Yesterday, I attended my 2nd ever baby shower. However, this was the first of my close friends to be having a baby, whereas the other was an aquaintance who I didn't know especially well.
It is so exciting to have a close friend just about to have a baby, she is due in 4 weeks. It is a magical process to follow their journey through the early days of sickness and relative normalcy of their routines. To the "showing" part where it is really much more obvious that there is a baby growing inside... and those first flutters of movements growing into movements that the dad (or we) can feel from the outside. To today, where there is a bump that appears more baby-sized and that the little person who is inside might just be getting ready to make an appearance on the outside world and come to meet us all.
The wonder of the growth of a baby in the womb has been something that has awed and amazed me since I was 6-7 years old and my mum was pregnant with my little brother. And I'm sure it was there earlier than that growing up on a farm and being very much involved with the birthing of lambs and feeding of new babies (lambs) every spring! And being the chief babysitter for all of the ladies at the weekend tennis or netball matches - so they could enjoy their games knowing thier little ones were taken care of.
The amazement of the human body had me choose to study about the human biology and how it works at University and even take an Embryology elective - which taught me the intricate process of the formation of an embryo ---> fetus ---> baby from those original 2 cells that join together in the extraordinarily precious act of conception. Let me tell you, it is beyond words and sometimes beyond our capability to imagine how the act of procreation occurs... and that it occurs at all!
After University, I worked for Obstetricians for a number of years and fell in love with the beauty of meeting pregnant women and the delight of meeting that little person that grew inside them and came back to be showed off at their 6-week check up! I even went on to work in a research field in one of the biggest maternity hospitals in Melbourne and witnessed many births (natural and Caesarean) in the process.
Through all of these experiences, both good and not-so-good, I have unwaveringly "known" that I would always hold a high fascination for the creation of our offspring and be involved in this process, by either working in the field or participating in the conception-birth process myself. I look forward to the time in my life when I get to experience being pregnant and bringing a new little being into the world and assisting them along their journey.
This is why I LOVE having one of my very close friends going through this process under my nose. It excites me and reminds me of one of my great purposes in this lifetime. This is why it was such a great pleasure to celebrate this impending arrival with a "Baby Shower". To show her how supported she is, so that she will know that our energy, support and love will be with her always, through the birth and beyond.
What a beautiful afternoon we all created for her, with presents and food and lovely conversations and games... Did I mention lots of fun and laughter? The opportunity to be creative was there too - painting plain baby singlets with fabric paint for lingering gifts with personal touches, to be used with this baby and the next and possibly handed along to other friends with newborns too.
The energy in the room was so loving and nurturing and knowing that all the women there were in their own part of the female cycle was delightful - the single women, the women in relationships, the married and the soon-to-be-married, the mothers-to-be, the mothers and the grandmothers. It was just perfect in its simplicity and wonder.
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Girl time (AKA Me time)
Today I had a wonderful girly relaxation with good girlfriends of mine. Some of whom I know very well and others who I would love to know very well, but don't yet.
We planned ahead to spend a delightful Sunday afternoon catching up, connecting and generally enjoying each other's (female) company. In fact, we are planning on doing this monthly or thereabouts with whoever is available on the day and I'm already looking forward to the next afternoon and the next and the next as our lives grow and expand (one of our next sessions will have a baby added to the mix!)
I think it is a really important part of our growth, our sanity and our society that we make time to spend time with the girls and be amongst other estrogen infused bodies. We all love the company of our lovely male partners, significant others and husbands but there is an amazing connection and nurturing that goes on when you have a group of girls all sitting around together.... watching movies.... painting toenails.... knitting.... laughing.... and of course, chatting !
Who could forget the chatting.... debriefing, sharing our knowledge, discussing issues of our worlds, our relationships, our friends, our homes, our families. Reassuring, encouraging, allowing and advising. What a lovely energy to breathe in an absorb for an afternoon; to nurture, to re-charge and to release.
I feel like I have filled so many of my love tanks by connecting with other women; my friendships tank, my fun tank, my relationships tank and even my self-love tank. (You can read more about love tanks in "How to Get What You Want and Want What You Have" by John Gray, the author of the Mars-Venus books.) It makes me feel fuller and more prepared to go out and face the next adventures of my life. It reminds me to thank the Universe and acknowledge myself for my female-ness and all the beauty, joy and love it brings with being it.
We planned ahead to spend a delightful Sunday afternoon catching up, connecting and generally enjoying each other's (female) company. In fact, we are planning on doing this monthly or thereabouts with whoever is available on the day and I'm already looking forward to the next afternoon and the next and the next as our lives grow and expand (one of our next sessions will have a baby added to the mix!)
I think it is a really important part of our growth, our sanity and our society that we make time to spend time with the girls and be amongst other estrogen infused bodies. We all love the company of our lovely male partners, significant others and husbands but there is an amazing connection and nurturing that goes on when you have a group of girls all sitting around together.... watching movies.... painting toenails.... knitting.... laughing.... and of course, chatting !
