Stephanie Hamilton's Blog, page 3

LIfe is Like a Box of Chocolates…

The hardest part about starting this blog post has been the title.

There are posts that I write for me (most of them actually!), that serve as a good dose of therapy, where I can be myself, say what I want, and hopefully take something away each time I write.  It’s almost like a treat….like a gooey caramel centre, or gobs of sticky crimson syrup that dribble out from the dark, creamy casing that keeps the cherry honest.

I guess you’ve probably noticed that I like chocolate….and well, to say I like it, is a massive understatement!

I have stashes, backup stashes, excuses (I just need to nip out to the kitchen to grab a drink….of water….yeah…..and throw some morsels of ebony lusciousness down the hatch!), and even a plan of how to concoct some chocolatey goodness should there ever be a shortage. (A girl’s gotta be prepared!!).

And then there are times when I write with hopes that that information and feeling I’m putting out there will make a difference.  I want people to share in the emotional roller coaster to inspire them to break out from their everyday comfort zones.

Because being comfortable is safe, and easy.

Being comfortable is what we’ve done for centuries (don’t change it, it might not work, or might be…..gasp….uncomfortable!!).

Being comfortable puts us in a position where we are in the driver’s seat.  We feel we’re in control, and let’s face it, most of us love to know what’s happening one minute to the next!

And so, I’d like to share with you an experience I had while traveling in Vietnam with my family over the New Year……

As I recently turned 40, I put it out there that I didn’t want to receive any gifts, and that I would like to collect money to help a Special Needs orphanage that I had connected with in Saigon.  A turn of events would mean that I was unable to connect with that same orphanage once I reached Vietnam, but as the Universe put everything into place, I was led to just the right place, that needed just what I and everyone who had contributed had to offer.

As I walked down the picturesque streets of HoiAn, Vietnam, a young man painting a traditional hat caught my eye….

He got up briefly, and I noticed that he had a bit of a limp as he ushered me inside to take a look at the workshop.  Inside I met an amazing lady named Karen Leonard from Australia.  Karen has lived in Vietnam for over 11 years, and after making friends with some street kids when she first visited, she formed a bond that would have her create a humanitarian organization that aims to help those who are disabled by giving them the skills to create beautiful handicrafts that she then sells through her workshop located in  the picturesque town of HoiAn.

I felt an instant connection with Karen and immediately inquired if she knew of any Special Needs facilities in HoiAn that needed help as I was finding it difficult to connect with the orphanage in Saigon and was keen to distribute the money to those that really needed it.  She informed me that most people are keen to come and see orphanages in Vietnam, but that it is the older children/adults that really get left behind as there is little to no support for them once they turn 16.  She mentioned that she had just started working with a homeless shelter for people with Special Needs and that they had very little.  I felt instantly that this was the place that we were meant to go.  So many people had been generous in Dubai, and I knew that they would not be let down by the fact that I could not contact the original intended destination, and that the plan had been altered.  Life’s like that sometimes……you just never know what you’re going to get (ahem…..cue Forrest Gump….).

It was decided that the money would be used to buy a much needed wheelchair, and that some additional money would be used to purchase boxes of simple craft supplies to provide a bit of joy for  these gorgeous souls who really have nothing other than each other to occupy their time.  Some crayons, coloring books, foam puzzles, and glue would bring them some joy, and I was really privileged to be able to deliver the goods myself alongside Karen and her amazing staff!

The only way to REALLY get around Vietnam is by motorbike, and so on the bikes we hopped (pictured here is the lovely Karen Leonard!), and off we went!

Karen had mentioned to me that it would be best not to bring the children as it could be quite disturbing at the shelter.  As we had met a few days before the visit and discussed how things would go, I carried a little fear deep within myself of what was to come.  As many of you know, my daughter Ruby has Down Syndrome, and our journey together has been one of joy, pain, gratitude, and a constant hunger for anything that can improve Ruby’s lifestyle and learning experiences.  I feel we have been so very blessed in our journey with Rubes, despite all the challenges we have faced so far.  We have lived comfortably, with access to many great facilities and support of loved ones around us.  We are blessed, and we are abundant in the many blessings that come to us to help her progress.

I couldn’t help but harbor that feeling of fear as I envisioned poor living standards, pain, sorrow, and the prospect that there may even be some cases of encountering people that I may not have been able to face without breaking down emotionally.  I thought about it again and again, and in my belly was a hurricane of fear and anxiety, yet I had an intense feeling propelling me forward.  I had collected the money and things seemed to fit so perfectly.  Karen was trustworthy and had an established organization, and the shelter was in need of some basic supplies.  I cannot describe to you the feeling that pushed me forward, and once on the bike, I felt a sense of calm come over me.

“Find beauty where you don’t expect it to be, see beyond the exterior, feel beneath the surface…..”

I cannot describe to you the sense of calmness, serenity, and peace I felt upon meeting all of the amazing people at the homeless shelter.  These people exude the most unassuming and beautiful aura of love that you will ever experience anywhere…..

They ranged in age from 16 to over 100 I am sure!  Most didn’t know what their conditions were, some didn’t even know their names or how they got there, but they all look out for one another, and their life is all they know.  They appear to have no expectations, and their gratitude was felt deep within my soul.

As I walked around the shelter, I was greeted by many happy faces.  Lon was a lady I connected with straight away.  I had my camera clicking away, and it was apparent that there were some that were born to be in front of the camera!! It was interesting, an quite an intense connection when I realized how we are lead to certain moments in our life.

During our trip in Vietnam, Rubes had decided that she had a new way to pose for photographs which involved a hand signal and a funny face.  This was what most of her photo’s looked like during our trip….

