Look down, look up

Anyone else feeling a bit shit?

Me too. It’s a combo of back to school blues I think (that THANK GOD they are back and WHERE ARE MY BABIES?) after a really good school holidays and lots of quality family time. I’m feeling a bit fat and bluergh and my skin is absolutely shithouse again (has been ever since I stopped breastfeeding I think my dreaded perioral dermatitis is back). Work is quiet, there’s a full moon, I think I am premenstrual (when the hell will I actually ever pay attention to these matters?!), I spend my days chasing a baby and not getting much done, our central heating broke which needs full replacement, car regos, garden needing work, bills, exercise to be done….blah blah blah…see? A bit shit.

Not to mention what the fuck is going on in the world.

Man, look at any kind of media and it’s depressing. Terrorist attacks, bigotry and hatred and ignorance and anger begin spewed forth everywhere you look online, on the radio, anywhere media is. There’s MY opinion and MY opinion which is more important. There’s presidential speeches being ripped off, plebiscites being delayed, promises being broken and so much NOISE. No one seems to be listening.

It’s no wonder I keep eating Kingston biscuits and watching Real Housewives of wherever bitching and screaming at each other, it’s much more entertaining. And it’s no wonder my jeans are getting tighter. Stupid grown up world.

I don’t know the answer to any of this stuff. I think I could probably stop eating biscuits. There’s a start. I could go for a walk and tune off to all the noise. One thing I have noticed this week in particular is my kids. I’ve looked at them, really looked at them. Stopped and looked down (for now with Daisy although it won’t be for much longer with the rate she is growing) Watched them wonder and ask questions about the world. Watched them make wishes and had conversations with them about what they want to do. Listened to them. Hugged them. Laughed with them.

We’ve got so much to learn from our kids. The joy they find in the smallest thing. The sheer happiness and love that pours out of their pure, untouched souls. Their unquestionable goodness that they see in people, because why would they not be good?

Their looking up, at us, at the world around them. The world. Not a bloody Pokemon on a screen, but you know, the world.

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I hope that the world that they grow up into still contains much joy and happiness and goodness. That they don’t fear for terror, that they remain to have open hearts and minds despite what they hear around them. That their world is big enough for everyone in it, despite their race or religion. Because despite all this shit around us at the moment, the noise, the anger, the fear and hatred, there is this amazing place that we get to live. Filled with natural beauty. Filled with amazing people. Doing wonderful things. If we stop all that noise, I swear what we’d hear is all the same stuff. People, regardless of where they come from, well, we all want the same thing. Safety. Be love and be loved. To have a laugh.

I’m choosing up.

Thanks for the reminder Maggie.

And I hope everyone’s week gets a little better. Go for a walk. Lay off the biscuits BETH. And don’t forget to look up.

Comments

  1. love the scarf and love always to buy something on holidays too beth! … transports!
    yes sweet maggie look up to the sky!
    all of that crap that is perpetuated on television then copy catted … is that a word! … literally makes me sick!
    I turn the television off as I am too sensitive and it plays on my psyche!
    I look out of the window and see the beauty around me!
    btw that daphne, helabore, jonquils … spring must be in the air!
    love m:)X

  2. I know, I know. It’s been a bit shit here too with constant sickness and no money and lots of moaning, and yes, the bloody world. My kids aren’t quite old enough to ask yet but I know they would not understand because they trust so deeply in human kind so it would just be so unfathomable. It’s such a beautiful quality. I wish it was never going to get tainted.
    I’ve been turning the telly off as much as I can. Finding out the facts and getting off. Time with real people and sharing their goodness is all that I can think to do to combat the shit. Biscuits are trouble here too. x

  3. Thanks Mags and Beth for the reminder. After getting TO bed at 4:40am this morning after holding, patting and for the love of God go to sleep baby sushing all night with my 5 month old ezcema covered/post sickness/forgotten how to sleep baby, (hang in there) the 3 yr old darling girl comes in to my side this morning full of beans and just wants me to read a book to her. While it was the last thing I wanted to do after less than 2 hours sleep, I got up, made a coffee and read this post while I waited for the coffee to kick in. I’ve popped my cranky tude away for now and I’m sitting with them, enjoying them. Sleep can wait, I guess! Have a lovely Wednesday, and enjoy those Kingstons, my personal fave, you have great taste!

  4. I agree with Merrilyn. Turn the TV off and play music in the morning instead of listening to the radio. It’s hard at first but within a week the difference will amaze you. You will still know what’s going on (just scroll through social media) but you can choose when and how often you see it. I stopped watching the news 18mths ago when i saw the distressed look on my 18mth olds face with the constant replaying of the Lindt cafe gunfire. We now have 45mins of ABC kids every night before bed. Best decision I ever made…for both of us (I’m a bit sensitive too). Keep looking up Beth and thanks for the reminder x

  5. Be informed but don’t be inundated…..I read that about 10 years ago, so I stopped watching the nightly news and stopped buying the newspaper, I’m so much happier.
    At around the same time I went to a Melissa Etheridge concert and she told the audience “to find joy in everything we do”…..something so simple but so powerful.

