Little Boy Lost #love

Looking back over the past, I have come to the conclusion that love has always been deeply  important to me. Yes, some may say, a little like Peter Pan really in the Never Never Land. 

Love in my child-like mind is that of being unconditional.  It is also my belief that love should nurture you, comfort you, and keep you safe.  However, the little boy in me has realised that love also needs to be reciprocated with no conditions, no agenda, nor  motive except to be loved and and receive love in return. 

themamareport

 

But, now the little boy has grown up (after all these years) and realised, that the love I had given over and over again was very one sided and that I really was never to be on the end of unconditional love in return. 

When I talk this love, I am really talking of ‘parental love’. The love you find, that is not of blood, is a totally different kind.  That kind of love is a growing, ever striving love that needs to be worked on to take us through our days together.  But ‘parental love' should be unconditional, a God given link from the womb to the tomb. This has always been my belief

After thinking soundly through my ‘parental love’ experience, the only time I thought that I was loved in return, was as a toddler sneaking in to my mother’s room and kissing her to wake to feed me.  My mother worked shift work so would sleep through the day at this stage and, I believed that love was reciprocated when my tiny kisses would wake her to feed me.  As I grew, I believed that my kind of love was to be in my mind and no one needed to return it.  It was just my job to love.  Now listening back through ‘Barry Manilow” You Tube, I realise the truth in his words springing into my head: “needing to belong’, ‘if someone would have said your not alone’, and more sadly ‘all the wasted time. 

It has taken a long time for this little boy to find himself, to know that he is not lost and that he had the correct idea all along.  Love is unconditional, and that love has no cost, no restrictions, and no agenda. It has taken all this time to reach the conclusion that, this Peter Pan was not lost. In fact, the parents were the ones lost and did not know how to give love freely.  Their duty was to love with no strings attached and, that our love returned, would take them to their grave. 

Having left ‘Never, Never Land’ I need to put that all behind me and realise that my kind of love is not, and never will be, for them.  I have to learn to pat myself on the back and say your not so bad and that I do, indeed, belong.  I must realise that throwing my love that way over and over again is never going to give me love from them.  I have to dust off my shoes and concentrate on my partner's love and know that our love is one based on unconditional, heart felt, and never ending love even beyond the grave.

I have to let it go, and send my love to the people that love the same way I do.  I need to love so that love grows and has no barriers. Despite that love not being that of blood, it has more sustenance than my mother provided by a simple feed as a toddler.  That feed was her responsibility as a parent, but giving love that is unconditional became her choice, and she imposed a value on love. 

To those who have experienced the same, I urge you to stop, think, and believe in yourself. Know that you are not so bad, that you are very valued, and have the right for love to be returned in the same manner as you have given. 

Love has no expiry date.  Love has no limitations. Love has no agenda. Love is present and is a gift to be passed on through out the years. 

Till next time,

Cheers! 

spirit21.co.uk

 All the Time - Barry Manilow

High Heels and Machine Guns

It has always amazed me how difference is seen as a threat.  Difference to believe in what we see as right. Difference to be seen as equal. Difference to be ourselves. Difference to live our lives as we feel comfortable. But, merge them all together and combine it with religion, and attitude is to create havoc on society in general.

links2love.com

Being part of the gay community, we have asked for respect and dignity to be who we are.  Not once have we sought acceptance through violence and loss of life.  Instead, we have stood unashamed of our sexuality and individuality. We have stood side by side on floats,  and in gay bars worldwide, to show our solidarity for our equality and rights.  We have marched to a different drum - a drum that begs individuality; a drum that begs equality; a drum that begs acceptance to be who we are and to believe in our place in society.

Yes, in God's eye (no matter what faith or disposition) we are seen as equal. God in anyone's language is love. Love is, and should be, the corner stone to all. That same love is fundamentally our right through our faith. That faith should be be encouraged, be it black, white, male, female, and that love, as long as it does not physically harm anyone, should be the corner stone of humanity.

For centuries we have seen wars based on religion. We have seen wars based on power.  But, not once, have we seen wars based on sexuality.  We have seen many religions dependent on sexual sanctity, but has that sanctity been one of trust and love. We have seen young men and women used and abused sexually by our so called ‘chosen by God’ leaders. 