And then as if out of nowhere, this gorgeous lady appears, and I point my lens towards her and this is what she does….

And as I look at her beautiful hands, I realize that she too, like my Ruby, has Down Syndrome.  I felt such a sense of connection with this lady, and it made me laugh when she pulled this pose.  It was as if Ruby was with me, telling me that I was in the right place, at the right time.

The shelter is very basic, and possessions are next to none.  Our boxes of crayons brought shrieks of joy, and a deep sense of calm as we laid out some plastic sheets to gather and color on.  You could sense that most of the patients were in a meditative state as they colored.  It was such a beautiful energy to be around, and not even the slightest bit of fear could have entered my being even if it tried.  The power of gratitude is strong…..

But probably the most touching and heart warming experience came in that box of chocolates, right on the bottom row where you least expect to find it…

In the corner, peaking out from one of the rooms I spot a beautiful elderly lady all dressed in red woolies.  In her eyes I see a sense of desperation as she looks on to the younger bodies that fill the floor with their eyes fixated in their world of color and their intense desire to create and express through color.

I walk over to her, and the only way I know how to connect is to give her a hug…..and then I feel compelled to give her a kiss.  I cannot describe to you the wave of emotion that overtook me as she started to cry the minute I made contact with her.

I realized very quickly that her emotions were due to the fact that it was likely that no one had showed her any interest, and especially not of the physical kind in a very long time. The human connection was intense, and I immediately smiled and helped her to get down on the ground where I could show her the coloring books.  It was amazing to see when I handed her the crayons that she was beside herself not knowing what to do, and me not knowing if she had ever had this experience, or was it just that it was so long ago she was able to express herself in any way at all?

I quickly showed her how to color, and watched in amazement as, she began to color as if for the first time…

It was beautiful, and the kind of experience that reminds you how fragile and pure life is.  We begin and end our journey in a vulnerable state, and never know what life will bring us.  When we asked this lady’s name, she could not remember.  She had no idea where she came from, or why she was even there.  It was through the simple act of putting color to paper that she was able to connect, and her message was heard loud and clear.

It’s true that life is like a box of chocolates……some are oozing with caramel goodness, sticky fruit fillings, and the crunch of roasted nuts, while others are filled with surprises that are bitter, overly sweet, or full of sickly jellies that make our stomachs turn.

We are given so much in this life.  I hear so many people say that they wish they had time to volunteer, or that they wish they could find a charity where they knew the money was going to make it’s way there.

My message to you is this….

Don’t wait to make a difference in someone else’s life.  You can light up someone’s darkness by the simplest act of kindness.  When you travel, LOOK for opportunities to give back. The internet is a resource brimming with ideas and cries for help from those who really need it.  Set your intent to help, put it out there, and it will come together.  Ask yourself “How can I make a difference?” and the opportunities will come.

My inspiration came from a friend who had collected money for her birthday the previous year.  I followed that inspiration, and although my plan didn’t turn out exactly as I expected (as I thought the money would help a different organization), it brought me to exactly where I needed to be.  I am not a saint by any means, and neither are you….BUT we can make a difference in our neighborhoods, communities, in our schools, and on our holidays.

We CAN make a difference in the simplest way if we try.

Thank you so, so much to the people that donated money for this great cause.  The main purchase has been a wheelchair to replace the chair pictured below, which was a makeshift chair made out of a plastic garden chair!

Please take a minute to look at Karen’s amazing organization called Lifestart which helps people with disabilities to become self sufficient.  She has some amazing products on offer, as well as some amazing tours if you are heading to Vietnam.  You can also donate through her site, or purchase some products to help give back.

Forrest’s Mama was right when she said “Life is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re gonna get…”, but I believe it’s not what you get, but what you do with that goodness when you receive it that counts.

Visit http://www.lifestartfoundation.org.au to volunteer, purchase online gifts, book a tour, donate, or find out more about this amazing organization.

Tagged: Hoi An, humanitarian, lifestart, self sufficiency, Special needs, support, Vietnam

Sowing the Seeds of LOVE

It seems that every time I sit down to blog lately, my head starts to spin.

When we lived in New Zealand, blogging was like breathing to me, and I seemed to have plenty of time and inspiration to sit down and put pen to paper.  Since moving back to Dubai, I have been swept away in the tsunami of hustle and bustle that makes this city tick.

Admittedly, I have calmed down a lot since we lived here last, but with settling back in,  trying to sort out the schooling issues with Ruby, launching my first book, celebrating my 40th in the Maldives, and traveling to Ethiopia, it’s been a little bit crazy to say the least!

While I miss some aspects of New Zealand, I truly feel at home in the desert, and my heart sings knowing that I am planted where I am truly meant to be.  New Zealand will always be a very special part of my life, and I will never forget the profound changes I experienced there, and the pure and utter beauty that I felt in my heart from being able to take the time to “stand still” in the pristine beauty that surrounded me.

As I sit here on the 24th of December with a belly full of turkey, and 3 little munchkins tucked up in their beds, I feel a deep sense of peace in knowing that this year has brought us many great challenges, and many blessings.

There have been many times this year that I have questioned just exactly what it is I am doing, and where I am going.  I have questioned who I am, and whether or not I am the same person that I was when I left a few years back.  And while the answer to that is a clear “no”, I find it easier to just drift in the moment, and let it define the “who”, the “what”, and the “where” of my everyday life.

I have been really excited about the new energy that is emerging around us with the end of the Mayan calendar.  I have been eager to feel it enter, almost more than my children wanting to see their Christmas tree laden with presents, I wanted to personally feel this new wave of LOVE that is meant to wash over us.