  6. Donna Holley says

    You too huh? I woke up to my daughter calling me from Sydney crying, now don’t go mad and crack up like you do but Ben and I have split up. AND I NEED SOME MONEY!! My beautiful girl who moved to Sydney from here, Queensland to study Doctor of Vet at Sydney Uni along with her gorgeous partner of 7 years who is studying medicine have called it quits. So now they are breaking their studio apart early so I have to bail her out. I feel hopeless. I have to call the tax department this morning where I be sitting on the friggin phone for the next 4 hours only for the next person to say, SORRY BUT YOU HAVE THE WRONG DEPARTMENT. As for your day oh dear Beth. I hope work picks up because your central heating will more than likely cost you a fortune. I used to love school holidays but always looked forward to them returning as well. Best bit of advice I can give you today lovely is GO AND HAVE A HYSTERECTOMY. Best thing I ever EVER did. Great way to end a post but I have had it as well already and its only bloody 7.50!! I hope your day improves for you. I am an empty nester so my problems are a little different to yours but I have been there and it does get easier. Enjoy your kids because before you know it, they have left the safe surrounds they call home and end up in Sydney, not knowing anyone looking for somewhere to live, haha

  7. Lovely post – beautiful words. Better than Waleed Ally’s on The Project last night (which was pretty inspiring too!)

  8. Jill Unsworth says

    This is such a beautiful post. A beautiful reminder of how truly wonderful our world really is if you just take a second to look up. Thank you Maggie, thank you Beth for the sweet reminder.

  9. You spread sunshine even when feeling ‘blaah’, thank you!

  10. Oh Beth I hope what you hope for the World and our Children…..and to Love and be Loved…..that’s all that matters! And nah don’t stop the biscuits they’re probably helping you through this time more than you think!

  11. Full moon, severely pre-menstrual and a gaping hole where one of my most important teeth used to be. I may never eat a fucking steak again. If I have to find a positive, oysters are soft and I can eat as many of those as I want. Love to you. Trish x

  12. I just finished reading “When Breath Becomes Air”..and it’s true what the New York Times says, you won’t forget about it in a hurry. It was just what I needed to rise out of my mid-winter funk; potent perspective, a good cry and gratitude for what we have, even if our jeans are a bit snug x

  13. The one thing that has really got to me since moving back to Australia is it feels like everyone on the TV and radio is shouting at me. As you said, so much noise! Fear and panic and anger. Us and them.

    The world needs to stop and take a collective breath.

  14. Timely as always, lovely Beth. I’m not loving grown up world either at the moment, but just hoping that this too shall pass.

  15. I know.. I know. Feeling shite also

    Been hugging my kids lots these past few days. Just feeling unsettled with it all.

    Working from home today and took a break from the computer to have lunch. Did what I always do at lunchtime and turned on the ABC. I generally watch the news. Today though, the news was over and the National Press Club address was on. Dr Brendan Nelson was speaking about the anniversary of the horrible battles on the Western Front. The stories are devastating. I started weeping and haven’t managed to pull myself together yet.

  16. Perthite says

    I moved overseas a year and a half ago and my skin went pear shaped. Tried all sorts of everything. In the meantime my teenage daughter (who we’d left behind at boarding school ?) was also having skin trouble. She read about Zoe Foster Blake’s Go-To range. Tried it, loved it, fixed everything. I jumped on the bandwagon and Face Hero is a miracle oil. Can’t recommend the entire range highly enough. My skin is almost perfect (… Almost!). What I now think was roseacia has disappeared. Anyway, in this seemingly relentlessly negative world, that’s my tiny bit of wisdom. I’m not overly vain, but I do feel a bit shit when my skin is bad. I also love supporting a local Aussie brand!

  17. Oh I am hearing you Beth… so many shit things happening in the world… your not the only one feeling crap. And yes, I have really been looking at my boys too and they are growing up so quickly… my husbands twin brother died suddenly last week and it makes you stop and think…. I can’t even imagine if it were my husband that died…. what would happen to his 3 boys, they were absolutely devastated about their uncle, makes you stop and think about what you would do if it happened to you. Anyway… lets all look at the good things and enjoy the great things in life. Hope your week gets better. x

  18. What you said – all the things – spot on. Good to know others are feeling the same. On a lighter note – dear little Maggie – her hair is growing.

    • Ditto – what Rosie said Beth. I am so glad I’m not the only one.
      I came home today after a trying day at work where the level of entitlement around me was worrying, then I sat next to what can only be described as some very polite racists on the train & when I came home I said to my husband, gosh life seems heavy & hard this week and he agreed.
      I think some serious home time with loved ones is in order this weekend xx

  19. Thanks for this post Beth x

  20. Hi Beth, I turned 50 this year, it is so cool to be 50 (can I say that) there is a certain freedom that comes with age I think, anyway, 5 years ago I stopped watching the news, and reading the newspapers, I do still read some news stories online, but pick and choose, it has made the most lovely difference to my life. I am still aware of what is happening in the world but it is greatly filtered. I instagram a sunrise and a sunset photo every day to remind me of the little things and how lucky and thankful I truly am. This world we live in can be so very hard in so many different ways, and if we can work our way around making it better for us and ours then we should. Finding joy in all the little things sure is a key to happiness and contentment.

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