We have seen payoffs, standoffs and putoffs by our spiritual leaders, all in the name of love. However, say that two people of the same sex have that love connection, and they are doomed, despite their love being mutually acceptable.  In the eyes of some churches it is seen as sin.  God knows why straight relationships have survived considering Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit.  But, eyes are closed and never recalled to that situation.  

Like gay rights activists, women's rights activists, civil rights activists, these groups of people have protested, have marched, have voiced their opinion but they have never taken to the streets with guns blazing, killing innocent people because of their beliefs.  Instead, we have stood side by side (sometimes sprooking loudly) but never with guns to attain attention through power. We, as a group, have asked for equality not dominance.  Whereas, as these radical groups do not ask. In fact they are not interested in equality, they are only interested in dominance by force.

To those seeking power, I urge you throw down your guns, listen to the common people, and charge your  glasses with love not war. Join with the real people wanting equality, acceptance and a loving, caring  lifestyle. 

To those wearing the purple frocks, sprinkle some glitter of open mindedness. To those insisting on the burka, add a splash of colour and compassion. God damn it, since you have come this far, throw on some tinsel, don a pair of high heals and discard your machine guns and hop aboard the floats to equality town. 

In the words of Mother Teresa :- I can do things you cannot; You can do things I cannot; but together we can do great things.

I close these writings in hope that one day we will stand together as one, our voices  will be united in solidarity.  Whatever our path to equality may we find peace. I pray that together we may stand tall, together we may stand united and together.  May our tree of life exude peace, love and harmony. 

May our rocky road of life display the colours of the rainbow, and maybe, we all at one time  can be  part of the colourful ingredients of life’s combination of flavours and tastes.

Cheers.

fanpop.com

 

Time for a New Song #acceptance

Much doom and gloom is around us all so let us stand and sing in unison. It’s time for a new song! In the words of the song, ‘Don’t weep and moan because he’s blown, just face the world and smile. Coz when your crying, don’t you know that your make-up starts to run, and your eyes get red and  scrappy…. but when your smilin’ keep on smilin’  the whole world smiles with you.’ 

Yes, I have cut and pasted the lyrics but I am sure you get the picture. We need to embrace the positives that we have. We need to reject some of those negatives and steer them towards positive thoughts.  Let’s not let that evil overpower us, let’s cast those devils to the wind and cry for them to leave our presence and take their horrid attitudes and stick them where..… oooops!! I believe I’m probably getting a tad too descriptive at this point but again, I think your get the picture. 

So many of us live in a world where bullying, selfishness, alienation, greed and ambiguous love exists.  It’s time to sing a new song where pure unadulterated love and caring are set free to reign -  love that has no limitations, love that has no rules but to love and be loved in return,  no hidden agendas. It’s time for a new song where caring for our fellow man/woman has no limits and no thoughts of cost or time or energy - a caring for others that we do not expect the return of said to boost our egos, a caring that is beyond mere words.  A caring that puts us on the edge and makes us think, have we actually done enough.  And enough is non-existent in the caring and loving fields of our lives.

 

yourdreambuilt.com

It’s time to take on the love of the innocent, and remember the simple approach to life,  a life that everyone is equal that everyone has their voice, and together as one voice we can move  mountains. 

It’s time for a new song that embraces the aged, the children and the in between’s on life’s treadmill.  We are all equal after all, in the eyes of anyone’s God. The Gods that we worship are built on love no matter what denomination we believe in.  The rules that are read into our God’s love are just written by people who may as humans, isolate and persecute others for just being themselves. So, it’s time for a new song  to bring back the unified chorus of the people to our religions.  Our Gods have never wanted anything but love and caring.  It is the human element that has destroyed people, put up barriers, built prejudice, built hierarchy and taken the simple love from our beliefs.

It’s time for a new song that our politicians remember they are elected by the normal people and in being elected, they are there to carry out the wants and needs of the people who voted for them.  They are not there to dictate their prejudice and their pet hates. Their job is to be the voice of the people who elected them to office. Their job is to ensure that the needs of the people are priority with health and well-being of their constituents at the top end of their agenda.  Their job is not to glorify themselves and believe that they are untouchable from the mortal man/woman. 

So too our religious leaders, they should be the voice of God. Their bias and prejudice should not give them the right to condemn, to cast judgement, to  isolate minorities owing to their personal bent on life.  Our Gods are built on love, and only humans interpreted the very essence on which our religions are built in the first place. 