And so, the 21st came, and rather than feeling a wave of love, I was hit hard with a sea of chaos!  James and I were arguing, the kids were throwing tantrums, and everyone around me seemed very unsettled.  Not exactly what I had in mind!!

There has been an uneasiness in the air, and I know that there are many of you out there that felt it too. For me, that’s the time I need to break out of the comfort zone and get out and connect with nature before I completely lose my mind!

I decided recently that we needed a little piece of NZ here in Dubai with us as we have been missing our veggie garden!  Enter Hayley from Be Supernatural, Dubai’s gardening and all things that are natural and healthy guru, and soon enough, we were planting seeds to bring some life to our front garden!

I went to the local plant market and got a few plants to get me started….

Then Hayley came over and away we went!  The timing felt so right….there we were planting new seeds, for a new garden that will hopefully help to nourish my family and give us the sense that we are contributing to a healthier planet. I want my girls to know everything there is to know about being able to provide fresh food for themselves and their families in the future, and there is no simpler and greater gift than planting a simple garden to get things going!

Being able to share Hayley’s knowledge was amazing.  In New Zealand, it is very easy to grow just about anything.  Here in Dubai, it is a completely different story with a lower quality of soil, searing temperatures, and little rain.  Hayley has the experience of knowing how to plan your garden to get the most out of the Dubai climate.  She drew up a plan, which I can now duplicate once it comes time to replant everything.  You can tell that Hayley is super passionate about what she does, and I highly recommend using her services if you are interested in getting a healthy veggie patch growing (with a lot more than just tomatoes and herbs!) here in Dubai!

Of course I also had some help from one of my own little garden fairies…..

And if planting our home garden wasn’t enough to ground me, then it was off to the magic and beauty of the desert to mark the occasion of “new beginnings”.  What better place to feel alive and free? To feel at peace, and to throw all your cares to the wind and just let yourself go?

I had a vision some time ago about planting a tree in the desert.  I know it sounds crazy, but if we are to be living in a world of infinite possibilities and to live outside the norm of everyday life, then doesn’t it stand to reason that there might just be room for a bit of magic in our lives?  Isn’t it possible that with a bit of love and good intention that anything can grow even in the starkest surroundings?

Let’s hope so!!

What I can say for sure is that it became very apparent to me that we need very little in life to be happy……….

With nothing more than miles of sand,

a few random trees,

the warm sun on our backs,

Stu on the BBQ,

and the beautiful company of great friends,

there is really nothing more that I could have asked for to bring me that energy of peace, love, and harmony that I so knew was possible.  The key is that, in order to find it, I needed to just breathe and take a step back, and get back to basics.  That always seems to work for me.

Take a breath, slow down, and inhale the simple beauty that surrounds me every day if I take a minute to see it.

Can you see how much magic there is in simplicity?

And as for that tree, we planted it that day.  Took our spades, found a shady haven under another tree, and planted that tree, with hopes that with a little love and magic, it will thrive in the heat of the desert.

With LOVE and good intention, ANYTHING is possible…….

Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful families, wherever you may be in the world today!!

Are You Hungry?

I’ve done it…..

I can’t believe it.

I AM an author.  A published one at that!  This is something I have dreamed about for a very long time but never had the courage of the belief in myself to share my gift with the world!

Today I launched “Hungry-Feed Your Soul”, a photographic essay highlighting the power of simplicity and love.  Hungry was a work in progress for some time.  I started with the concept as I shot many of my images, not knowing exactly how they would piece together or even if they would fit into my story.

I then kept telling myself that there just wasn’t enough time to write a book.  It would take AGES to complete, and I wasn’t sure I had the patience for it.

Then I had an idea…..well, more than one idea!! The more I cleared my energy space, the more clarity I gained on how I was going to achieve my dream of publishing my first book.  Check out the book HERE.

I started tapping out little “Nektarisms” on my iPhone during my long walks through the bush in NZ.  It was only here that I was able to fully clear my brain and get some clarity with my thoughts.  I never knew how they would piece together, but somehow I had faith and trust that I would be shown the way.

“Hungry” is the result of a selection of over 29,000 images, and numerous “Nektarisms” combined to create a little book of inspiration which I hope that people will resonate with.

The basis of the book is all about “love in the little things” and taking the time to draw into the moment and appreciate all the finer details in life.  There is beauty in our everyday life that is not always apparent when we don’t allow ourselves the time to “flow” in the moment.

As I have been writing this blog for over 2 years, I would like to offer my blog followers a special gift of a FREE digital copy of my book. The book retails on iTunes for $11.99 USD, and on Blurb.com for the same amount.  If you would like to take advantage of this beautiful free gift to you, then please email me at connect@nektar.ae and I will forward a copy to you in gratitude for your support in this blog over the past few years!

In return, if you are keen (I do not expect anything at all!), if you could review the book preview, or get a copy from me, and write a quick review on the following pages if possible;

Hungry

10 Reasons You Should Visit Ethiopia Now

It’s taken me a while to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard rather!) since returning from an amazing experience with 6 incredible women in Ethiopia!

As soon as I got back, I downloaded the smorgasbord of memories from my trusty Canon onto the computer and started editing.  There were some 1700 odd photo’s, and I managed to whittle them down to around 560 of the best.  As I sorted through the incredible images that I was lucky enough to be present in the moment to experience, incredible waves of emotion overcame me.

As I put myself behind the lens, it was almost as if I was sitting in the Gold Class section of the movies, experiencing the most incredible movie set I’ve ever seen.

As the months passed, and excitement grew around our upcoming trip, the reactions of friends and acquaintances were interesting when we announced that we were heading off to Ethiopia on a girl’s trip.

