Do what makes your heart sing!

Do what makes your heart sing!

I am reminded of these words often; they just pop into my head and make me nostalgic.

'Greensleaves is my delight,

Drinking vodka and lime on a Friday night.'

This has stayed with me for so long now. It always makes me smile because not only does it being back memories of Friday nights drinking and dancing to 90s dance music with lovely friends, it reminds me of my writing poetry at Huddersfield uni. Our task was to think of a colour and a song with that colour, then rewrite it. This was mine!

I wonder if we spend enough time on what delights us? Do we squeeze in our me time at the end of the day? When I worked full time with a young child, my me time was a hour from 11pm to midnight, on the settee, falling asleep into my drink and missing most of CSI! I was determined to watch a full one without having to rewind it! I love this illustration from pinterest. Get yourself a big bottle now, run a bath, get a book and a cuppa and have some me time!

What is delightful to you, may not delight others but that is the joy of having hobbies, interests and passions. We need to be different! We need to find what makes us happy and do it. I love this quote because as you do what you love, you are feeding your soul, like giving it warm soup on a wintry evening!

I have always had a love of pots, vases and jugs but this has flourished over lockdown. It has made me think more about the little things in life and making lovely rituals of them. I have loved choosing which teacup and saucer or mug to have my tea and coffee in and I have enjoyed sharing them on social media with other like minded people who have shared theres. 

Many of these mugs were carefully looked after and sat, waiting to be used. I was scared to use them, due to my clumsiness but now I realise, like everything, that today is the special moment, each day we are here so get them out and get them used! I now get double the joy because I can still look at them, but get to use them too!

My hubby was flabbergasted as he watched me perform the ritual of afternoon tea the other evening, faffing with my teapot and teacups. He was like, just get a teabag, throw it in a cup and have done! He clearly did not feel the same delight I got from this ritual, even down to choosing the correct cups to suit my mood. This photo we took shows how much we loved it! 

Another time where we enjoyed the pomp and circumstance was at my lovely sister in law's for afternoon tea in the garden. Such a delight! Lovely food and drink and great company!

So, we all have our things that we enjoy and they do not need to make sense to others. On the other hand, when my hubby looks through his telescope to see Venus, yet again, I don't feel as in awe as he does. I do not mean anything here and think the solar system is amazing. I just get more out of watering and talking to my plants than looking through a telescope! We know what ticks our boxes. We just need to make sure we try to fit these interests and hobbies in. 

I love, love, love reading too. I love the feel of the books and have still not got a kindle yet!

It is not just the reading bit as I love browsing bookshops, buying the books, looking at them at home, then reading them. Reading lifts me and I like the words on the page to carry me away! 

I also love singing. On my own, harmonizing with my daughter, in the car to the radio, in the shower, on the dancefloor and in my choir which I cannot wait to rejoin. Again, my spirits are lifted. And it isn't just up beat music. If I am a bit low, I actually find that Morrissey helps me! I love This Charming Man, Dido, My Life and The Cranberries, No need to argue, playing really loud in a dark room. Hits the spot everytime! One of the best songs to sing along to has to be Meatloaf, Paradise by the dashboard light. Brilliant! Soz actually, singing makes my heart sing! And singing to my own song too!

You see, we are Hufflepuffs and that means we love to burst out into spontaneous song, anywhere! There is such a lot to be said for this! I think we are just spontaneous anyway! I love to just get in the car and say to my daughter, 'Where shall we go?' A lot of the time, unplanned trips and days end up being the best! 

So, try to do more of what brings you delight. Still plan things but always leave enough days that are spontaneous or even a surprise! Do the 'stick a pin in a map and go' thing. A lot of things are mood and weather dependent so sometimes you may not know where you want to go till that morning. Sometimes, you can plan a night out weeks before and it not be what you expected, then go out the next night at the last minute and enjoy yourself much more. 

Another one of my loves is writing. I just love words so much. As I write my ideas and my thoughts flow out, I feel lighter. Obviously not weight wise as that would be nice! 

We all know the Sound of Music and this song. You can't say the words, you have to sing them! 

Have you just sat down though and listed your favourite things? Other than the people and pets in your life, what actually brings you joy on a daily and weekly basis?

Teacups and saucers and cute little teapots.     

Cakestands and doilies and blue forget me nots.

Plants green and fresh sitting next to my books.        

All sorts of nik naks in crannies and nooks. 

When I sing out loud,

When I hug my dog,

When I'm feeling down.

I pick up a copy of Cider with Rosie

And then meet my mum in town.

Obviously we can't fill everyday doing these fun things or they would stop being as much fun! 'Such fun!' Makes me think of the lovely Miranda! We fill our weekends with them instead! 

I always remember my lovely step dad telling me, as he did, so often, offering up his wise words, that 'we work to live, not live to work'. Our time is precious. I remember his words often. Life is for living. And smiling, laughing, venturing, sharing and so much more.

I intend to squeeze the juice out of it when we are allowed back out and about! As well as hug and squeeze those nearest to me. That last part is so important as we slowly get nearer being able to go out and meet people again. I intend to keep loving people, and life completely. I want to see and visit more wonderful places too. 

They do say that it is the people and places that are the most important and this is so true. I cannot wait to see my fave folk and visit our fave places together. 

I do think that if you are true to yourself and try to do what you love, try to fulfil your passions and pass your love of these things onto others, then those quote will happen. This is one of my all time fave pinterest quotes. Everyone leaves footprints but imagine leaving your heartprints too? Just imagine that! 

This last quote is really good. We don't always have to have a reason for doing things. Enjoying it and smiling because of it is enough!