Being There, For You
April 1, 2010 by Joanne Keevers
Filed under Freedom Space, Guest Space
We are thrilled to welcome Joanne Keevers as our Guest Writer today! More about Joanne below.
Throughout the entire journey of our lives, we are constantly looking for, and finding, the inspiration that will take us forward to the next level of our life experience.
We may not necessarily even realise that we are searching for anything at all, but isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing? When reflecting on the past, suddenly all of the jigsaw pieces start to fit together perfectly….
During the entire course of my life, there has not been a time when I can ever recall not writing. I have written letters, poems, short stories and epic sagas, recipes into home-made recipe books, captions onto photos in my numerous photo albums and entries into personal diaries.
As the years progressed, my interests turned to my wedding album and later onto the recording of every magical moment I have experienced as a mother.
Somewhere along the way, I’m not sure where it happened exactly, but I would suspect in the vicinity of dirty nappies, school lunches and fixing grazed knees, I temporarily lost “me”.
It wasn’t until during last year that I noticed the gaping hole in my life. It was well and truly time to send out some “missing person” reports to the universe. I needed to put that in writing….
My desk has changed appearance slightly over the years. The subtly designed stationary is still there, as is the multiple notepads in various pastel shades. My expensive Parker pen, a gift from my husband during our pre-children years has never left my desk top. But now, there is a computer there as well.
My first attempts at blogging were not what I wanted. They just didn’t “feel” right. Although I had been following the advice of “those in the know” on the internet, it just wasn’t gelling. Where was I going wrong?
Whilst contemplating the dilemma I had posed for myself, I took myself off to my kitchen. Baking something, anything, had absolutely always cleared my scrambled mind.
From my kitchen window I have a view over a majestic mountain. Mount Warning was named by Captain James Cook in 1770, during his discovery voyage of the eastern coastline of Australia. I have lived in this home for sixteen years and still marvel daily at the ever changing landscape it provides to me.
The same familiar calmness enveloped me, as always, when I saw “my mountain”.
My cat rubbed up against my legs, purring, in anticipation of a treat being dropped into her dish. I was feeling better already.
Out came my recipes. My original and favourite recipe book, the one I had started writing in at age eleven. On the first page I had written my name – the name I had as a child, my maiden name. That name said “me”. Not the mother of, or wife of, or daughter of, or friend of…it was me. I had found “me”!
My inspiration had begun with the mountain. It calmed me. It always has. The silky fur of my cat, rubbing against my bare legs, the gentle rumbling of her purring and the sound of her tiny “meow” calmed me more. Cats always have…
…The well was no longer dry; the famine was over. The stars were back in the sky; the bubbles back in the champagne… out the back door and into the garden I went.
Nature has always inspired me. I simply love the garden. The fresh air on my skin, the dirt under my nails, seeing flower buds break out in bloom, the fragrances of freshly picked herbs, picking the lemons, mangoes, limes, grapefruits, lettuces, spinach, tomatoes… they were all there in my own garden.
I had thought I had been lost over the years in amongst the insurmountable piles of “Mother-Dom”, “Wife-Dom” and “Work-Dom” when I had actually been there, all along, in my very own home and garden. All I had needed to do was calm my busy brain and the inspiration was there, right in front of me.
After I had my revelation, I began to notice that the recordings of my thoughts playing over and over in my brain; the memories and new ideas, were like a story being written into a book. The stories related to how my past life was transpiring into my present life. I began writing what I called my memoirs.
A few months ago, an amazing lady, who you are no doubt all familiar with, came into my “on-line” life. Káren Wallace has inspired me to keep on doing what I had already begun. Káren’s words of encouragement have meant more to me than I think she has realised.
Bo Mackison has recently started The Memoir Space, helping to give me the inspiration to write my own memoirs.
Remember the saying?….”When the student is ready, the teacher appears”. Káren and Bo came into my life at just the right time. ☺ ☺ ☺
Where are you in your own life right now? Are you the student, ready for the teacher to appear? What inspires you, when inspiration is needed?
Finding “me” again has made me a happier, calmer and much more contented person. The learning for all of us will continue throughout our lives. And we can all learn from each other…by inspiring each other to be “the best me I can possibly be”. ☺
For myself, finding “me” makes me a better person, not only for myself, but for my biggest inspiration of all – my family.
Share your own story of what inspires you. Read what other people have to say. Listen to your heart. Inspiration can arrive in the most unexpected places.
ABOUT OUR GUEST WRITER
Joanne Keevers lives in far northern New South Wales, Australia with her husband, children, two cats and a dog.
Joanne’s website is at home-life-online.com
Find her on Twitter @JoanneRK
Hi Joanne – good to meet you .. love the story you tell – the scents of the southern hemisphere .. your original recipes .. should be interesting mementos for the family memoir – perhaps you’re including some over on the Memoir blog? I’m sure you are.
Just a change – is as good a stimulation as you’ll get .. the new vision in front of you .. always different. I’m sure Mount Warning hasn’t changed in 240 years since Cook first saw it. Did you know his cottage was moved from England to Melbourne in the 30s – lock stock and barrel? I posted about it – because I find Cook fascinating and that period of exploration so amazing – but then to find they’d dismantled and rebuilt the cottage for Australians to see .. just bemused me: had to write about it.
Love the views you paint .. the background, the garden and its generous bounty, .. your well is full .. a Spring (or Autumn) of bounty to be tapped … Enjoy Easter .. Hilary
Hello Hilary. I’m so pleased to hear that you enjoyed my first post here on the Calm Space.
