Write-Place

Christmas Day, 2019 As another Christmas Day dawns, after weeks of preparation and anticipation for many and a similar period of dread for many others, let's hope that the day has some peace, some joy and mainly some love for everyone. I am fortunate that I have a loving family who I will spend time with today and over the coming days and am thankful for this whilst obviously being aware of those who are alone, unwell or bereaved. Perhaps it is wishful thinking on my part, but I do feel that this year that the majority are feeling less inclined to use the festive season as an excuse to over eat, over drink or over spend and are trying to keep the spirit of Christmas within their hearts. It is difficult to write a Christmas message without sounding sanctimonious, so this one is short, before it has the chance to be so. With all good wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Hopeful and Peaceful New Year, Brenda 

Having reached three days before Christmas Day and not yet had the opportunity to sing Christmas Carols with gusto and joy amongst a crowd of equally joyous people, I attended the carol service at my local church last night. I have bashed out some old favourites on the piano myself and sang along, over the last couple of weeks, which only resulted in the dog becoming extremely stressed, clearly thinking there was something drastically wrong with me. My grandchildren are growing up quickly, as childen tend to do, and the three who are still at school avidly avoid such gatherings, at school or anywhere else, if possible.  "Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart" and "All I want For Christmas Is You"  are lyrics that are more likely to be heard than "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks" as we go about our daily shopping, so I was looking forward to singing along with "real" carols at this service. Anticipating that this service which would lif

I have inadvertently downloaded an app named  "Medium" which presents  articles based on the readers personal selection of topics and themes. I say "inadvertently' but clearly I have selected my interests, at some point - or perhaps this is another example of online click bait to which I have succumbed. Either way, the article I have read this morning by Tim Denning at www.timdenning.net is relevant and interesting, if nothing different or new to what most of us know, but often don't put into practice. The detrimenral effects of not practising these suggestions are obvious, but repetition leads to consolidation, which in this case surely is a positive.  What we do before bed determines how well we sleep and whether we will wake up  energised with our bodies and minds ready to begin the next day. Morning routines are important, yet useless if you wake up tired and lifeless. It’s not easy to get out of bed and start your day with confidence and energy if you h