons. And stamps and coloured inks. There’s a heat gun and plastics to make brooches and necklaces. And beads and wire and elastic cord, even hemp cord. I have jewellery fasteners and pendants. I have books, lots and lots of books to show me how to do lots and lots of crafts.

3

(I like repeating patterns – you can buy these boxes in Avoca at Mount Usher)

I have collected these materials over many years with the intention of creating beautiful things. Then I’d put them  into my cupboard and close the door…. firmly. My cupboard has been sitting in the front room waiting. Waiting for the day I’d realise I am good enough.

Creativity teaches many lessons, go create, Mairead.

Good Work You!

| Mairead
The Deck
The Deck

Ok I know I promised I’d get out and take more photos….. I didn’t do it. Instead, I launched my new website (www.maireadhennessy.com) and it was wet and cold outside. But before it got dark on Sunday I did run out on the deck and take the three photos I’m sending you. I’ll take pictures tomorrow… maybe… hopefully.

The Moon
The Moon

I have high expectations for what I can accomplish in a given space of time and I feel guilty if I don’t do it. Not exactly useful or helpful or even nice. While we (Denis was a great help) were getting the website up and running I found two blog pieces from 2003. I didn’t recognise them and initially thought they were writing I had liked and saved to read later…… but they were mine!

The Blue Pot
The Blue Pot

Sometimes we don’t give ourselves credit for the good work we do and we only see what we don’t do or we only see the bad in what we do do (do be do be do).

Look out for the good, Mairead.

Bigger is just bigger

| Mairead

(Knitting and sewing together)

This weekend I promise I will go out and bring the camera and take lots of pictures. I started taking pictures about five years ago and as the years pass the camera gets bigger. Bigger is not necessarily better…. A bigger camera is not as easy to bring along on every trip out of the house.

(Colour)

A photo opportunity can appear at any time, so it’s a bit of a dilemma…. handbag or camera? coat or camera? computer or camera? reading material or camera? writing material or camera?  Then there’s the flash. The camera has been losing out lately and I’ve been taking pictures with my phone.

(Instructions and pins)

My phone is smaller, it’s lighter, it fits in my handbag, it has a notebook and can connect to the internet, it has a make and do magazine to read and it has a built in flash. It doesn’t keep me warm, so I still have to bring my coat. Maybe smaller is better.

Small is the new big, Mairead.

Another Idea Party

| Mairead

(Breakfast)

There’s another Idea Party tonight and I’m cleaning up all around me…. I mean I’m doing housework. It has become clear to me that I work very well to a deadline or in other words I don’t do things I don’t have to do. This revelation was a combination of noticing the amount of assignments I could complete while facilitating two Success Teams and running an eight week course along with noticing the exact same trait in one of the present team members.

(Chairs in a row)

Lets call her Annie. I’ve known Annie for years. She is very smart and gets lots of things done. She’s the person to go to if you have a problem, she’ll help you solve it. Whether it’s legal, personal or engine related, she’s your man! When I first saw the movie Erin Brockovich, I thought of Annie. In the end of the movie Erin has a comfortable lifestyle and very few worries. That’s always been my wish for Annie. That along with a wish that she would write, she has a lot to say and I’d love to read it.

So I persuaded her to join this present team and hoped writing would turn up as something she’s love to do and it did. But other things turned up too, with deadlines, like someone who needs help building their house, and someone who needs help starting their business and someone who needs help getting their dream job and….. By the way although all of these bring some pleasure to Annie none of them bring the makings of a comfortable lifestyle (i.e. money).

(Breakfast…. on a different day… promise)

But tonight at the ideas party she will read something she had to write a long time ago for a creative writing class (with a deadline).

Make a deadline for yourself, Mairead.

Two Two Two Two Two Two (1890)

| Mairead

(Remember the summer? This is from August.)

I have a lot of things to catch up on, now that my studying is over. So today it was time to ring about the house insurance. My call went straight to hold. Normally it’s not that much fun waiting on hold, but today I was laughing.

(This is July)

This insurance company has a television advert with the Tipperary comedian, Pat Shortt singing a jingle of their phone number. While being an enthusiastic (if not melodic… or tuneful) singer myself I like to keep an eye out for tunes that are impossible to get wrong and since I spent my formative years in Tipperary I can easily “do” the accent. Not everyone likes to hear me sing (possible jealousy issues?) but I have found a captive audience around  the poker table and Pat’s jingle has become my winning theme tune……

(July again)

Anyway, today on hold Pat Shortt was telling me about the great deals I could get, finishing with, “Sure, aren’t you glad you called?” And I was glad.

It’s good to laugh, Mairead.

PS In case you’ve never seen it…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWsTpHnCUIY&feature=player_embedded

More paws time…..

| Mairead

(sigh….)

It’s late, I’m tired, it’s time for rest.

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.—Howard Thurman

What makes you come alive? Mairead.

Thank You Cards.

| Mairead

(Thank you for the beautiful heart)

Just bumped into another friend today that I hadn’t seen for years (Hello Mary! Wave, Wave! Thank you for the coffee and yummy scone!). It’s my first day back at coffee shops and I’m in Avoca. There are beautiful things to buy but at the knitting and stitching show I bought the makings of most things here so I’ll be getting ideas not buying (note to family – it’ll be handmade this Christmas….. again).

(Thank you for the buttons under glass)

Lots of people come here to meet friends but some also seem to arrive on their own. There’s a man reading the Irish Times, the paper version. There’s a woman writing on paper, no computer – which is an advantage. I notice she has left, but her pen and paper are still on the table and her coat is on the chair. She might be getting another coffee. Her advantage is she can leave her stuff behind, unworried by the possibility that someone may steal it. I, on the other hand would have to pack up all my worldly electronics under my arm and then risk my table being taken (well not exactly my table..)

Oh, she’s back with a new coffee and glass of water. I think she may be writing her christmas list…. good idea. No, she’s writing thank you cards! She has a big pack of them and every now and then she lifts her head to consider what to write next. I wonder what she is thankful for? Birthday gifts? Good wishes for recovery from illness? Friendship? Retirement? New grandchild gifts?

(Thank you for the cute label)

This lady and her thank you cards have just reminded me that today (Thursday) in Ireland is Thank You Day, in aid of the Hospice. (And also Thanksgiving Day in America.Happy Thanksgiving, Kate!) What am I thankful for? Health. Contentment. Electronic equipment (!). Energy (mine and electricity). Family. Friends. Completion of my course. Coffee shops. Life. Irish Weather (really!).

What are you grateful for? Mairead.

Ps technology hasn’t been working so well for me this week, maybe better next week.