“Some children say that they have been here before. They give various details about previous lives, often describing the way in which they died. Of course, young children say a lot of things, and we may simply think that they are fantasizing as children often do. But what if, in a number of instances, people listened to the children and then tried to find out if the events they described had actually happened? And what if, when those people went to the places the children had named, they found that what the children had said about the past events was indeed true? What then?”  This is a paragraph taken form Life Before Life by Jim B Tucker M.D - St Martin’s Press. Jim B. Tucker is a child psychiatrist and Bonner-Lowry Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. His main research interests are documenting stories of children whom he claims remember previous lives, and natal and prenatal memories.- Google search.
Each of us have been children. We could not be here if we had not been a baby/child. As children we are close to our spiritual self. Our memory is still mostly intact.  You may not remember now but I venture to say that you told the adults around you at the time that you saw or felt spirit, or perhaps you had memories of your most recent life which was discounted as a flight of fantasy or you making up stories. Not wishing to have their disapproval or be punished for what you saw you shut down those feelings, visions or memories and gave yourself over to the human way of life. You gave up any belief that you were ‘spirit being human’ or that you had lived before and would live again. It is what we do to survive and is what we have done throughout our many lifetimes to ensure our survival. 
My work for the present is to help us remember who we are. To remind people that reincarnation is not a flight of fantasy. It is not some make-believe made up notion that comes from crazy people who chant, munch on mung beans and wear brightly coloured clothing.
Reincarnation is the most fundamental element of our lives. It answers all our questions about why we are here, our purpose, how our lives play out, life after death, life before life, and life between lives.  
The knowledge that we have lived before in many lives was a normal part of our belief system. It still is in many eastern philosophies. The coming of Christianity and the Council of Nicea, circa 325 AD, heralded the beginning of our memory loss of who we are and how we came to be here.  
Our fear of reprisal, torture and grizzly death, brought about our amnesia.  It is understandable that with the introduction of fear as the primary tool, we would soon forget that we were spirit being human, with a direct path to ‘God’ and that there was no hell, only ‘heaven’ in spirit.  Fear is still a huge ‘amnesiac’ when it comes to repressing our feelings, memories and our ability to truly be ourselves.
In the past 2021 years there have been many dark times as we have sought to find our way back to the light. We could say that those before us in history have paved the way for us to be here now, living with the freedom that they struggled and fought for and I totally agree.
Further, I would say, “We were our forefathers. We were there in those lives fighting for our freedom to remember who we are.  We lived before and were the revolutionaries of the many ages who were perhaps burned at the stake or put to death for our beliefs. We were the visionary women and men who stood up for what we remembered – that we are spirit being human and that we are eternal and no one can take that from us. We dreamed then of a time when we could truly be ourselves without fear or reprisals or death. We could gather, speak, share, celebrate and embrace our knowing that we are more than flesh and blood and have lived before and will again. In the words of Thomas Banyacya Sr - we are the ones we’ve been waiting for. ” 

“Some children say that they have been here before. They give various details about previous lives, often describing the way in which they died. Of course, young children say a lot of things, and we may simply think that they are fantasizing as children often do. But what if, in a number of instances, people listened to the children and then tried to find out if the events they described had actually happened? And what if, when those people went to the places the children had named, they found that what the children had said about the past events was indeed true? What then?”  This is a paragraph taken form Life Before Life by Jim B Tucker M.D - St Martin’s Press
Each of us have been children. We could not be here if we had not been a baby/child. As children we are close to our spiritual self. Our memory is still mostly intact.  You may not remember now but I venture to say that you told the adults around you at the time that you saw or felt spirit, or perhaps you had memories of your most recent life which was discounted as a flight of fantasy or you making up stories. Not wishing to have their disapproval or be punished for what you saw you shut down those feelings, visions or memories and gave yourself over to the human way of life. You gave up any belief that you were ‘spirit being human’ or that you had lived before and would live again. It is what we do to survive and is what we have done throughout our many lifetimes to ensure our survival. 
My work for the present is to help us remember who we are. To remind people that reincarnation is not a flight of fantasy. It is not some make-believe made up notion that comes from crazy people who chant, munch on mung beans and wear brightly coloured clothing.
Reincarnation is the most fundamental element of our lives. It answers all our questions about why we are here, our purpose, how our lives play out, life after death, life before life, and life between lives.  
The knowledge that we have lived before in many lives was a normal part of our belief system. It still is in many eastern philosophies. The coming of Christianity and the Council of Nicea, circa 325 AD, heralded the beginning of our memory loss of who we are and how we came to be here.  
Our fear of reprisal, torture and grizzly death, brought about our amnesia.  It is understandable that with the introduction of fear as the primary tool, we would soon forget that we were spirit being human, with a direct path to ‘God’ and that there was no hell, only ‘heaven’ in spirit.  Fear is still a huge ‘amnesiac’ when it comes to repressing our feelings, memories and our ability to truly be ourselves.
In the past 2021 years there have been many dark times as we have sought to find our way back to the light. We could say that those before us in history have paved the way for us to be here now, living with the freedom that they struggled and fought for and I totally agree.
Further, I would say, “We were our forefathers. We were there in those lives fighting for our freedom to remember who we are.  We lived before and were the revolutionaries of the many ages who were perhaps burned at the stake or put to death for our beliefs. We were the visionary women and men who stood up for what we remembered – that we are spirit being human and that we are eternal and no one can take that from us. We dreamed then of a time when we could truly be ourselves without fear or reprisals or death. We could gather, speak, share, celebrate and embrace our knowing that we are more than flesh and blood and have lived before and will again. In the words of Thomas Banyacya Sr - we are the ones we’ve been waiting for. ” 
​
We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For - Thomas Banyacya Sr.
​(1910-1999); Speaker of the Wolf, Fox and Coyote Clan Elder of the Hopi Nation.
​ 
You have been telling the people,
That this is the eleventh hour.
Now, you must go and tell the people,
That THIS is the hour,
And there are things to be considered.
 
