Day Tripping Around The Shire
Day Tripping Around The Shire
On Monday, I arranged to pick up Ma and take her on a magical mystery tour of the ‘Shire’.
I was born and grew up in Lincolnshire - Market Rasen and Middle Rasen to be geographically correct.
It was one of those spur of the moment decisions that came so good. One of those days that could not have been planned, even if we had tried.
We called it a magical, mystery tour.
The loose plan was to head over and pick Ma up, show Olive (our daughter a few places where we lived, my schools and places we played) and to take flowers to a few family member graves.
We collected Ma, who was told to sit in the back! Whilst they played and chatted for most of the car journey, I was able to visit memories, thoughts and feelings as we covered many miles of the county.
‘Interestingly’, some of the memories I have been working on recently as part of my life acceptance journey aka personal peace path aka feel it, to deal with it to heal with it aka I’m taking full responsibility for my journey on this spinning ball of rock!
Beautiful moments of feathers appearing by the graves, Ma sharing stories about her childhood. Three generations enjoying time together topped off with humungous fish n chips!
A spur of the moment thing or part of a divine plan?
I often describe myself as a serial-course-signer-upperer. Not in a chasey, this is the next shiny thing but as a lifetime lover of learning. I can’t imagine a time when I’ll not be learning.
As a life ponderer, peruser and reflector. I love finding wisdom in the wobbles, lessons and learnings from everyday occurrences.
Memories I found myself pondering, and where necessary making peace with:
How small all the roads and houses looked compared to when I lived there. So small!
The beck that we spent hours and days in, fishing for sticklebacks and catfish.
The hours spent in roller boots, being pulled by our neighbour's tiny dog, Bobby (on a piece of string).
Growing up in the countryside wasn’t boring, it was a luxury.
Learning to drive at a very early age on farm roads.
How much time we spent outside.
How we let ourselves into friends houses and chatted with our friends' parents for hours.
Sunday tea at a friend's house which was always white bread jam sandwiches.
How many of our friends spent time at ours with Ma keeping them fed and watered.
Getting detention for straightening bent scissors in a CDT class.
Being told that CDT was a boys subject.
Knowing our local woods ‘like the back of my hand’.
Seeing a fallen tree being played on nearly 50 years later.
Considering the areas we grew up in, has no living relatives.
Looking at how far we walked and biked, every day.
All the firsts.
Being sexually assaulted by a taxi driver.
How independent we were.
Living nearer to the coast was a real treat.
The Pizza Parlour, which made the best onion and garlic pizza.
The list goes on. Who knew that an impromptu day trip could evoke such memories.
Some to be enjoyed and others to be healed. On a Monday without prior planning.
A couple of the tools I used for unravelling and reconnecting with my inner peace were journalling and The Personal Peace Procedure. The latter was created by EFT founder, Gary Craig.
The Personal Peace Procedure
‘As you eliminate the emotional baggage from your specific events you will, of course, have less and less internal conflict for your system to deal with. Less internal conflict translates into a higher level of personal peace and less emotional and physical suffering. For many, this procedure will likely result in the complete cessation of lifelong issues that other methods have not touched. How's that for peace in a paragraph?’ - Gary Craig, EFT Founder.
Create a list of troubles, concerns or memories that you want to work with. Each day choose one and tap around it. Sounds easy? Because it really is. We love to make this hard and overcomplicate them.
You can follow the Introduction to Emotional Freedom Technique here, https://youtu.be/ApyigiXsIG4?si=O3vWluuK87b-Z9tA
If you fancy some journaling support we’re on Day 2 of a 30 Day Journalling Experience (because a challenge sounds too much like hard work). You’re still welcome to come and join the group https://www.lynnbutler.me/journal
Until next time, Lynn :)
