MY SWEET SWEET MEMORIES FROM THE LATE 70S & EARLY 80S
You could leave your house door open during the night;
You could go for an early sole run in the park with no fear;
You would chat outside to your next door neighbour for hours;
No one carried a mobile phone and everyone coped fine;
Children played in large groups outside after school;
Local playgrounds were filled with children, without the need for parents being there;
Children used their imagination and played ‘made up’ games with their friends;
You only had one true best friend but it was called a ‘best pal’;
We didn’t have a landline at home and no one really cared;
All family dinners were home made;
A holiday was going on family day trips to the closest seaside location;
There was only three TV channels and we felt spoiled for choice;
If you could afford a taxi, you were rich;
If you missed the bus, you had to wait another hour on the next one;
Those tiny bronze half pence pieces existed and you felt you had loads of money;
Children would jump for joy with a 10 pence mix up;
Children played water fights during the summer holidays with empty washing up liquid bottles;
Everyone in the community knew each other and looked out for each other;
Hardly anyone had a car;
Getting a 50 pence toy from the local shop, felt like Christmas;
The milkman delivered your glass bottles of milk on your front door step every morning;
As children, we played, football rounders, hide and seek, skipping ropes, kick the can, hopscotch, obstacle courses, sprint races, tennis, swingball, talent shows…and all outdoors!
My Dad, Grans, Granda, Aunties, Uncle, Godmother and some good School Pals were all living back then – now sadly missed . . . . . . oh how I remember when!
By Clarabelle, London, UK Created on 9 August 2022 Posted to Blog on 4 September 2022
Hold hands with someone close to you, doesn’t it feel really nice?
I remember as a child I loved taking my Dad’s hand, it felt so strong, caring and protective. Holding hands is such a nice feeling.
I held a friend’s hand today and it felt so nice, it felt, well just perfect at that moment in time.
Holding hands is special, it can say a million beautiful words in this one piece of affection.
I encourage you to reach out and hold someone’s hand today. Maybe it will be your Mum or Dad’s, a sister, brother or close friend or maybe you’ll just be helping the old lady across the street.
Whoever’s hand you choose to hold today, I know it will make you and the other person feel so good.
Beautiful people touch our hearts forever and that is what this next poem is all about. Remember you are a beautiful person and you also touch the hearts of others in such a beautiful and meaningful way that makes their heart smile. Thank you for being here, thank you for reading this, thank you for being YOU. I write this as I think of you, much love to you today, as always, Clarabelle 🙂
I Think of You
I think of you,
a little and a lot
A beautiful smile,
that’s what you’ve got
I think of your laughter,
it makes my heart dance
Free flowing energy,
as love takes a chance
Your spirits are high,
no matter the weather
Your musical notes,
are as light as a feather
And in the midst of it all,
I hear your calling
Singing my name,
barriers falling
Life is a risk,
but with you I’m there
Climbing the mountain,
wind through our hair
For wherever you roam,
know this is true
I may not be by your side,
but I’m always with you
It’s nice to meet new people from different backgrounds and different walks of life, for me, it always makes fascinating conversation. Meeting a new person is like inviting a whole new perspective on the world into your life. I love meeting new people, I can feel their energy, see their dreams through their eyes and visualise in my imagination the stories of their lives, places they’ve been too, hearts they’ve touched and inspired. Just through one conversation over a cup of coffee can lighten up your own world, it’s like having new eyes in that very moment. Hopefully I will get to meet some of you in the future, I don’t know when and I don’t know where but I feel that would be wonderful to happen.
Today, I encourage you to meet a new person or talk to someone you’ve never spoken to before. Embrace the magic of this new conversation, no matter what it is about and interpret it has a “love story”, wow, how wonderful that conversation will leave you.
Every person in this world has their own “love story” to tell, listen deeply with your heart and you will be surely connecting with them on a different level.
May you be open to a fresh perspective on life today and let this renewed energy reinvigorate your soul. Lots of love, Clarabelle
I would like to share a true story of mine with you today.
When I was 16 years old, my first full-time job was as an Office Assistant in a Solicitor’s Office in Glasgow City Centre. I really loved that job, mainly because I really loved the people I worked with, it was really fun at times and I learned so much with it being my first permanent job.