Where are you living? What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in the right relationship?
Where is your water?
Know your garden ...
 
It is time to speak your truth.
Create your community,
Be good to each other.
Do not look outside yourself for a leader.
 
There is a river flowing now very fast,
It is so great and swift.
That there are those who will be afraid,
They will try to hold onto the shore.
They will feel they are being pulled apart,
And will suffer greatly.
 
Understand that the river knows its' destination,
The elders say we must let go of the shore.
Push off into the middle of the river,
Keep our eyes open and our heads above water.
 
And I say; see who is in there with you,
Hold fast to them and celebrate!
 
At this time in history,
We are to take nothing personally.
Least of all, ourselves!
For the moment we do,
Our spiritual growth and journey comes to an end.
The time of the Lone Wolf is over!
 
Gather yourselves!
Banish the word 'struggle' from Your attitude and vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done,
In a sacred manner and in celebration.
 
We are all about to go on a journey,
We are the one's we have been waiting for!

Why is death such a challenging subject for us to talk about? Alongside birth, it is the one thing that we all have in common. We were all born and we will all die. 
I have had many experiences in regard to death and dying, both personally and through 20 years in the funeral industry as a celebrant and funeral director. 
My recent workshop, Connect With Your Guides Through The Pendulum, produced some amazing messages from spirit to the people in the course by using their pendulums and pendulum boards.
It confirmed to us all that our loved ones and spirit guides want so much to have direct contact with us to share their insights and experiences. They want to help us better understand our lives and the after-life and for us to know they are ok and not to suffer.
I was told by those in spirit that what they want most when they die, is to let those who are left behind to mourn them, know that they are ok and they live on, are safe and not in any pain or distress. 
I know that losing someone to death is the greatest learning event next to raising children. Our suffering can be exacerbated by our beliefs. I thought I would share with you a few of the many messages I have received. It gives me joy and such hope when they share their experiences of having transitioned into the spirit realm. 
Here is a quote from a soul whom I knew while they were alive and who came through to me to share their experience of what they have discovered through their death process:
"People need to know about life and death in a more healthy way. I had no memory of the way we die. I had forgotten. The church didn’t help at all. I feel for my family who believe as I did until my death, that I would sit at the hand of God who would judge me. That is so far from the truth as I am discovering.
I have rested and been given lots of love and understanding due to my belief in the church’s way of religious instruction. From now on I am re-learning what I forgot while incarnate."

A message from another soul who is now in the spirit realm:
"It’s lovely here, so peaceful and light. I miss my family and I know they miss me too. We are together forever and are never far from each other. Please talk about life after death and help to dispel the myth about how there is no hell after death." 