There were a lot of people that were surprised that we even considered Ethiopia as a chick’s getaway destination.  Lots of “Why would you go to Ethiopia?”, and “Really?  Ehtiopia for a girl’s trip?” as they envisioned white sandy beaches, endless streams of cocktails, and shop till you drop getaways that usually are the norm.

But let me tell you…..this was no ordinary group of ladies.  To be as close as we were, with the amount of driving we endured to get to the real heart and gem of Ehtiopia, it was incredibly surprising and amazing that we all gelled as well as we did.

Our tour guide, Pam, who is a New Zealander who has lived in Ethiopia for the past 7 years summed it up nicely when she said “I have learned while living here that nothing is ever what it seems”.  There couldn’t be a better quote to sum up the trip as a whole.

In fact, I would go as far as to say that this visit far exceeded any of my expectations.  I have been to Africa before, and knew the trip would be incredible, but there was something quite spectacular about this country that is hard to put into words.

I can only share with you some of the images that I experienced, and would probably admit it’s not for everyone (don’t go if you don’t like friendly people, luscious landscapes, and incredible opportunities to see the most amazing things), but here’s why I think you should visit Ethiopia now…..

1. This country is LUSH baby…….

Remember all those images from the 80′s where you saw barren land, dirt, dust, and more dirt, and not a plant in sight?  That’s not the Ethiopia I experienced! Sure, there are parts where it is dusty, and dirty, (like down in the Hamer tribe), but you will be hard pressed not to find the lush greenery that we all had the pleasure of experiencing every day (after living in Dubai, which is more barren than Ethiopia I might add, we were loving it!).

2. You feel like you’ve gone back in time….but in a good way.

From vintage soda bottles, to the contrasts of old meets new (not everyone can afford a car, and most people travel around the old fashioned way….donkey style!!).

3. The food is incredible, vibrant, colorful, and healthy!

The local layered fruit drinks called Spritz, a bit of an addiction!No condiments out of jars here….a hot spicy dip crushed by two rocks, and the skillful hands of our lovely host!  The end result, amazing!

For the meat lovers, there were beautiful sauces and gravies that were all made fresh, and smelled delish!

4.  If you love coffee, or chai (beautiful tea with a spicy aroma), then this is the place for you.

The lush red berries of the coffee plant.

We were incredibly lucky to experience a coffee ceremony with the Hamer Tribe in the south of Ethiopia.  This is an honor, and not a regular occurrence.  Definitely one of the highlights of our trip!The chai, or spiced tea was amazing.  Nice warm feeling in the belly!

5. People watching takes on a whole new meaning….

How cool is this? A member of the Hamer Tribe out on the town….girly hair clips in the fringe, and a Casio watch strap for status around the neck.  Awesome…..

6.  The energy is palpable, yet filled with love and peace.  There is rhythm at every turn.

These kids were on the side of the road after we left the Hamer Tribe, which they are a part of.  They had covered themselves in ceremonial dress (painting their skin with mud in tribal designs!) hoping to catch some tourists wanting to pay for their photo, which we did!

7. Color, color, and more color!

8. There are some fabulous handicrafts to support the local economy!

Roadside shopping is how we roll!

The most amazing hand woven products!  Soft cotton from the fields of Ethiopia, mixed with bright colors, the blankets, scarves, and rugs were all stunning.

9.  Beautiful children!!!

It was hard not to take a good photo of these beautiful children.  The thing that struck me the most was their eyes.  So pure and sincere….

10.  The feel good factor you get from the many opportunities you get to give back, up close and personal (where you know the donations are going directly to where they’re needed).

We were fortunate enough to be able to take nearly 200kgs of goods over on the plane to distribute to those who needed it.  Very humbling….and well received!

Being able to connect with these kids really was the ultimate highlight of our trip.  Their eyes lit up like it was Christmas day, even for the simplest gifts….

The other way we were able to give while we were there, was to bring donations of material for The Catherine Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa.  Some of you may have heard of this amazing lady and what she has done for the women of Ethiopia, as Dr. Hamlin has been widely featured on many documentaries and programs (including Oprah) for her amazing service.  If you don’t know what a fistula is, please take a moment to read about it here.  With the education that is provided by this great centre, women are educated who come from remote areas to start walking to the hospital (some of these women walk for months to get here!) when they feel their baby kicking (this happens often with women who have been previously treated at the hospital with their previous children)!!  The treatment is free, and the only payment asked of the women is that they spread the word to other women from their area/tribe, and that they make sure they return to the hospital for subsequent childbirths.

We were incredibly honored to be able to meet Dr. Hamlin as she did the rounds.  It was unbelievable to think she still operates on patients (and with perfect eyesight!) at the age of 88!!  She had an incredible energy and aura surrounding her, and was the vision of an angel.

When the women leave the hospital, they are given a dress, and this is where our material, zips, and buttons came into play.  The ladies who sew the dresses were more than thrilled with their new selection of material to create some lovely dresses for these amazing women!

Ethiopia is one of the most enriching experiences I have had the privilege of being part of.  I highly recommend if you get the chance, that it’s a destination not to be missed!

If you are interested in going, there is only one tour guide that can give you the type of experience we had, and that is Pamela Robbie from Destination Ethiopia.  Her expertise and passion, along with her team of experienced and friendly guides are second to none.

Pam can be contacted at destinationethiopiatours@gmail.com .

Tagged: beautiful people, children of Ethiopia, Dr. Catherine Hamlin, Ethiopia, experience of a lifetime, fistula, Hamer Tribe, list, retro, travel

The Power of Nothing

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing…..”

“What do you mean?? Nothing??”

It’s probably one of the most popular questions asked by man.