Who could forget the chatting.... debriefing, sharing our knowledge, discussing issues of our worlds, our relationships, our friends, our homes, our families. Reassuring, encouraging, allowing and advising. What a lovely energy to breathe in an absorb for an afternoon; to nurture, to re-charge and to release.
I feel like I have filled so many of my love tanks by connecting with other women; my friendships tank, my fun tank, my relationships tank and even my self-love tank. (You can read more about love tanks in "How to Get What You Want and Want What You Have" by John Gray, the author of the Mars-Venus books.) It makes me feel fuller and more prepared to go out and face the next adventures of my life. It reminds me to thank the Universe and acknowledge myself for my female-ness and all the beauty, joy and love it brings with being it.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Love Quotes
In no particular order....
Love doesn't make the world go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
Franklin P. Jones
We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.
--Anonymous
Women wish to be loved not because they are pretty, or good, or well bred, or graceful, or intelligent, but because they are themselves.
--Henri Frederic Amiel 1821-1881, Swiss Philosopher, Poet, Critic
"Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
To love a person is to learn the song
That is in their heart,
And to sing it to them
When they have forgotten.
--Anonymous
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly without complexities abide. I love you because I know no other way than this. So close that your hand, on my chest, is my hand. So close that when you close your eyes, I fall asleep
--The movie Patch Adams - 1998
Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all
--St. Augustine
Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.
--Mother Theresa
Love - a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker.
--Author Unknown
Who, being loved, is poor?
--Oscar Wilde
Love doesn't make the world go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
Franklin P. Jones
We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.
--Anonymous
Women wish to be loved not because they are pretty, or good, or well bred, or graceful, or intelligent, but because they are themselves.
--Henri Frederic Amiel 1821-1881, Swiss Philosopher, Poet, Critic
"Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
To love a person is to learn the song
That is in their heart,
And to sing it to them
When they have forgotten.
--Anonymous
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly without complexities abide. I love you because I know no other way than this. So close that your hand, on my chest, is my hand. So close that when you close your eyes, I fall asleep
--The movie Patch Adams - 1998
Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all
--St. Augustine
Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.
--Mother Theresa
Love - a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker.
--Author Unknown
Who, being loved, is poor?
--Oscar Wilde
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Year of Love - 2009
This year I will be living with love in my life as though never before; loving myself, loving my wonderful fiance D and loving other people in my life; loving my home, my surroundings and my everyday activities. I look to experience love in it's many forms to it's deepest level and to experience life from a state of love, rather than the state of fear I have often found myself coming from, in the past.
Love is a very magical thing. As a child, I experienced the love of my parents; the strong protective love of my Mother and the adoring gentle love of my Father. As a new teenager, the parental love was that of discipline versus rebellion and how far could I push the boundaries. As a teenager I began to explore love of the opposite sex and I thought that was the most amazing thing I could possibly experience. Moving into my twenties and my first "real" relationships, I experienced love as safe, binding, fun, joyous and hopeful followed by my fair share of heartbreak, desperation, disappointment, regret, powerlessness and unfullfillment. In my 27th year, I met my husband-to-be and knew almost instantly that I would be with him for the rest of my life. Following some ups and downs in the getting-to-know-you phase (coupled with some 450km separating us to begin with) we found our place with each other and then I was able to experience love of a different kind.
The love I share with D is whole, complete, all-encompassing and yet it allows me to feel completely independent, whole within myself and equal. I believe that this love is what I thought I'd been searching for all of my life, the stuff of fairy tales.... but wait... this love is so much bigger, stronger, more fulfilling and satisfying than any I could have imagined. This love makes me more of who I am at the same time as allowing D to be more of who he is. This love reminds me that life is worth living to it's fullest potential.
Love is a very magical thing. As a child, I experienced the love of my parents; the strong protective love of my Mother and the adoring gentle love of my Father. As a new teenager, the parental love was that of discipline versus rebellion and how far could I push the boundaries. As a teenager I began to explore love of the opposite sex and I thought that was the most amazing thing I could possibly experience. Moving into my twenties and my first "real" relationships, I experienced love as safe, binding, fun, joyous and hopeful followed by my fair share of heartbreak, desperation, disappointment, regret, powerlessness and unfullfillment. In my 27th year, I met my husband-to-be and knew almost instantly that I would be with him for the rest of my life. Following some ups and downs in the getting-to-know-you phase (coupled with some 450km separating us to begin with) we found our place with each other and then I was able to experience love of a different kind.
The love I share with D is whole, complete, all-encompassing and yet it allows me to feel completely independent, whole within myself and equal. I believe that this love is what I thought I'd been searching for all of my life, the stuff of fairy tales.... but wait... this love is so much bigger, stronger, more fulfilling and satisfying than any I could have imagined. This love makes me more of who I am at the same time as allowing D to be more of who he is. This love reminds me that life is worth living to it's fullest potential.
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