One of my family was terminally ill and very afraid of dying because they had led what could be described as a dark life. This was causing them great distress. Spirit told me to tell them that they were going to a beautiful place and would be met by deceased family members. I was concerned that they would reject what I had to say and I would lose communication with them. 
The complete opposite happened. They were overwhelmed with gratitude and relief to know this and felt instantly more peaceful about dying and subsequently passed a few days later. 
I received this communication about of their experience of dying and their life now in spirit:
"You telling me that I was going to a loving place when I died and that I would be met by family members helped me to not be afraid of dying and made my transition much easier. When I saw family waiting for me I knew I had died and I felt happy and free."
Recently they added, "This is the most beautiful place. So healing and forgiving. We can't be seen as we used to be seen by our family and friends on Earth, but we can communicate with them and share our insights from this side. You don't need to be a psychic/medium, just have an open heart/mind, overcome your disbelief and learn how to use your other senses; your soul senses. We are here, ready and willing to show you that life is eternal and souls never die, we are eternal and live on after our death." 
I asked them what they were doing in spirit?
"I'm helping those who have had dark lives to see the light in themselves and I am supporting those on earth who are struggling in violent and abusive relationships." 
I asked, "How are you doing that?"
"I send love and healing to them from the spirit world."
I asked if it made a difference?
"To some it does, to others they are too far into the darkness. But we never give up on them."

As has been said, if we open our hearts and minds to the possibility that life goes on after death and that our family and friends want so much to communicate with us that they are well, happy and living on in the spirit realm, then maybe we can take some of the fear out of dying and what happens to us when we die.
Keep shining brightly,
​Olwynne

ETERNAL LIGHT OF THE SOUL

After what seems like a drought of disconnection from receiving direct insight from my guides, 
I have finally shifted enough of the debris that has accumulated from lifetimes of self-doubt and fear and this wonderful gift of insight is the result.  
It has been hard won on my part and at times I felt that I would never see the light again. 
A true test of my faith and belief, but then I asked them to leave me in no doubt as to their existence.  
As always they have exceeded my expectations. I continue, as always, to be a work in progress.  
 
Belief in one’s own self is paramount to manifesting what one desires. Without belief, one has nothing but doubt and fear.
Trust that you are surrounded continuously by those in spirit who want nothing more than to see you succeed and prosper on every level.
An analogy that they gave me, throughout my years as a theatrical Director was that an audience, wants the performer to weave their magic 
and deliver an enthralling performance that allows them to feel exhilarated and enriched by their experience. 
They do not want to cringe and crawl from the theatre feeling embarrassed and left wanting.
Deliver your finest work at all times. Magic is what transforms one from average to truly splendid.

Connect to your true self - your divinity - and watch the transformation take place. 
I was told the other day that no one can take your spirit/soul from you.
''No one can slight the spirit in you." (Thank you Martin.)  They cannot diminish your true self because it is just not possible. 
It is only your ego self that feels harmed, dimished, wounded or affronted in some way. You have the means and the power to manifest whatever you can imagine, so imagine away.
If you imagine doom and gloom you will get it. If you imagine greatness and prosperity you will get it. It sounds simplistic and it truly is. 
Trust that what you see and feel is true. Trust in your divinity and guidance from spirit. Ask and you shall be given. Seek and you shall find.

Your knowing of your divinity has been strongly tempered in order to constitute your survival but you no longer need to do that anymore. Be brave and bold enough to stand in your full power at all times.
Test your manifestational power. Focus your thoughts and imaging on something simple and allow it to come to you. Call us in to assist and then let it be so. You will be astounded by the results.

It is only your dullness of spirit and your unwillingness to shine brightly that keeps you from your true life path. Your fear of being great and how that will somehow bring about negative forces is what holds you in a state of suspension.
The full power of your being is what you need to reconnect with. Now is the time to start. Invoke the powers that be to bring to you that which you need and desire. Then stand back and watch the heavens move to make it happen before your very eyes.

Open up your mind and your energy centres – (Chakras).  
Work daily by cleaning, clearing, healing and meditating on these energy centres. Imagine yourself a vessel being filled to overflowing with beautiful celestial light from the heavens. Envisage yourself as a light being, glowing and moving through your world.. Everything you touch is healed and filled with light. Every word you utter brings about an opening of the consciousness in those who hear them.

You can still the ocean or stop a moving vehicle with one thought. 
These things have been done and are being done daily so they are completely possible; Now imagine yourself having that kind of power. How would you use it?

It is your limitations that hold you in a state of poverty and victimhood.  
When you live with your limitations, which have been placed upon you by others who also live in this state,
then you have no choice but to bring forward the ego self who will argue for your limitations 
and feel the need to compete, conform and fight for your survival.

Your divine self knows no limitations. It lives in complete boundlessness and abundance.  
It needs nothing from any other person or soul, because it knows that it has access to everything itself.
And that cannot be taken away by another for their aggrandisement.