It’s the trigger point for any parent, that inevitably leads to the discovery of cold creams smeared in places they shouldn’t be, sibling and Barbie haircuts gone wrong, dogs dressed in tutu’s.  I think you get my drift….

I could almost go as far as to say that “nothing” has become a bit of a dirty word.

From complaints of our partners not pulling their weight (you know you’ve done it!) around the house, to the high and mighty attitudes of the ubiquitous Supermum who looks on with pride as her “lazier” counterpart just gets on with life (she thinks she’s doing “nothing” of course!), the thought of slowing down, or even stopping for that matter is a scary prospect.

I have spent a lot of my life trying to fill in the “space”.  To think that I might have had 5 minutes to spare (gasp!) a few years ago was unthinkable. To pack the schedule full, whether it be baking, shopping, going to the gym (ok, I’m talking quite a few years ago here, let’s be honest!), or socializing with friends, the fuller the schedule, the better!

There was no way anyone was going to accuse me of doing NOTHING!  (Nada, zip, zilch.)

And there is no place that does the avoidance of “nothing” better than Dubai.

Anything planned for your weekend? Why of course!

A couple of  brunches,

followed by a few children’s birthday parties,

a trip to the beach,

then a mad dash to someone’s 40th (isn’t it always someone’s “?th” birthday? Simply fill in the blank…),

oh, and then there’s the 70% off sale…..and maybe a pedicure….

Dubai is the ultimate in superplanning and superpacking one’s schedule (those aren’t even proper words, but then again there are no words to describe life in Dubai!).

The whole idea that if you’re not actively doing anything, then you must be doing “nothing” is all but an illusion.  You are BREATHING aren’t you?

Last time I checked, that rates pretty high on the scale of doing “something”.

It’s all about perspective, and for me, it has been in the art of learning to slow down, that I see the value and power of doing “nothing”.  When I look at my children, they are at their very best when they are allowed to just “be” and not have to worry about what the next activity or expectation of them is.

Doing “nothing” is restorative, opens up the doors for creativity, and is just plain fun!

(We often see what we want to see, until we are ready to face the cold, hard truth).

We are a culture of impatience and hunger.  Sometimes it’s hard to bring things back into balance and acknowledge that there is great value in something that we fear more than anything.

For a lot of people, the prospect of having not a lot to do sounds appealing, but to actually put it into practice scares the living hell out of most of us!

We like to make excuses;

“If I don’t do this, then no one will”,

“This NEEDS to be done now”,

“If we don’t go to the party then we’ll never get invited back”,

“If I miss the gym for one week, I’ll be completely out of shape”,

“If I don’t go to the sale, I might miss out on something”,

And the list goes on!

We like to create barriers that stop us from doing “nothing”!! The icing on the cake really cracks me up (oh, and I was a pro at this one, don’t you think I wasn’t!), and that’s when we sit back and tell everyone around us how “Busy” we are!!

There’s just not enough hours in the day, don’t you know!?

I felt compelled to blog about this topic as it’s dear to my heart.  It’s taken a whole lotta’ time (and I mean a lot of time!) for me to learn the power of “nothing”, and boy do I wish I had learned about it sooner!

To sit back and REALLY and truly relax.  To let my bucket of inspiration fill up one drop at a time is truly fulfilling.

To sit back and daydream, and allow my mind to be a blank canvas is something I look forward to.

To allow it to take on whatever shape and form that is mean to inspire me at that given time.

And from all this comes a deeper sense of joy that I am in the driver’s seat, but that the bus doesn’t necessarily have to leave the station.  It’s ok to sit in “park” and know that there is something very powerful in just sitting still.

I am off on a journey tomorrow to Ethiopia where I plan on enjoying the balance of a busy tour schedule, mixed in with moments of “nothingness”.  I can’t wait to share my experiences and images with you which will without a doubt, change my perceptions of the world we live in.  Until then my friends!

 

Tagged: Dubai, freedom, meditation, perspective, schedules

Foundations Rising

FEAR.

It is the one thing that affects us all.  Powered by adrenaline, and fueled by programmed thoughts and feelings, it can bring the best of us to our knees.

Fear is an emotion that I feel I have battled with many times in my life, and I must say, I am getting pretty good at slaying this dragon!  Time and time again, there are challenges swinging my way that can rapidly transform a billowy, kindling fire into a raging inferno!

I recently had the luxury of being visited by my dear friend and neighbor from New Zealand, Tessa.  It was a crazy time in the Hamilton household with Lily staring school, Olivia starting High school, and knowing that we would be up against the beast of trying to get Ruby accepted into any school of our choice in Dubai.

As most of you know, Ruby has Down Syndrome and successfully attended mainstream school in New Zealand.  It was not without it’s challenges, but it happened, and like a fine-tuned orchestra, we all worked as a team to ensure that Ruby was fully supported and accepted within the mainstream system.  It was beautiful….

Here in Dubai, well….we’re up against a completely different beast.

Schools are privately run, and let’s just say they take on a very “entrepreneurial” approach to how things are done.  Most schools are results and money driven.

That is a FACT.

Most schools are equipped with the best facilities and ample resources for children to thrive, including teachers who genuinely want to teach, and make the world a better place.

That is also a FACT.

When we arrived back in Dubai, I phoned nearly every school that existed to get the girls enrolled.  There is a huge demand for places in good schools here, so even getting the likes of Olivia and Lily in was challenging, but for Ruby?  It has been nothing short of a nightmare…..

Most people are unaware of the FACT that you cannot just rock up into any school you choose and enroll your child (despite there being a physical place in a classroom for that child).  Most people are unaware that when you apply, you will be asked for an assessment, and even despite being “good” at that assessment, you could quite easily be discriminated against and refused entry just because of a “label” like Down Syndrome.

