I kept my heart as closed as the unopened books standing on the bookshelf waiting to be read. And all was quiet and safe, I lived my life, living day to day, viewing the world in black and white. Until the time came that my heart was pried open and all the passion overflowed like a volcano erupting, destroying any semblance of normality. Overwhelming emotion proving the capacity to love with a force unrecognizable to everything that was ever known before.
Author Vonita
Denial
I blink back the tears
As the stinging starts
From inside me I can feel
My eyes redden as pools
Of water well up
And start to overflow
I swallow and try to deny
The pain inside of me
Desire
The heart wants
Want the heart wants
The mind can rule
And dictate
And inform
And scold
And warn
And have its say
And harass
And order
And subdue
And take control
And make sense
But at the end
Of a long day
The heart wants
Want the heart wants
Even if
It makes no sense
Safe Havens
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “A True Saint.”
I used to volunteer at a centre for mothers and their children, and the women were the most amazing, strong, resilient women. Upon arrival they would have nothing, and slowly they would rebuild their lives so they could have their own home, support themselves and their dependants, and be free from the constant fear of abuse. But the first step was the decision to leave. And where to go if no family was nearby that could be counted on for support?
So as my wish list, I would be the patron saint of women and children shelters that are accessible everywhere. Because domestic violence doesn’t discriminate. I am guessing many women continue in situations of violence and abuse because they have nowhere else to go. I would call these shelters ‘Safe Havens’.
My School
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “The New School.”
Everyone should be able to read and write so I would keep that in the syllabus.
Arithmetic was my favorite so that can stay. And now for the fun part where I make the decisions!
Typing lessons. For a humble one year course I did in the year I was fifteen, it has turned out to be the one most practical skill I use everyday. Let’s be honest, not many kids are going to sit and type ASDF for fun, so throw it into the syllabus.
Musical instrument. Every kid should be able to leave school being able to read music and play at least one instrument. Even if it is just a humble recorder. Make some music, people!
Second language. Should be taught from day one!
Sport. Get those bodies moving, learn how to hit a ball, swim in the pool and bend bodies over backward.
Budgeting. Oh yes. This is a big one. Teach them kids what happens when debt grows to more than income. Going out exceeds coming in? Yeah, problems.
Respecting others including women. Hot topic for me. Boys will grow up to be physically stronger than women. Fact. If my husband wanted to pin me down he could. Boys need to be taught how to treat women when they are older. And no guarantees they are taught it at home.
Cooking and nutrition. We all need to eat. So let them boil some rice, and learn what sugar does to their bodies. All those nutrition guides on the back or sides of boxes? They need to know how to read them. What does it mean when sugar is the main ingredient? What does it mean when artificial colors and sweeteners are added. What the heck is a guava or pomegranate? No, a watermelon is not a giant cucumber, you get the idea.
Conservation. We have been given a planet to live on. Let us learn and teach the next generation how to look after it. Recycle. Don’t toss plastic bags into the sea, where turtles swallow them and choke to death. We all live on the planet. We all need to look after it, inasmuch as we can.
CFFC Murals
This photo was taken at a Japanese restaurant Umami on Friday evening. I loved the intricate artwork, hand drawn with chalk. I had to take a photo of it. And then I saw the topic for this week was Graffiti and Murals. Perfect!
South African talent on display in Cape Town, South Africa.
Who can resist a peace sign artfully decorating the side of a Beetle? Flower Power all the way!
Random Sydney Graffiti. I knew I would find a home for this creativity!
Ladies Fashion night at our local school.
The Light
My Very First Poem!
When all around is dark
And all you know is night
Feel the hope within
And move towards the light
When sadness overwhelms
And you have lost your sight
A few gentle steps
Moving towards the light
When wounds begin to heal
We sense that near delight
Stirs our waking heart
Embracing inner light
When happiness is found
And all is calm and bright
Ever keep on reaching
Onwards towards the light
Happy 2nd Birthday to
movingtowardsthelight.com!
Happy 2nd Anniversary!
It has been two years since I was encouraged to start a blog. I knew nothing about blogging. A google search brought up WordPress, and I registered a domain. What to call a blog? I was struggling with depression, and felt like I was living in a constant, black hole. Move towards the light, Vonita. Okay, I will! I wrote a poem ‘The Light‘, and posted as my first post. Happy two years blogging to me!
And thank you to all who have read, commented, liked and encouraged along the way! Very grateful for the wonderful souls I’ve met!
❤
Thunderbolt and Lightning!
It’s not a Joburg summer storm, but I’ll take one in Sydney, yay, thunder and lightning!!
And just to set the mood!
Place of Safety
This morning I thought about a spiritual ‘place of safety’. A place of prayer and quietness where we can connect with our Creator and know that we are loved. How natural experiences can leave us with such a void inside that there is nowhere to go, but onto our knees to connect with our Lord. I would like to share something very personal that happened today. The term was so strongly pressed on my heart, I was trying to find references of safety in my morning study, and thinking of a poem I wrote a year ago titled the same ‘Place of Safety’. I know that I am believing in a living God when we were invited to sing a hymn this afternoon and right there in the first verse were the exact words ‘place of safety’ mentioned. Where to find a place of safety when hiding from storms so near? This was after I wrote my previous post Self-Sabotage. It was mentioned to me many years ago – we may not like to invite experiences to cross our path, but always be thankful for whatever may bring one to a place of prayer. A place of prayer and safety.
‘Is the master at the helm?
Hear him whisper, peace be still’
Poems and Petals 