Looking for Peace

From over your shoulder...

Why does peace seem to be such a most elusive commodity these days? Has it always been there, just out of reach for most? I was struck by this as I walked around and noticed the word coming up over and over in the glittering house Christmas decorations all around us. 

It’s easy to confuse actions with feelings when you think about peace. It is an intangible quality after all. It’s written about frequently. It means something different to everyone searching for it. Yet instinctively they all know it must be worthwhile if only they could find it.

It’s vast. It’s out there somewhere.

Image via crazyhorseladycx

This holiday season

I’ve heard it described as “your” peace. Similar to “your” truth. So maybe these are individual things. Those of us who think in black-and-white terms, with little grey in between, will always believe in right versus wrong, and only one truth. That’s what makes people interesting.

This Christmas I had a hard time thinking about presents for loved ones and friends. Seems to me, we all have so much anyway. I continue to sort “stuff” since the epic move in May. My mind is scrambled. It definitely isn’t at peace. 

It will be so good once all the kitchen renovation is done, as I’ll really be able to get rid of all kinds of boxed mysteries that still lurk in the storage locker downstairs. It’s an exciting project, as the additional room will allow me to continue learning about podcasts that I’d love to do. Downside. It doesn’t encourage peace of mind.

Christmas Day this year, just a couple of days ago, gave me a precious gift. I had felt furious and belittled by a very close friend. My anger had lasted weeks. I’d resolved never to have any kind of relationship with said person again. I felt so hurt and angry that the easiest thing would seem to be just to cut off the friendship. But after years of great friendship, that prospect certainly didn’t give me peace of mind.

Then a Christmas miracle woke me early in the morning. It was the strangest thing. A feeling of warmth and contentment flooded me. There was no warning. It was just there. Something, someone had bestowed a gift to me. 

Image via Leolo212 of Pixabay

Hmmm...

I can’t say it was forgiveness. The feeling was so much more than that. It was just quiet joy, knowing I have so much in life. Most of all, that I’m blessed with a mostly fully functioning mind. (Forget the fact that I actually need my GPS to find my way around a shopping centre!)

It was as if my mind gently played all the things in my life that can be considered wonderful blessings. A new appreciation, a resurrection of contentment that washed away the sadness and anger that had taken over in the last while. Those emotions had vanished. Peace, and the urge to find even more of it, had suddenly taken its place.

The greatest truth in all of this was the perfect joy of finding “my” peace. It was the knowledge that now I’ve seen what it looks like I can turn to the feeling every time I need it to cope with sad and bad events in life. It is like actually being able to descend into a deep well of human kindness that makes you want to pass that feeling on.

This, in the midst of global wars, hatred, and complete disregard for fellow human beings. There are so many times when you just simply despair of any improvement in the world situation.

At the same time, it’s important to remember, so many others in the world are gradually starting to cause change. That you’re not just a voice in the wilderness. 

In the last gasp of 2023 Bogotá, Columbia has commenced escalating taxes on ultra-processed foods. Their government recognizes how this scourge is causing health mayhem in their people. Cancer, diabetes and other awful non-infectious diseases have been shown to increase as populations eat more and more junk food. 

Image via TheDigitalArtist of Pixabay

Looking forward

2024 will no doubt see much more in the way many governments add “fat taxes,” VAT tax and so forth. They are now becoming aware of how medical issues drain their coffers. Also how coffers can be easily filled with even small extra taxes on sugary drinks and processed foods. 

Remember, if you’re about to eat food from a package or a bag it is most likely an ultra-processed food. It’s always a good thing to try and visualize possible easy replacements.

The days are getting longer. Just by minuscule amounts. I cannot really feel the difference yet, but I know it’s happening. Similar to my feeling of peace. There is a slight feeling of satisfaction intermingled somehow. I’ve managed to survive another year. 

What will the next one bring? A ripple of excitement, of expectation, disturbs the flow of my thoughts. But that new discovery, the peace, remains undisturbed. I will turn to it, try to cling to it, no matter what the next year will bring.

Wow, we’re at the end of 2023. It’s been an event-filled time. Now on to another year ahead. My wish for you is that it will be the best it can possibly be for you–and, may the world find peace.

Christmas: Some hints for happiness

 

Image via neelam279 of Pixabay

How it feels depends on...

Christmas is an emotional time. Depending on what your childhood was like, your work situation, your health and that of your loved ones, it can be a real mixed bag this year. 

Finances seem to come heavily into it too. Enough? Too little? For what? This is a good time to face your reality, and set out to enjoy things, no matter what blocks seem to be in the way. You really don’t need to spend a lot for folks to like you.

Food is important too. Turkeys and ham dominate of course, and this is a time when you can either congratulate yourself on putting away a little in your budget for the past eleven months, or rack your brains to find alternatives. It is possible.

Thanks to our traumatic move this year we will be able to share our Christmas celebration with our family members, and it is such a special thought. The other good thing was that I’m completely unmotivated to feel pressure in gift-giving this year. The move saw to that!

Some things are treasured by family, no matter how humble. This is a good time to dig them out and look at them in the light of day. One of them in our family is the old button box. 

The family button box, about 60 years old now. Still a treasure of memories for a daughter, granddaughter and now great-granddaughter!

Images via VickiW

Then, this Christmas some carefully sorted bigger ones for my lovely little great-granddaughter. She’ll probably add them to the big box as she gets older and less likely to put them in her mouth.