I don’t like being the person who has to point this out….I don’t like the fact that while I could be doing something I really love, I have to worry about things like highlighting a system that is seriously living in the dark ages.

I am a mother.  Who also happens to have 3 children, and YES one of them does have Down Syndrome, but doesn’t that still give her the same rights as the other two?

You would have thought so!!

When my friend Tessa arrived, I wanted to take her to as many beautiful places in Dubai as I could.  I wanted to show her the highs and lows, the insane contrasts of this beautiful city….

We explored the heart and soul,

experienced the insane beauty of the vastness that surrounds us in the desert,

and of course, ate, drank, shopped, and beached as you do in Dubai!

When I asked Tessa when she wanted to book to go up the Burj Khalifa, she looked at me, laughed nervously, and said “I’m not quite there yet….”.  It’s funny how we all live in our little glass bubble, and don’t often take into consideration other people’s fears and anxieties.  It hadn’t even crossed my mind that she might not like to experience the panoramic view of Dubai!

Of course it didn’t take long for Tessa to make a decision to conquer her fear of heights once and for all (so proud of you lovely lady)! And in the same time frame, it didn’t take me long to realize that despite the fact that I find the whole school “battle” incredibly exhausting, and sometimes intimidating (rejection is not something any of us like to encounter!), it is a fear that I must face and conquer, if not for my daughter, then for the many others out there who are too afraid to question the “system”.

FEAR.

To rise above it all and gain a different perspective is enlightening…

To know you are surrounded by others who may or may not share the same view is also comforting.  It is refreshing to know that different viewpoints create different realities.

When we are surrounded by the “n0thingness” of it all, we all share a common foundation.

A grain of sand is the base of our foundations, the salt of the earth where we rise up and grow to our greatest potential. It is from this basic principle of nature that we are expected to look after one another and to help each other to reach this great potential, and that is why I believe that something must be done to create awareness for a fair system in allowing all children a chance to attend school here in Dubai.

Dubai is the epitome of this analogy when you realize that it all started with an existence in the ” beautiful nothingness” of the desert, and transformed into something breathtakingly spectacular as the Burj Khalifa!

When we rise to the top, we sift out the filters that stop us from moving past our fears.  It is good to be grounded, yet it is good to fly high and to know that from a greater distance, we are all responsible for the greater picture.

It is possible to leave old perceptions and attitudes behind.  All it takes is a willingness to rise above it all, and to know that our actions all impact one another in some way, shape, or form.

We have decided to train for an upcoming 1/2 marathon to raise awareness for inclusion for ALL schools in Dubai.  It CAN be accomplished, and we believe that it is from awareness of knowing that we are all in some way responsible for one another that helps create change.

Please come and join us for the Dubai Creek Strider’s half marathon.  You can register on that link provided and join our Facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/inclusiondubai  

You can run, walk, crawl or cheer us on to the finish line! Your support is greatly appreciated! Together we can rise above it all and show a united front to create a platform for inclusion in schools in Dubai.

Embrace your fears, follow your heart, live your desires, help create your ultimate outcome!

Please share this blog post far and wide!  Let’s get the support of people around the world to send us their good vibes in this quest!

Tagged: Activism, Burj Khalifa, Down Syndrome, Dubai schools, fear, inclusion, inspiration

Upcycle Me

 

 

It’s been a while, and I must admit I’ve had second thoughts about what to do about my blog.  I started it in NZ, and the whole theme behind the blog was all about returning to simplicity, and creating a space where I could build memories for my girls.

The blog evolved from baking bread, to trying my hand at different things like making soaps, taking my photography to the next step, and just living life in general.

Moving to Dubai has put me in a different kind of headspace.  The simplicity and peace of NZ has been replaced with the bustle and hustle of Dubai.  It’s not a good or a bad thing….it just is what it is.

And so in that space, I have found myself trying to settle back into a familiar, yet ever changing place.  While appearances remain pretty much the same, the dynamics and energies that surround me are different.  What felt acceptable to me before, I now question, and what I once craved is now replaced with something new that doesn’t quite fit with how my life “used to be” when I was here.

I am so happy to be back in my “soul home”, every sense is heightened, and I am ever grateful for each day and experience that comes my way.  As long as I am able to appreciate everything in that moment I am fine, but it’s when my mind wanders to the past, and the image of who I was when I last lived here, I get mixed feelings.

If I have changed, then how does that affect my relationships and how I cope with daily life? I guess it’s something that we all need to think about from time to time, but it just becomes magnified with an intensity hotter than the desert sun when you are faced with a “karmic” return where you find yourself placed back exactly where you started and wonder what lesson it is you are meant to learn.

It’s like I’ve been recycled…..or more like “up cycled”, and by that I mean I’ve come back with a totally different perspective, yet my “makeup” is still the same. It’s like I’ve been kicked back through the system, had a few things removed that didn’t suit my “truth” (like getting rid of nearly everything we had before we came here, shedding old energy in order to make way for the new!), and come up with a clean slate, ready to start the next phase of life.

And this is where I have found myself in that rut……trying to create a new home for our family, while trying to get my business up and running, and still maintaining a sense of  who I am in the middle of it all.

Sometimes our creativity needs to be fed through other channels, and the fact that I just couldn’t seem to sit down and write only helped to make me realize that I needed some other avenues to release this creative block I was experiencing.

Before I left New Zealand, I was working on a concept that I am developing called Soulmap which basically helps people to reconnect back to their creative essence, and to help visually identify what it is that they want out of life.  I “mapped’ out how I wanted our place to look here in Dubai and this was a great starting point with helping me get creative with putting  the house together.