Perhaps you could send me a link to your post about James Cook…I remember at school we were told about Captains Cook’s cottage being moved to Melbourne, however I don’t know any details. I agree with you, he was a fascinating character and I’m sure he was an inspiration to many of the early explorers.
Oh yes, I’m right into Bo’s Memoir Space! I started blogging about what I called “Memoirs of my Life” last year, so Bo’s timing here was perfect for me!
I’m learning that you can find inspiration in some of the most least expected places, so it pays to keep your heart and mind open.
It’s great to meet you, Hilary. Have a wonderful Easter weekend, over there on the other side of the world.
Joanne.
Hi Joanne .. thanks for the reply .. here’s the link with another link built in that might interest you to read ..
http://positiveletters.blogspot.com/2009/09/relocating-to-melbourne-to-lily-pond.html
Good that you learnt about the cottage at school .. and it’s fun to relate and find out that you actually know about it – if you visit you’ll have to let me know?!
Memoirs – mine will have to wait til Mum has gone on the rainbow path .. I’ve other things to deal with now ..- I’d love to be there with Bo – but because of other aspects affecting me I’m not able to give it my full attention .. so another time. I must keep up with Bo’s place though –
Enjoy your Easter weekend .. and hope your autumn is calm and bountiful .. we sure can find inspiration in ‘funny’ places .. and exactly as you say – keeping an open mind and heart – the most important part! Thank you – see you soon .. all the best Hilary
Now – I’m back again .. I can’t find Bo’s Memoirs .. can you please give me the link for it! Sorry .. thank you!! Hilary
Hi Hilary – you’ll find Memoir Space here at Calm Space – all spaces can be found on the front page (just scroll down – it’s on the right) or under Archives. Enjoy!
I also remember visiting Cooks Cottage as a girl visiting Melbourne. Maybe one of our Melbournians can tell us more about it present day?
Joanne, Welcome to The Calm Space! I am so thrilled to have your beautiful thoughts here… and the warmest of hugs as thanks for the lovely words.
I too lost myself for a while in motherhood, and in corporate life… I love how you’ve discovered your beautiful soul through nature, animals and the simple things in life. You’re an inspiration
Thank you for the link, Hilary. I will look it up tomorrow, as it is after 10.30pm here. When you have the opportunity to start writing your memoirs you will be able to pour your heart into them. It will all happen in its own time.
Thank you so much for the welcome, Káren! I am so happy to be here and I’m sending you huge warm hugs also.
I “go with the flow” now and it becomes more and more evident to me each day that the simple things in life are the ones that give me the most pleasure…do you suppose it is the same for everyone?
I’ve had a wonderful family day today, baking hot cross buns. I just posted a blog at http://www.home-life-online.com which I hope will inspire some people, even the non cooks!
Hi Joanne. Lovely to meet you and welcome to the Calm Space. I totally related to your article. Isn’t it great to be back?
Hi Joanne. Thank you for the lovely comments about the Memoir Space, and I am thrilled that you are walking the path with me. I am at a time in my life where words sustain me, and I’m more than fortunate to have the time to give my creative life top billing.
Joanne, I can’t imagine how wonderful it must be to look out your window and be able to gaze upon a mountain. I am a mountain gal at heart who has unfortunately been plopped in the middle of glacially scrubbed flat land–lots of farming land, great for corn and cows, but I do so long to live in or near mountains. What inspiration it must be to look out upon those mountains and let your thoughts soar.
Welcome again, Joanne. I do hope I have the pleasure of reading some of your memoirs. And thanks again for the kind words. They really lifted my spirits today.
Anne, it is so lovely to meet you also…and yes, it is so absolutely great to be back!
I don’t know why we women lose ourselves in family and work life, although it is somehow comforting to know that we are not alone in losing ourselves in the maze of life. With this knowledge, we need to educate the younger generations of women that they should make a point of staying true to themselves, as they will always be of more value to others if they do.
Bo, so great to hear from you! I am so pleased to hear that I have lifted your spirits today, as reading your words has lifted my spirits also…I’m sure Káren will vouch for me on that, as I sent her an email, in great excitement, when I first heard that you had started Memoir Space!
So, you have an affinity with mountains too? You will no doubt understand me when I say that for me they almost cast a magic spell over me…they make everything right in my world and give me the inspiration that I need for, well, everything!
On the 29th March, I left you a comment at Memoir Space. If you click on my name in that comment, it will take you to the memoirs I have published so far.
Anne and Bo, thank you both for your kind words of welcome and I hope you are both enjoying your Easter weekend.
Hi Joanne!
Thanks so much for your lovely essay. I’m so glad that you found Karen and that, by extension, we could find you! Like you, I believe everything happens in its own perfect time – and that if we look we will find the teachers right in front of us when we need them. Thanks again for you essay and joining Calm Space! Take wonderful care, Stacey
Hello Stacey,
What lovely kind words, thank you so much for them! What I like the most about the Calm Space is that it brings like-minded people together. Isn’t it a wonderful place to spend time?
Hi again!
Thanks so much for your note! It *is* a wonderful place!!! So glad to meet you here! Take wonderful care, Stacey
Welcome! Sorry it’s taken me so long to get here, but I’ve had a volcanic ash adventure…
This was a wonderful post and I’m sure it resonated with many readers who’ve lost themselves somewhere along the way on their life journeys. You’re so lucky to have your home, garden and mountain view to anchor and inspire you.
It was my decision to go for life coaching certification that helped me rediscover my writing ‘voice’, which had got buried somewhere under the work, nappies and piles of school handouts, gymkits and glittered crayonings. Knowing what I wanted to filter, what inspired me, why I was reaching out and whom I was reaching out to all came together to give birth to a new, stronger voice. I hope your new blog does the same for you!