Tea for two

I so enjoy getting my hair cut. That fabulous feeling of your hair and scalp being washed and cleaned thoroughly, the banter with your hairdresser (TH) and the removal of the old and brittle, allowing the new and fresh to grow and flourish. To share a cup of green tea with the completely gorgeous, uplifting, super talented TH throughout the ritual...sheer bliss, making it such an uplifting occasion. Thank you gorgeous TH. 

The Svelte Brown Fox

...celebrating the little and simple things which make you smile and remember life is good

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The true beauty, joy and gift of unconditional friendship

Friendship, the invigorating tonic of engagement, almost always results in some of the most wonderful and memorable moments in time. What attracts us to certain people and why we connect and build amazing friendships is unique, hardly a cookie cutter formula.  There are those friends we have because of similar lifestyles or social groups, our friends we spend our working hours with, our friends we grew up with, our friends we went to school or university with, our friends we see or engage with infrequently but pick up as it no time has passed, our friends we make in those serendipitous moments, our friends we make through our parents friends, our friends we make through our siblings or through the friends of friends, our friends we make through our children, our friends who are also our relatives. 

I always smile and feel such thanks and gratitude when I think of my friends and the joy and love they give each and every day. Each of you are a gift, giving when you don't even realise through a myriad of ways...your time, your smiles, your words, your hugs, your laughter, your acceptance, your presence, your thoughtfulness, your wisdom, your insight, your patience, your compassion, your heartfelt gestures, your compromise, your understanding, your, energy, your tolerance, your listening, your trust and most importantly your unconditional love.  

And yes, like any relationships, there is give and take with our friends. There will be those friends you give more to and those friends you receive more from.  But that's the true beauty of unconditional friendship and the roles we play in each other's lives.  When we open up our hearts to such friendship, without a single expectation and thought of who is doing what and just be, we open ourselves up to an oasis of immense growth, joy, peace, compassion and love.   

The Svelte Brown Fox

...celebrating the little and simple things which make you smile and remember life is good

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Walking through life with those you love, in shoes that rock...and fit

Most Sunday mornings I engage in a soul enriching and completely fabulous ritual of restorative yoga, some golf and a delicious brunch (YGB) with two very cool cats - The MockingJ and her man Mr G.  Last Sunday was no different.  We talked, we shared, we laughed, we listened, we ate, we drank, we breathed. 

The only downside to this ritual is the absence of The Chosen One.  Thankfully we make up for her absence every few weekends with some seriously wonderful memorable moments in time. So much so the last time The Chosen One joined in, the ritual went from brunch to lunch to an aperitivo...salute!    

This ritual is one of many I have throughout the day, week, month and year involving those I love, adore and cherish, including those precious moments by myself.  Some days the walk through life seems more like a crawl, a stroll, a sprint, a marathon and the road varied from smooth, bumpy, hilly, straight, curvy.  However when your walk is shared with those you love, embracing each day for what it brings, while wearing shoes that rock (or no shoes even), life is good regardless of the speed, the hills and the pot holes along the way.

 

The Svelte Brown Fox

...celebrating the little and simple things which make you smile and remember life is good

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Just say yes and go with the flow

Impromptu, unexpected, extemporaneous, unplanned, spontaneous moments are always some of the best we experience in time. While there's a so-called "movement" to say no, it's just as important to sometimes say yes. 

While plans, structure, schedules, diaries aka organised chaos enables getting "stuff" done, ticking boxes and crossing off the do to list, it's also rather liberating to go with the flow, be open to change, new adventures and opportunities, have less rigidity in life, just winging it and see what happens. Sometimes the "stuff", the lists and the boxes can wait. Maybe it's worth asking why is there so much "stuff" to get through in the first place? Why the need to tick boxes and certain ones in particular? And what's really important and requires doing on the list?  

Saying yes or no can be a balancing act of sorts sometimes out of perceived want, need, have, guilt, necessity, expectation, desire. Therefore what is it you really want.  How, when, why, what, where and with whom do you want to spend and invest your time, energy, thoughts and feelings? Whether you say yes or no doesn't matter, it's saying yes or no to what fills your cup and remaining true to yourself, all while celebrating the little and simple things along the way which make you smile and remember life is good. 

The Svelte Brown Fox

...celebrating the little and simple things which make you smile and remember life is good

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A smile ensued always

Their delicate petals; their sweet perfume; their distinct colour...a smile ensued always. I don't usually buy fresh flowers however these gorgeous Jonquils and their perfume evoked such positive thoughts and feelings, I couldn't walk past without picking up a couple of bunches for the abode. Spring is in the air, how wonderful is that?! 

The Svelte Brown Fox

...celebrating the little and simple things which make you smile and remember life is good

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Filling your cup with thanks, gratitude..and loveliness

As the year well and truly ticks by (hello July), some days feel like they are an extension of the next, a night's sleep seemingly not enough to differentiate one day from the next. It's so easy to be sucked into the "busi-ness" of life, the endless "societal expectations", being consumed with the day to day and bogged down in the grind of the endless to do list. 

Potentially over time, this way of life leads to fewer opportunities to just be, maybe even forgetting to see and take time out to experience those little and simple things which make you smile. I know I have of late. 

So today is, as per every day ending in "y", a day of thanks and gratitude for each of these gifts and many more...

* pranayama and good health 

* unconditional love, hugs and kisses 

* drinks, dinners, brunches, lunches, deluxe spreads with those I love and cherish

* creative opportunities, education and freedom of speech

* making time despite juggling numerous balls

* encouragement of thoughts and endless ideas...then implementing them 

* being, learning and growing daily through yoga

* the Sunday morning ritual of YGB 

* uncontrollable laugh out loud moments

* delicious home cooked meals 

* those moments in time which really test and challenge yet strengthen you
* chocolate milkshakes 

* the empowerment to say no 

* being heard and understood

* fresh, clean water straight from the tap

* regular paddles with my squad

* the foxy little gift in the mail

* a room with a view 

* quality time with my beautiful godchildren

* banter over bubbles 
* rainbows which end in a pot of gold 

* the sharing of the most delicious birthday pea and ham soup

* patience and understanding with "the diary"

* leadership, support and continual belief

* little messages which warm your heart and fill your soul 

* beautiful sun rises, sun sets and moon rises

Thank you to my beautiful family, friends, complete strangers and Mother Earth for the little and simple things each of you do daily which fill my cup, make me smile and remember life is good, so very, very good.

The Svelte Brown Fox

...celebrating the little and simple things which make you smile and remember life is good

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A berry warm welcome back..

..you delicious additions to my morning breakfast. So good to have you back. Thank you for filling my tummy with your sweet goodness.

The Svelte Brown Fox

...celebrating the little and simple things which make you smile and remember life is good

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