The girls have been on school holidays and there is a never-ending sense of busyness about the place!  There have been lucky days of boat trips and fun in the sea…..

Just hanging out at home and chillaxin’ with the iPad…..(I never quite know what Ruby is going to come up with on the iPad……one minute she’s pretending to look at educational apps, and then I turn around and she’s rocking it out to Christmas carols!! lol).

And then there’s that time of day every day when things get a little silly, and the girls (particularly Ruby and Lily) start a combination of  dancing,

chasing and cuddling,

 

a bit of singing thrown in for good measure….

 

which inevitably ends up in tears or someone not being too happy at some point after someone has fallen or decided they don’t want to play anymore (gotta love little people!!)…

 

and then there’s the “doe-eyed” look that they give you when it’s all over and I decide that  it’s exactly the reason that I became the parent….love a little “doe-eyed” pop of innocence!

 

If there’s one thing that I have truly embraced returning to the Middle East it is the fact that we are so blessed to be able to have a full time carer living with us to help with the kids, clean, and keep our house running like a well oiled machine.  I used to feel guilty about having help but after 3 years of slogging it out in New Zealand (like the rest of the real world outside of the Dubai bubble!), I am more than grateful to take any help I can get!

Shalika comes from Sri Lanka and the girls have taken to her like one of the family.  She has a particular soft spot for Ruby (as Ruby does for her).  I have been able to get so much more accomplished and I definitely do not take it for granted that she makes my life a heck of a lot easier!! I am able to carry on with setting up my business without worrying about dragging kids around in 50 degree heat, and to set up our home so we can settle in at long last.

 

And so back to those creative avenues that I have been following during my “blog block” or whatever you like to call it…..

When we left NZ, we sold off nearly everything we owned in order to start fresh.  Of course I wasn’t thinking that we would end up with an even bigger place to live and was feeling a slight pang of “wish I hadn’t sold……” when we first moved into our empty shell.

I don’t want to go rushing around buying new things that I really don’t LOVE, but reality was that we needed to get a few basics to at least have somewhere to sit in the beginning! I bought the basics we needed, and mostly from IKEA (a sofa for upstairs, a few chairs, and a few rugs) and then decided to set a challenge for myself to see if I could furnish the place with mostly second hand things that were different and had a bit of character.

I needed to find some GOOD “trash” and turn it into treasure!!

After copious hours of browsing one of my addictions Pinterest, I became obsessed with all of the pallet furniture and art that people were making.  I have a mate who was kind enough to donate a bunch of pallets in beautiful condition so that I could have a go at making a few things.  I am thinking of trying to make a coffee table, not quite there yet as I’ve had a few other projects on the go, but managed to put together this VERY simple (ok, Rubes could have painted this, I know, but I reckon it’s better than staring at a bare wall…and I’ve got a LOT of wall space to fill so it works for now!) piece of “pallet art” in my dining room.

Started with this little plain number against the wall…

 

 

 

and ended up with this…

 

Very basic and was inspired by this post that I found on pinterest.  I changed the color of the heart, distressed it, and added my own little painted “love” in the corner to complete the look.  Not everyone’s cup of tea, but I love it.  I have this hanging on our dining room wall, and as simple as it may be, it makes me smile and is something a bit different (oh, and did I mention that it was um….FREE!! Well, cost me a little bit of paint but that’s the beauty…when I get tired of it I won’t be crying that I spent a fortune on it!).

Moving right along……

I have been inspired by some things I’ve seen online, and then had a few ideas of my own that I’ve been brewing for some time.  I have a select collection of baby clothes I’ve kept from all 3 girls and have been waiting for the right thing to inspire me to up cycle them into something fabulous that I’ll be able to cherish forever.  The first of these projects is another very simple idea I had.

Take 3 little pairs of the girls “bloomers” and put them in a frame.  I have learned that if I try to do something and “get it right”, then I might just never get it done so I went very basic.  First I thought I would get some beautiful material for the background, and after opening my IKEA frame up from the back, I realized that the basic brown board that it came with would work perfectly to create a bit of nostalgia and would get it done right there an then!  So…I popped the bloomers in, wrote a little saying and the girls date of birth, and boom!!!  Another ready made piece of art with meaning.

 

Last year I put together a little joke gift for James where I took the girls passport pics and had somebody photoshop their birthplace and dates like mugshots which made me giggle.  In fact, it still makes me giggle every time I look at it.  I like to call it “The Usual Suspects” lineup, and thought it would look perfect together with this piece of wall art.

 

 

And then coming to the piece de resistance…..my idea to upholster something with coffee sacks.  I had bought a few at the Hobsonville Market in Auckland and had various ideas, but it wasn’t until I stumbled upon a link in Pinterest (yet again!) that I found my inspiration! I had bought a beautiful second hand solid wood dining table, but wasn’t keen on having a “dining set”, and thought it would be cool to mix and match my chairs.

After searching on Dubizzle (a local site kind of like Trade Me back in New Zealand, Craig’s List in the USA, or ebay if you like), I found these old antique chairs a lady wanted to sell for $8 each and thankfully could see past the worn look!

 

I had only brought back 2 coffee sacks with me and realized I would need more and remembered a fabulous place run by a Kiwi lady named Kim Thompson here in Dubai called the RAW coffee company.  I contacted Kim to see if I could buy some old sacks from her and was thrilled with the response I got.  Kim is the most gorgeous, and generous lady with a true passion for good coffee (if you are in Dubai, definitely click on the link and go and check out their warehouse, it’s awesome!!).  She gave me a whole heap of sacks to play with, I bought some paint, and voila…..behold the before and after results!!

