Hope you all had a great weekend. My next entry of Snakes and Ladders…..

On a slightly different note… The thing I am finding difficult on a daily basis is our microwave society and the noise! Is there anyone else who wants to go somewhere and hideaway somewhere quiet, or is it just me!! There is a place that I do go from time to time, especially in the summer for some quiet time and peace, but I am not saying don’t want you all to invade my space, (LOL) find your own! Seriously though, the noise is unbearable sometimes. Actually the best time of the day to enjoy a quiet moment is about 4 or 5am in the morning, but not all of us are able to do this. Believe me it has great benefits, because that’s when you will get inspiration about what’s going on in your life, and what the lesson is. I think maybe it is to do with my age being an early riser I don’t need as much sleep anymore. Where was I? Oh yes – noise! It is so hard to think about what we are saying because we are surrounded by so much noise. Its easier to be calm and positive when all is quiet. The challenge we all face, is to maintain peace in this noisy world we live in, and to be patient with ourselves while we unravel the old mindsets that have mounted over the years. Like the unraveling of a ball of wool. Whether we like it or not, life has lots to teach us, and so we better get use to it.

Back to the game….

Games, like snakes and ladders, force us to focus on winning and yes it is a good feeling to win, but in the game of life, its about getting the lesson, so there are no losers because wherever you are in the game we are there to learn. We are being shaped . Yes shaped to become what was intended from the beginning of time. We must become loving and allow ourselves to see what really matters in life.

One of my lessons came about due to the loss of a very special friend. I had never experienced grief before. We had a short friendship, but it was so special that it has had an impact on my life. Sophia was a community person. She grew up in South London where everyone knew everyone, and cared about each other. I was brought up in an area where everyone did the opposite – mind their own business. When she use to share with me about her childhood memories, I was jealous. It sounded real fun. Her childhood experience made her love people, and she cared so much that she spent most of her life getting involved with community projects and sharing and smiling and loving. I miss her very much, but she came into my life for a season to teach me about loving people, especially the unlovable!
Since her passing, I got more involved in community projects, I had worked with her in a community project before she passed on. Before meeting her, I tended to keep myself to myself. I have improved because of my involvement with her. I have been in this game of life for quite some time now, and have made some terrible mistakes and learnt a lot of lessons, and of course I am still learning. The most difficult part in the game, is how to move on from the past. It holds us captive for far too long that we become stagnant, and miss all the wonderful opportunities being presented to us. The only way I have found to get out of this, is to set goals even if they are small ones. Eventually your focus will be reaching a goal, then the tired old past issues will fade into the background where it belongs. Always have something to look forward to, even if it’s a stroll in the park, meeting a friend or going to the cinema. Life is what you make it. If you are one of those people who take life too seriously, get with people who don’t – they are the best tonic! They laugh at themselves and never let life’s dramas beat them!

I suggest that you choose friends that will support you when you do feel down. I have learnt that none of us is ever going to be able to avoid landing on the snake no matter how clever we might be. The important thing is not to think about getting up the ladder straight away, but finding out what being at the bottom of the snake could be teaching you. Remember we learn far more about ourselves when we are at the bottom. (the lowest points in our life) At the bottom we are forced to face our dilemma, and trust me you will not be the same, when you come out the other side. As I have said before the board game suggests that you win when you are at the top of the ladder and the snakes says you are losing. In the real game of life that is not necessarily so.

There are lessons when you are at the bottom that will prepare you for when you go to the top of the ladder eventually, which I might add is short-lived. In the real game there is always ups and downs, so expect things to change. Seasons change, so do our lives. I am sure you have heard that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I have spent a lot of time at the bottom of the snake, and there were times when I thought that life was unfair. Now, I can see it wasn’t so bad because I became a lot wiser and I met some wonderful people, and I am a better person today. I am sure we have all been at the place where we thought we would never survive, and we did.