But first you must believe in a higher power.  You must truly believe. 
Without the faith and belief, you will always only pretend and never truly commit to the practice.  
By letting go and allowing yourself the greatness of feeling your spirit fill you with healing light and joy.
 
You cannot have the full bounty of your being until you give yourself over to the light and allow it to consume your every living fibre, cell, thought and feeling. It requires no less than complete surrender of the ego and total commitment to the soul’s purpose.

 MEDITATION
Close your eyes and imagine a waterfall of light pouring down into your head. 

See it go all the way down into your body to the tips of your toes.  
See your body begin to fill up with this light like a cup or a vessel. 
Feel it coming up your body right up to your head until it flows over the top of your head and down the 
outside of you covering and surrounding you and into your auric field.
In this light is everything that you can, will and need to be.
Feel the love and the endlessness of your being. 
You are now completely connected to every resource you could possibly imagine and those that you have no concept of.
Ask this divine light to bring to you what you truly need and desire and it is with you now. Your cup runneth over.

May you always shine brightly.
​Olwynne

​Paul Choelho Lyricist and Author of such great books as The Alchemist wrote the following - "The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion." There are plenty of opinions floating around out there now including my own, about what is happening, who is responsible and how everything should be playing out. Are our civil rights and our freedom being taken from us by our governments? Our workplaces are being restructured and we may lose our jobs if we haven't already. Our right to move around freely and go about our lives at the level we are accustomed to has greatly changed. In the USA  George Floyd, an African American man begged for and then lost his life at the hands of a white policeman while the world watched on in horror, which brought about outrage and condemnation of the actions of those who stole his life from him.
Turbulent times such as we are presently living through, push all of our buttons on some level. My buttons have been thoroughly pushed on many levels in these past months, forcing me to dig deep into my soul, seeking answers as to why I feel sadness, anger, fear and frustration about what is happening in my own backyard and in the world at large. The longer and deeper I look, I find that my angst comes from old wounds and unresolved issues, which until now have lain dormant in the depths of the unchartered waters of my psyche and soul.
At first I raged against the machine and shared my opinions on Facebook only to find that it ignited more of the same ugliness that I was trying to shed myself of, not the best way to deal with my own sad stuff, so I took my posts down and stayed silent.
What could I do to shed light on the darkness that was rising up from within me? After much soul searching and deep contemplation, I came to the realisation that the world didn't need another opinion about how it should be conducting it's business. What it needed was that I took care of my own business. Held myself responsible for my own thoughts, feelings and actions, how I played out my own life and how that impacted upon others and the world I live in.
Would I have the courage to speak up when I truly needed to, without my own unresolved issues attached to my words or stay silent if that was the best way to bring about change? Could I leave well enough alone and see how it would play out instead of injecting myself into a situation which may or may not make it better or worse.?
First rule of thumb...Do no harm. Check out my intentions before I act or speak. If I am being pinged by something, I best check in with myself as to the core issues before I do harm to myself or someone else by acting on it.
This doesn't mean that I do nothing about anything. Quite the opposite. To bring about change I must first clear myself of what resides in my dark places so that when I do act or speak I am doing so from a clear and present place of being, not dredging something from my past or projecting fear about my future.
We are all part of an unknown bigger picture. We all have a huge effect on each other and the all that is.
I choose to Be The Change I Seek. If I desire change in the world then I have to start with myself. Clean up my own back yard, which has a way to go so I'll be kept busy for a lifetime or two, which makes my souls journey all the more exciting and challenging, but I'm up for it.
As I renovate my interior I am finding treasures that I had long forgotten and wisdom that can only come from being brutally honest with myself.
Remember that love heals all wounds. It's challenging to feel love and forgiveness for something or someone who we feel has hurt us so badly. We believe we are angry and hurt by someone else but the truth of the matter is that we are most angry at ourselves for not being stronger, wiser, listening to our insides or standing up for ourselves and what we believe. We feel are not lovable or worthy of kindness and compassion. Constantly living in our woundedness. Whatever story we tell ourselves we must ask is it serving us to change, heal and grow.
The antidote to feeling wounded is to remember that we chose to be here, and we knew what we were coming to. We chose this life for our learning and enlightenment. It would be such a waste of a few decades of times if we couldn't find a higher meaning for everything that happens or allow ourselves to have empathy and forgiveness for ourselves and each other.
We must be the change we seek. Trying to change other people to believe what we believe is as futile as asking the wind not to blow. We only change our way of life when our mind, body and soul are all on the same page and our consciousness has expanded enough to consider that change is the only way forward.
So be the change you seek. Lead by example. Don't grizzle about a situation or a person. That does nothing but aggravate the problem and makes you part of the problem. Step up and become part of the solution.
I'll finish with the wisdom of another wise soul -
“As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.” Nelson Mandela
I wish you much love and light.
Olwynne