 

 

I am really happy with the end result and the chairs look great with my dining table, along with a few other mismatched metal chairs I found in a shop on sale!!

So, that’s me upcycled, and happy that my little diversions delving into something I wouldn’t normally do have helped clear my writer’s block and got me back online!!

I feel happy, and grateful to live in the age we live in where by the click of a button, we can get inspiration to make almost anything we put our minds to!  Here’s to the inner child in all of us that wants to play!!

 

 

 

 

Equlibrium

I am struggling……..

Here I am, sitting in the place I call my “soul home”, and that I’ve always found so much comfort in, and I…..AM…….struggling…..

Since the day we arrived, it has been the land of fast forward, nothing like the inner peace I have found over the past few years, and I am struggling to maintain it.

Admittedly, I actually have a pretty good strike rate considering the amount of time I’ve been back.  I found a villa after being here for only 4 days, spent the last few weeks getting the girls into school (a logistical nightmare, but need to just be grateful that I actually got them in!), and am ticking off all the minor details as we go along.  From the outside looking in, it might appear to be mission accomplished, and off we go to climb the next peak.

Problem is I am running out of steam to climb.

I am a glass half full type of girl.  I live to see beauty in the smallest details and have gratitude for all the gifts I have been given in this life, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t struggle at times, and this time in particular,  I am going through pockets of feeling exactly the opposite.  I feel those moments of resentment thinking “Why couldn’t I just have stayed where I was?”, or “I can’t be bothered to tick any more boxes, dot any more i’s or cross any more t’s!”.

I know it’s all about process, and the notion of the journey being more important than the destination.   I totally get that…….

And the amount of support we have here in Dubai is unbelievable! People are always offering to help, we have been treated to numerous dinners, welcoming hospitality, and the comfort of knowing that “family” is just around the bend.

I guess this post is a bit of a release for me and a cleansing of old grievances as I struggle to find my way into this chaotic energy again.  The Supermoon is full and fat today with a huge magnetic pull affecting us all in how we behave and react, and it’s a good time to “let go” as we move into the next phase of our own personal lives and as a collective.

Later on, I’m going to make a list………and it will be full of all the things that are tying me down at the moment (frustrations, grievances, resentments).  I’m gonna make a list, and then I’m gonna set fire to it…..burn, baby burn!  I feel a need for release in order to feel “lighter” and more at ease in this sea of Dubai chaos.

The energy of this city captivates me, it is part of what continually draws me here, but like anything, there is an adjustment to come back into balance.

And if there’s anything I’d love to do right now, it would be to have the free nature and spirit that my children so easily share.  Watching them live “in the moment” nearly 24/7 is truly amazing…

There’s something simply liberating about watching your little ones jump on a hotel bed without a care in the world, giggling and rolling around like two little puppies!  What better therapy could a girl ask for?

And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to every single one of us fighting our way through each day to adapt.  Kids love stability and when they sense my uneasiness, it’s a lot harder to keep them on track.

Thankfully there are some great activities in Dubai to keep them occupied and it was such  great therapy for all of us to take an afternoon at The Jam Jar and watch the kids creative juices flow.

It was a kaleidoscope of color which the girls throughly enjoyed!

Check out the paint all over Ruby…..she decided it would make a great delicacy and proceeded to eat as much of it as she could……dip the brush…paint a bit…..then “Hmmm, think I’ll have a little lick of the brush….” Nice one Rubes!

When I look at these photo’s I feel so much joy, and I think it’s down to the fact that there is just so much vibrant color and that my girls are content each being themselves and painting what they “feel”.

Color has such a profound effect us on each and every day, and it wasn’t until recently when I took the Level 1 Aura Soma course that this became even clearer than ever to me.

Have a look at these babies…….introducing the Aura Soma Equilibrium bottles….

Aren’t they magnificent?

Aura Soma is a color care system using living energies (think plant, crystals and color energies) that is used to help the client bring the best out of them through a consultation and using the products.  I have been using them for a few months now and I am hooked.

In fact, I would go as far to say that if I didn’t have this powerful tool with me now in Dubai, I would be struggling even more to cope from day to day.

Aura Soma has helped me to realize my true potential, and to help navigate through the roadblocks that continually pop up before me.  The equilibrium bottles are chosen by “you”, and the motto of Aura Soma states “You are the colors you choose” which is pretty amazing in that it’s a self selective and non-intrusive therapy.  The client has total control over what they choose and then it’s up to the consultant to guide them once they bottles have been chosen.

You’ll be hearing more about Aura Soma in the future both from me, and around the world.  It’s a fast growing tool in the natural and healing world (although it doesn’t claim to be a healer, it’s pretty incredible stuff!), and I’ve decided to incorporate it into my “Find Your Nektar” shoots to help establish  mood and to give the client a bit more clarity in their gifts they possess.

I couldn’t write this post without acknowledging all of the support and love that I have felt since coming “home”.  I am truly blessed to have some magnificent people in my life who have been nothing short of amazing and helpful.  A particularly big thanks goes to my gorgeous friend Aidy for her open home, warm hospitality, never ending support, and love through this whole “balancing act” and settling in process.

With every word I write I feel that little bit stronger and reassured within myself that everything is going to plan and is happening “exactly as it should be”.  It feels good to acknowledge my moments of uneasiness, in order that I can regroup, rebalance and move forward.  Whatever situation you find yourself in this week, try and take note of your feelings.  Whenever you get that sense of uneasiness, try shifting your mind to the complete opposite mindset.  Sit with it for a moment, amplify it, and then try to find middle ground between those 2 emotions.  It’s a good way to “calibrate” your own inner calm, which I’m sure we can all agree is something we can all use from time to time!

Have a wonderful week beautiful people!!