Photo by Gabrielle Clark
Today my body bought me a long forgotten memory.
A joyful one!
As I was out walking early in the morning, a little yellow flower caught my eye.
“Do you like butter?”
Instantly, I could hear the sound of little girls giggling with delight as we played this childhood game. It was a simple game we played where you hold a flower under your friend’s chin and if it turns yellow – then you like butter!
It made me smile – and still does – to feel this body memory from long ago.
A forgotten joy.
The joy that is the precious jewel of childhood that no one can take from me. Even a difficult childhood doesn’t stop the timeless innocence, wonder, and magic that each child has available in his or her inner world. A wellspring of wonder.
Rilke says even if you found yourself in the worst prison you would still have it. The magic, wonder, and joy that is inherent in every child.
To savour an ice-cream slowly, trying to catch the drips with my tongue, without an ounce of guilt, enjoying the flavors and taste sensations of fresh passion fruit or feijoa straight off the vine. The total immersion of my whole being when listening to a favourite fairy tale, a song or a story over and over again. The joy and delight of jumping waves at the ocean and running screaming from the water with pure free abandonment. The magic of a mirror and wondering how to get into the world on the other side where the little girl is……
Somewhere along the way, I had let my joy become a crumb.
It is so nice to taste it again.
To feel once again the wonderment and joy the world offers to me when I can pause and listen to my body wisdom.
To nurture the seeds of wonder and joy that live inside me – this is my practice.
My inspiration from Rainer Maria Rilke…
“And even if you found yourself in some prison, whose walls let in none of the world’s sounds – wouldn’t you still have your childhood, that jewel beyond all price, that treasure house of memories?”