Escape
Unfortunately, I was in two serious car crashes when I was 18 years old and was in crutches for a year and half and sadly, my position at the Solicitor’s Office had to be terminated because there was no real indication when I would make a full recovery and was likely to return. So there I was at the age of 18, in crutches for 18 months, no job and no real indication from the Doctors at the hospital when I would get fully better. I could have been really depressed about being in that situation, but I wasn’t. I decided to use the extra time I had to read lots of books from the library on subjects I was interested in at the time, it helped me escape from my current reality.
A Christmas Gift
There is a significance to me telling you this story and that is because of a Christmas gift that was given to me when I was 16 years old from the staff when I was working in the Solicitor’s office. They very kindly got me this lovely mug, that I totally treasured, it had my name on it “Claire” and a short poem about the meaning of name. Here is the little poem:
CLAIRE MEANING: LIGHT
You’re quick to solve puzzles Without hints or clues And shed light on situations Known to confuse. The inner glow you have Because of your name Makes your life a lighthearted, Whimsical game. You’ll always know happiness, Love and delight, For you follow a lifelong path Cheerful and bright.
It was my job to make the coffee and tea for everyone throughout the day in the office and every time I made myself a quick cuppa, I would read the little poem and smile with delight, I really loved it so much.
However, when my employment got terminated at the office I never seen my treasured little mug again….until 15 years later, yes my little mug came back to me and here is a photo of it below:
The Original Claire Mug from the year 1989
So how did it find its way back to me? This next true story is fascinating.
My younger sister, Leanne met her husband to be Cameron when she was 22 years old and Cameron was 18 at the time. My sister and I had both decided to spontaneously go out the evening she met Cameron, they instantly fell in love with each other and are now very happily married with three beautiful children. The interesting fact here is that Cameron had lived in Cape Town, South Africa all his life and him and his family emigrated to Scotland to live, the year Leanne and him met.
Our Claire
A few years after they met, Leanne and Cameron got married and it was a very beautiful wedding. Shortly after the wedding, Cameron’s mum, Joan, who works in an Accountant’s office, was showing her friends in work the wedding photographs, she then also showed the ladies in the office downstairs the wedding photographs. Whilst looking through the photographs, one of the ladies said, “Who is that bridesmade girl?”, and Joan said it was Leanne’s sister, Claire, they said that’s “Our Claire”, “She worked here when was 16 years old…..we kept her mug, please give her mug back to her and tell her we are asking for her”. WOW, Joan had been working in the Accountant’s office upstairs from the Solicitor’s office I worked in when I was 16 years old and none of us knew.
Joan, surprised me one day, she turned up with the mug for me and told me the whole story, what a truly wonderful surprise it was….after 15 years, they kept the mug and it was returned to me.
I still find this story very fascinating and especially that the mug has poetry on it…..which for me as you know, poetry, if part of my life, it is part of who I am.
24 Years Later
I have visited the staff in the office since then, some of the original staff who worked there when I was 16 are still working there, almost 24 years later. They have also allowed me the use of their offices to hold coaching sessions in…this time I am not the receptionist, I am the business owner meeting with my own clients…..I feel I have come along way since those days as an Office Assistant.
True Love
I am not exactly sure what the moral of the story is here, I think you will have your own take away from it. All I know is that, my “Claire mug” was meant to come back to me and it took a family to emigrate to Scotland from Cape Town, South Africa and a real love story to make its way back to me…..how lovely indeed. I really treasure this “Claire mug” with all my heart, I believe, true love brought it back to me and now I share this story with you today.
If you have an uplifting true story you would like to share, I would really love to here it, why don’t you share it on my blog, I would be happy to dedicate a blog post to it for you.
Every person you have not connected with yet is a potential friend, companion, confidante or seed of change. There is indeed a friend in each stranger and every day we let potential friends pass us by. A gentle smile towards another can surely make their day, for a smile is one form of communication that no matter what the language barrier, it will always warm another’s heart.
My heart speaks to you today, it is graciously smiling like an upside down rainbow – colourful, magical and beaming with joy. There is much beauty to be found in the stranger by your side, this next poem is inspired by just that. Pay your smile forward today and spread a little happiness. Much love to you Clarabelle.
There’s a Friend in Each Stranger
There’s a friend in each stranger, look and see,
Be brave, take a chance, with he or she.