We lost our wee dog Jack recently. It was a wet miserable Friday evening, Jon and I had retired to bed and we let Jack out to have a pee as we had done every other night for 12 years. The weather was ghastly. Rain and hail which Jack hated. Usually when it was raining even a little bit, he would reluctantly venture outside, often with coaxing,  have the quickest pee he could and run back to the safety of the warm dry house. This night however, he didn't. Alarm bells were ringing in my heart when he didn't return to the door. We both got up and dressed, searched the property, desperately calling his name in the hope he would appear out of the darkness but he didn't. Jon got in the car and drove along the road on the northern border then out on the main highway. We live on 10 acres and the western boundary runs alongside a busy main highway. To our knowledge Jack had never ventured out there at all. ​
He returned a short time later looking ashen and delivered me the news that he found Jack on the side of the highway. He was dead and as you can imagine we were devastated. What drove him to do two things that he never done before?
A colleague of mine told me that his daughters dog had uncharacteristically gone missing for a while and I found myself saying that he must have been hearing the call of the wild. Perhaps Jack was doing the same.
We domesticate our animals and believe that we have them under our control but deep down they are still their wild ancestors, roaming the plains and acting upon their natural instincts of survival, adventure and their need to do it their way. 
Humans are no different. We hear the call of the wild too, acting out of character, doing things we don't usually do, being daring and out there.
There is always adventure mixed with risk and exhilaration, on our walk on the wild side. Sometimes it takes us home to spirit, other times it brings us closer to ourselves. 
RIP little buddy. Whatever you were doing out there, I bet you were having fun.

Sometimes I feel like I am going mad!
There are so many people living in my head telling me how to live my life that I feel like I will go 'unquietly' insane, and for the grammar police out there, I realise that 'unquietly' is not a word ok?
Their voices are often loud and demanding my attention and they even gang up on me sometimes. Their point of view, has for the most part, run my life and discouraged me from any kind of self-love. 

At first I thought that the purpose of these larger than life characters living in my head was to sabotage me from having a happy life. To stop me from getting ideas above my station, to protect me from imminent death in almost all situations. To deprive me of confidence in myself, from following my heart, and for many years going to my mailbox or washing line, or anywhere outside of the inside of my house. Their existence was for a much higher purpose than I could have imagined.
It is also divinely synchronistic and in line with my passion and love for characters of all kinds and no coincidence that I spent many years in theatre playing, directing, writing and creating characters.

For over 4 decades I had no idea how to deal with these voices in my head until I read three books. Steering by Starlight by Martha Beck, Finding Your Own North Star also by Martha Beck and Sacred Contracts by Caroline Myss. 
The contents of these three books really touched my insides and guided me to identify with my fears, phobias and self-deprecation through these OTT characters who had been running rampant all of my life.

I have an overactive imagination, or so my mother told me, not sure she thought it was a good thing, but it has given me the gift of seeing these voices for who they really are. Most importantly, that they are there to empower me and to teach me not to take myself so seriously. In fact they empower me to be more of who I really am. 
So I set about getting in touch with my inner cast of fear filled, doubting Thomas's and naysayers.
I thought you might like to meet mine as I have no doubt that some of their relatives might be camped out in your head, sharing their fears, doubts and unqualified advice with you.
Links to the blogs - 
1. The Critical Critic
2. The Sky Is Falling
3. Is Your Gatekeeper Up To The Job
4. Get A Job Get A Haircut
​5. I'll Save You

​Why do we wait until something has happened to express GRATITUDE for it? 
Instead of waiting until after something has occured that brings about feelings of GRATITUDE try PAYING IT FORWARD. Give thanks every day for this life you have chosen to live and for those who have agreed to share it with you. Your GRATITUDE must include those who you feel have hurt you in some way for they are your greatest teachers.  I can hear your disgust at the thought of being GRATEFUL to such a person but GRATITUDE doesn't discriminate between good or bad - you do. 
To be able to know GRATITUDE intimately you must first accept  all things that come to you in this lifetime are for your LEARNING and APPRECIATION.  Why do we only APPRECIATE and give GRATITUDE for our own lives and the lives of those we cherish when they have been put in jeopardy?  What if we gave thanks every day for the wonderful opportunity to live this life we have chosen and for those who have chosen to live it with us.  It is a good place to start. 
I invite you to start your day by depositing UNCONDITIONAL GRATITUDE into your SOUL BANK. Begin your day by unconditionally thanking the DIVINE CONSCIOUSNESS, to which we all belong, for everything that will happen that day no matter what it may be.  By doing this we are acknowledging our appreciation for the life you are living, the learning in all things; for the people we share it with and opportunities that this life as you affords you. Most importantly for what you can and cannot yet understand. 