All gift-giving was of “stuff” that someone else could use and enjoy. I have given some money to those who seemed to really need it, and for those who live out of Canada. Simply no point in paying huge postage bills, and adding to the landfills with wrapping. 

Fav dishes

Food now, that’s a whole different thing! 

Yes, my kitchen still begs to have the renovation begun, but I don’t think that will happen until the workmen have recovered from their Christmases, and the municipality experts have given our condo project their blessing.

But thanks to my beloved pressure cooker I will be contributing some rather nice-looking Brussels sprouts to our feast. I had prepared myself for a huge uptick in their price, but wow, the first thing I spied in the supermarket was a huge pile of them at a special, very low price.

Just in case you might like to try this fabulous way of preparing them, I’m sharing this old recipe with you! It does need a slow cooker/ crockpot, so I hope you have one.

                

Image via VickiW

For the twelve folks that I hope will enjoy this, I used the following...

First step ingredients

About 4 lbs Brussels sprouts, washed, bottom edge trimmed off, and cut in half.

½ cup pure maple syrup

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 

1 tsp salt

About 1 tsp ground pepper

For later on

1 ½ cups cranberries

1 ½ cups feta cheese ( crumbled and divided)

(Oh dear! Forgot to include the feta in the above ingredients pic! Must have been thinking of my son-in-law, who hates it!)

The first step ingredients are all going into the slow cooker, with the lid on.  My slow cooker cycle is on my pressure cooker. Now they’re just going to cook slowly for about 2 ½ hours. You’ll find they still need more cooking until they are tender, so please test them by poking a sharp knife or a skewer into them.

After this first time, the sprouts need a gentle stir with a metal spoon.

At the same time, you’re going to put the cranberries into the mixture, and if you wish you can also add half the crumbled feta cheese. 

Continue cooking until your test poke shows the sprouts are tender all the way through. 

When you want to serve, add the reserved feta crumbled on top. This dish is best served warm, but it is easy to reheat, either in the microwave or on the stovetop.

I believe you’ll have great enjoyment from your company with this simple dish. 

To all my dear friends and readers throughout the world - please know how much you are appreciated! 

Image via VickiW

Until next time...

May you have the best possible Christmas, wherever you are. My heart aches for those of you who experience less fortune at this time. My biggest gifts this year have been to food banks.

Want your receipt?

 Image via SutoriMedia of  Pixabay

Christmas is approaching rapidly. Traditionally it’s a time to celebrate family get-togethers, harmony,  peace and joy. These days it seems more a global mess of wars mixed with natural disasters.

Inequality rules. The “haves” really have too much of the good stuff. The “have nots” struggle to find good food, shelter that is affordable, with any degree of permanency about it. 

All those wonderful things...

Christmas is a time for eating good food, gift-giving and being kind to neighbours.

That’s a pretty tall order for so many of our fellow inhabitants of today. 

Was there really a time when most people could actually afford to enjoy those traditions? 

Image via Jill Wellington of Pixabay

Off to the shops!

I seem to go grocery shopping a lot these days. Theoretically, that’s not considered to be a good thing. Most folks believe buying larger amounts of good deals is the way to go. I do seek those special offers of course. But with limited space, I have to be careful about amounts of food to be stored. My best achievement is actually cooking enough to last a couple of days. 

I have lots of practice too, with standing in checkout lines. I’ve never used these automated ones. Just seems that those grocery store owners with billions of profit dollars should be employing people, not machines to do away with humans. 

The bright spot about this though, is according to news reports, this week entire chains are now getting rid of the machines, not because of my thoughts on this, but because the machines allow savvy shoppers to steal from them. 

It seems most customers use credit or debit cards to pay. See, that’s one of several advantages that you tend to notice when you’re waiting in line. You see what people are eating. You mentally compare different boxed and packaged items with the homemade ones you prepare in your kitchen. You interact with others, sometimes a smile, other times with full-blown conversation. Machines can’t do that either.

One very interesting thing to notice in a checkout line is how many customers refuse the offer of a receipt for their purchases. I can’t imagine doing that. My receipts are the gold in managing what I buy, and a daily record that helps in the budget for everyday living.

Image via Alexas _Fotos  of Pixabay

People have tried to explain to me that their credit cards issue full accounting of their expenditures for each month. The problem is, by the time you get that you’ve already spent your money! There’s no choice to consider whether you should or shouldn’t make the purchase. 

Receipts are magic, as long as you record them daily. If you do this one simple thing you will be amazed at how much you save each month!

Image via cpastrick of pixabay

This is nothing new. It’s not high-tech, but it can be a good adventure. Just remember with the money you save, there’s another choice. You can physically save it, or you can use it to pay off debt. 

I wrote about this way back in 2014. Click here to see. 

Since then Covid-19 has had an astounding negative effect on money matters. At that time we paid cash for everything. Now we have to use our one-and-only credit card. But we still use the time-honoured job of recording the receipts every day. 

We now have no mortgage, no debt. It’s been worthwhile to always ask for receipts, no matter how small the purchase. 

Christmas is almost upon us. Time to consider finances, needs and wants. It’s a harsh world out there, but you can tame your little corner of it. Just remember to ask for your receipts.

A beautiful perspective

My goodness! Still, some spawning salmon to be seen in the little creek. The garden lawns are a mass of delicate green grass. 

This morning, two ducks strolled around, making a mirror image and there are lots of pretty Christmas greenery and lights to enjoy.

It’s a meaningful time of the year. 

Thank you so much to all my wonderful, supportive readers!

Image via VickiW