It may lead to forever or a short term thought,
But if you look at the positive, you’ll find such a lot.
Welcome a new world, from inside their eyes,
Exchange happy moments, desires or surprise.
Be truthful and listen, for their heart will speak,
A little love goes a long long way. This next poem jumped out of my heart today and I share it with you. May you be showered with an abundance of true love today. Clarabelle
It is Mother’s Day here in the UK and I want to send out a beautiful blessing to all the wonderful Mother’s out there, who bring much love and abundance to this world. This next poem is dedicated to my own beautiful mum, to your mum too and indeed, if you are a mum. Wishing you a very special day filled with love. Clarabelle
My Beautiful Mum
A Mother in a Million
Mother you are so beautiful, in every single way,
You brighten up each moment, and listen to what I say.
Your love is so very special, to each and everyone,
You’re a mother in a million, stronger than the sun.
I love you so dearly, more than you’ll ever know,
Thank you my wonderful mother, your wisdom has helped me grow.
Here is a special little St. Valentine’s Day poem for you, to celebrate true love, the joining of passionate hearts and the magical miracle of life. “When you feel love, act on it. Speak your heart. Be truthful. Be Open.”from the book The Path to Love by Deepak Chopra. Happy St. Valentine’s Day to you and your loved ones, Clarabelle.
I love love, I really do. I find myself writing alot about love, I have alot of it inside of me to give. It’s Valentine’s Day next month and love is surely in the air, so this next poem is inspired by love. May you be touched today with the greatest love of all. Much love to you, Clarabelle.
love strikes like lightning
Love Strikes Like Lightning
Loves strikes like lightning, it grows very fast;
Shaking your world, forgetting the past.
Just when you think, all is lost;
Down comes cupid’s arrow, whatever the cost.
The red heart of love, pumps passion into you;
It’s lifting your being, and brings happiness too;
Peace is on your doorstep, calling out your name;
Your soul breathes in life, welcome to the love game.
poemsbyclarabelle, 5 January 2013
To listen to the Poemcast for the above poem, please click on the link below:
If you enjoy what you read here on this blog, you may be interested in borrowing for FREE and/or purchasing one of Clarabelle’s self-published inspirational poetry ebooks available to download now on Amazon Kindle, please refer to the Author page on this blog or clickHERE
I received a very special ‘kiss on the cheek’ today. Why was it so special?….because I sensed it came from a very caring, honest place and was wrapped in love and kindness. You know the kind of kiss I mean…. innocent and sweet, a kiss that seems to flow through every cell of your body – I can still feel it on my cheek now. If you could offer up one of those special kisses to someone’s cheek today, who would you give that gentle kind kiss to? I know the thought of this is making you smile, it might even be melting your heart. I do hope you share that kiss today. Lots of love and kisses, Clarabelle
A Kiss On The Cheek
A kiss on the cheek, so touching indeed,
Love and kindness, has come from this seed.
Mother nature, has cast its spell,
Magical moments, come out of this shell.
Barefooted on the sand, life is bliss,
Serenity in the air, a happy face with a kiss.
poemsbyclarabelle, 22 August 2012
If you enjoy what you read here on this blog, you may be interested in borrowing for FREEand/or purchasing one of Clarabelle’s self-published inspirational poetry ebooks available to download now on Amazon Kindle, please refer to the Author page on this blog or clickHERE
To show someone you care, to give out a warm smile or a well needed hug can make all the difference. Think about who you could share that with right now, who needs your loving hand at this moment in time? I am smiling right now and it is for you, I do hope you will pay it forward today. Have a wonderful day touched with inspirational moments.
The Purest Perfection
As I hold your hand, it feels just right
Loving and carefree, heart burning bright
To show warmth for another, is comforting inside
Wholesome and truthful, beaming with pride
The soul is touched, in every way
Positive energy, flows through me today
Moment to moment, eyes they do glisten
Words are not needed, the spirit does listen
To share your kindness and gifts of affection
Is the ultimate prize and the purest perfection
poemsbyclarabelle, 5 June 2012
If you enjoy what you read here on this blog, you may be interested in borrowing for FREEand/or purchasing one of Clarabelle’s self-published inspirational poetry ebooks available to download now on Amazon Kindle, please refer to the Author page on this blog or clickHERE
Clarabelle 