So let’s scream it is time for a new song and cry out loud that we are equal, that we are worthy of a voice, and that we will join in unity to make this gloom and doom turn to better place that we can co-exist, and fear will be a thing of the past.  Yes, there will always be some tough times but together through love and caring we can make this world a better place that we may all keep on smilin’ and share a love that has more power than that of evil.

Let’s make this our challenge - to think positively, to encourage others to join with us to stomp out fear, prejudice and hatred and bring in love and caring to make this world a better place.  

                                     When You're Smiling - Louis Armstrong

Diamonds are Forever #friendship #endurance #love

Diamonds have always been a thing of beauty, a thing of resilience. One of the hardest substances on Earth, they are one of nature's wonders. How can something so beautiful be so strong. They have been and still are symbols of status, a symbol of love - a gift of love. 
 

loyesdiamonds.ie

Diamonds in the rough are still a treasure and our friendships and love can easily be compared to diamonds. If we appreciate the beauty, the resilience, and the strength of love, the way we do of diamonds then, we are the richest people on earth.  

If we value our friendships, digging and persevering to find that sparkle is well worth it. Unlike diamonds, that love, that sparkle, exists even when not worn. It lives deep in our hearts and sparkles from within. It is something that has no monetary value, something that is priceless  Something that can only be valued by the people to whom you entrust your sparkle. A value that does not adjust to a financial index metre.  A value that will increase in worth for our duration, and if we share that love it will linger forever.  

Having said this, I believe that love and friendship is something worth mining.  No matter how dirty you get in the process, the result is priceless. The feeling is indescribable and, the benefits are beyond expression. The beauty of holding that love in your heart is worth the scrapes, worth time put in to seek that sparkle. And, once you have that sparkle, you ensure that you polish, preen, and keep it gleaming forever.  

The cutting of the diamond is as important as how we treat, and care for, our friendships and love. The better the cut the better the quality.  Therefore examine that rough love, treat it with respect, treat it with care. Look at each aspect of it and bring out that beauty, that sparkle. Gently grind back those rough, and sometimes hidden flaws, and and help them see the sparkle that they possess.  Let them see that diamonds are lovely as a solitaire but, when encrusted in a union of love, that solitaire will look simple compared to a setting interwoven with gold and other precious gems.  

I look at friendships of my own and some of my friends feel that they don't shine. They feel dull and lifeless at times, tarnished from what life dishes out. But, if we simply spend some time showing them their internal sparkle, they will look in the mirror and realize they are glorious, that they are a thing of beauty. Something that is priceless in ours  and others eyes.  Let's face it, quite often we get too busy to think beyond ourselves, and while we are preening our egos, we forget those that give us our sparkle in the first place.  

So I encourage you to mine for that sparkle, be mindful of its value, be conscious of the cutting. Develop the setting that is equally enjoyed and admired.  Polish with love often and treasure the beauty that sparkles within.  

Until next time, thanks for the emails, thanks for the encouragement, and thank you for spending time with me.  Stay safe, be kind to yourself and share the love and remember, life's diamonds are forever.  
Cheers!

Bitchescoz

Contact: luke65mcbride@gmail.com

 Diamonds are Forever -Shirley Bassey

 

Spring! #newbeginnings #newseasons #love

At last Spring has sprung!  Its time to break out the deck chairs, open those drapes, toss the cover rugs, wash everything in sight, make the house sparkle like the sun, open the bubbly stuff and, wish your partner cheers as you hand him the list of jobs which I have just mentioned.

Seriously, Spring is a beautiful time of the year where you can see, you can feel, and you can witness new birth, new beginnings. You see churches and chapels fill with well wishers for the couples venturing on new horizons. The beaches start filling again accompanied with the smell of the coconut oil wafting. The ice creameries peddle their latest spring flavour.  The bistros and the side walk cafe's start filling again with people, half clad, chomping on salads so as to rid themselves of the winter comfort food inches, that they have gained. The hair removal salons are packed to the rafters with men and women seeking their Amazons be turned to Brazilian wonders.

To me spring is a time of looking to a new future. It's a season of hope. It's a season of looking back briefly to the past, checking the things you have accomplished in those darker and colder times. Strategically deciding if the things of the past should indeed be left there and not revisited. Or, should they be refreshed, given a lick of paint, and viewed in a new light with renewed vigour.  Some things are unachievable and, we must not spend time on things we can't change.  Beating a dead mullet with a stick is not going to bring it back to life.  So move on, change your way of thinking! You can't change the past, if the past is embedded in stone.