My gratitude bank has been in need of some deposits recently and nothing brings that more to my attention than the years of earthquakes we have experienced here in New Zealand.
So many of my fellow NZ citizens lives are forever changed after the large earthquakes large and small that shook the Canterbury region of New Zealand starting in September 2010. 58,808 in total.
We are no strangers to large earthquakes and their devastation. Earthquakes are like losing loved ones to death, they don't get easier or better the more you experience them and sadly there has been loss of life.
We have recently experienced further devastating quakes in a region neighbouring ours so I started checking in with gratitude again.

It's challenging to feel grateful that your own life is free from loss and all is seemingly normal when others are suffering so much. There is an element of guilt in there somewhere combined with a lot of relief and trepidation that this state of being ok could change at any moment, if the ground decided to move violently where I or my loved ones are standing.

So I am making frequent deposits into my gratitude bank again now. 
I say, " Thank you God for everything." I don't mean God in any religious sense more 'The All That Is'  "Divine Consciousness' that we are all a part of, but God is shorter to say and simpler to write.

It's easy to be grateful with hindsight. In 2011 I was guided to adjust my beliefs about Gratitude which meant that  rather than being grateful after the fact, I may want to now give thanks before anything takes place;  create a Gratitude bank and put into it daily. To be grateful for 'everything' no matter whether it is deemed good or bad: a tough challenge in the face of what was happening at the time. 
The day I received this insight was June 13 2011. Canterbury was still in the grip of aftershocks following both the September 2010 and the hugely destructive February 2011 quakes. This day was no different to any others. By the time the 6.4 quake arrived we had already had 14 quakes that day the smallest being 2.2 mag and the largest 5.2. A fairly normal day for us.

Our children were at school in the city just like they were that day in February and that morning I  had been given the guidance to be grateful no matter what. To give thanks for this life no matter what happens, unaware that I would be challenged that very day, to put this new found wisdom into practice.

The 6.4 arrived at 14.20pm,  shaking us all to the core. We managed to contact the children and decided that it was better if they caught the bus home,  rather than clogging the roads to go and pick them up. That was not an easy decision, as my first reaction was to rush in there and rescue them just as we had done in February. 

They arrived home eventually safe, sound and sadly worse for the wear from their ordeal. I was so grateful to have them home;  to be together again so that I could protect and keep them safe.

It wasn't long before we were putting them on the bus so they could return to school in the shaky city. My gratitude bank got some huge deposits and mammoth withdrawals during the next few years.  
As time went on the constant shaking happened less and less lulling me into a false sense of security allowing complacency, to take place of the gratitude and vigilance.

I realised how little I had in my gratitude bank on Monday 14 November 2016 at 12.02am, when the earth once again moved us all around reminding me that all we have is now - right now. This is it. This second and this one and this one, because when you live with earthquakes as a daily occurrence you realise that in any second the ground beneath you can start to shake and you don't know how big or small it will be. While it might be small for you it could be big for someone else. It depends where the epicentre is.

This life is a fragile existence. We build our lives on a ball in space which is a living breathing organism and when she decides to shift we can only go along for the ride. 
No matter who or what we are, when the Earth does her thing, we are but rag dolls at the mercy of her immense energy. Being reminded of this has given me a much needed kick in the pants, to refine my quest to be truly more of who I am and to appreciate more and more all of the gifts of people, health, home, and life that I have right now. Not to waste a moment of it. I thought I was doing that, but I now realise that it goes deeper and higher than I ever imagined.

Don't wait another second to pay into your gratitude bank and be more of who you really are and express appreciation for what you have no matter how big or small.  Your present awaits you.

I am rocking my little ball in space and my gratitude bank is filling up again so I want to share some of it with you.
From the fullness of my heart I say "Thank you for everything. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And so it is."

​Until next time when something comes "Write From My Heart."
Olwynne xxx

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