What Would Love Want Me to Do?
I’ve been in Sydney this last week staying at McMahons Point—a place I am not familiar with. Each day I would set out, rain or shine, and follow my heart, the sun, the path, a twist or turn, an interesting house, a beautiful tree and see where it would take me. A few days I walked around Lavender Bay and came upon Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden—a beautiful resting place. A few ripe Ruby Red grapefruits had fallen to the ground and some were already half eaten by the brush turkeys so I picked one up, wiped it off and sat in the forest and ate small slivers enjoying the tartness and zing. The following day I walked in the other direction—again following my nose, my heart, sitting, stopping, looking, smelling, being curious about the detail and the vast view across the harbour.
There was a cool breeze blowing off Sydney Harbour yet the sun was shining and has a bit of warmth for autumn. There was a well-dressed couple hurriedly decorating a small area by the water—moving two small carpets back and forth on a slope to find the right spot… for what I wonder? I ask, Is there going to be a wedding here today? No, the young man said excitedly, I am going to propose to my girlfriend, Sofia, soon!
Would you like a hand, I happen to be a celebrant? I can help with ideas for the layout if you like. Ben, and his friend, Lauren enthusiastically replied yes. We laughed and moved things around until it was perfectly set up—we put plastic under the rugs so he didn’t get his knee wet as he knelt to propose; I balanced the small table with a thin branch so the champagne and glasses balanced on the level table; the candles and flowers were in place… now they just needed Sofia. Ben’s enthusiasm and joy were evident—Will you Marry Me? was on his lips and in his heart.
What is it we can commit to? What’s on our lips and in our hearts?
May we come into each moment with that sense of excitement, enthusiasm and joy for the unknown and the known whether we are connecting with another or ourselves… and invite ourselves into a sphere of love.
Which Way Would you Recommend?
Yesterday, I took a different approach to my wanderings. I set off out the door and found myself at the McMahons Point Ferry Terminal. I asked a young couple where the next ferry was heading to. They asked where I was off to. I said, I don’t know. Which way would you recommend? They laughed and without hesitation she said, Balmain East—and she said the history and buildings were wonderful to walk around.
Now, I am a garden, bush, open space kind of person so I noticed a wave of …maybe. Then I laughed, this was my prompt and invitation to the unknown and I was going to follow it. I got off the ferry at East Balmain. I had a wonderful afternoon wandering, sitting, gazing and reflecting. I was heading in a direction that I had no idea where it would go and I stopped a family and asked the same question, Is there somewhere you would recommend I go? Again, without hesitation she said, Oh, yes, if you go down that street you will come to a beautiful park… so off I went. And yes, it was a beautiful park where I sat for a few hours having lunch, doing a painting and watched the boats come in and out.
Leaning into this morning’s loving kindness meditation the prompt that came to me is: What would love want me to do today?
What would love want you to do today?
Beautiful Wendy-only you could write such -keep well and enjoy life.
Barry H young O A M