So often, we try so hard to change things, that we get tied down. We forget to move forward, stumble on those embedded stones and, fail to reach for the rainbow that we sought to achieve in the first place.  I guess what I am saying is, that if we put the spring in our step, move forward, share the beauty that life has to offer and show the world in our own way, that we will move forward. Forward with love, with excitement, with hope, and a sense of belief that if we lead by a good example, those that knock and condemn, may respect, and accept, that a life spent with love, is far better than a life spent with negativity, inequality, and discrimination.

Let's celebrate together! Reach out, share new hope, share the growth of new beginnings.  Put the spring in our step and believe that love, can indeed, conquer all.  Grab a friend by the hand! Feel the summer breezes that are coming up from behind and, let the warmth that we share, carry us into a greater future.  To those in the Northern Hemisphere, observe the rainbow the falling leaves shed as the troubles of the past, and move forward, with your southern friends and enjoy a life of freedom and equality.

Till next time keep the emails coming in and take care as I propose a toast from my deck chair for a world of harmony.  Salute!

Cheers!

Bitchescoz

Contact: luke65mcbride@gmail.com

Getting Laid #love #life #relationships

As you read recently, we just had our conservatory built. Now it is up, the courtyard needs a makeover. The sun no longer gets to the grass, and barren soil is not really a good look. I maybe an interior designer but, as a manual labourer, I think I have limitations.  Having said that, I try not to let anything defeat me and I will give anything a try - once. Well within limits.

He he.

Having my measurements at hand, having sourced my supplier of pavers, my credit card in my pocket and small truck to pick up my purchases, I take off for the adventure of broken fingernails, rough hands and crippled knees.

I had not told you that these new pavers must be matched up to the existing pavers, both in colour and laying pattern.  My friend that I speak of regularly, helped (ok laid most) with the last lot.  So, I have a pattern and a standard to live up to. Sad she could not afford me the 1600 kilometre trip to help me with these, but I assure you her presence is felt continually with the constant 'Send me a pic text' and 'Have you used a spirit level text'.  Be it noted not once has she sent a 'Show me your broken fingernail text'.  I have tried the sympathy root but, 'Toughen up baby text' really does not console my loss of skin, nail and aching knees. I swear the woman was Attila the Hun in a previous life. I also find it amazing, that my other half finds something else to do, as soon as he hears (amazing as he is deaf) the side gate open for me to carry these 400 x 400 weapons of torture through to the back garden.

The winter weather is kind for my labour. There are no streams of sweat beating off my brow. Now that's a bonus!  I really admire people that can slog it out in the heat and not seem to show any ill effect apart from bulging muscles. I can always dream that my few days of hard labour may put me in the running for Mr. Universe.

My mind wanders when I am in the garden and paving brings no exception.  My mind thinks how easy it looks to fit square pieces of slab together, but the preparation, and the time spent to make it fit perfectly, is rather like life itself. We all may appear to be the same fit but making it uniform is another story.  Life is really like that, we are all individual pieces, but blending in. Fitting perfectly can be hard work, but the end result is beneficial to all. Doing it yourself you may get some scrapes, some aches! But, if worked properly, taking time, realizing the lay of the land, we all fit together like an intricate quilt.  Mind you if getting laid was a painful as this, I think I would join a convent.

Love and relationships are much the same as this, if worked with care and consideration, some thought and preparation, we can have a work of art in our own personal landscape. Something that is long lasting and, with proper maintenance, can sustain our needs for a lifetime. Yes, it may get a little messy, it may be gruelling sometimes, but the rewards are limitless.

Unlike paving, where we can bring in some professionals, our life landscape has to be hand done.  It needs a devotion to detail. We need to set  our foundations on firm ground for the future, and yes, like the pavers, the bedding (ooops of sand) can be nice and keep us firm and fixed in place for when the sand in our life hour glass starts to time out.

Until next time, I trust you will keep up the emails, keep me informed of your life's happenings and stay safe.  Right now I must go proffer another 'Send me a pic text' to Attila, my friend Piglette to show that my work is of the highest slave labour.

Cheers!

Bitchescoz

Contact: luke65mcbride@gmail.com