The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities. — James Allen

My dreams are coming true.

Dreams I didn’t even know I had.

I need to spend some time dreaming bigger. Not like those ‘hey you, loser – yes you – buy my book/course/dvd and you’ll be more’ self development infommercials. It’s more along the lines of not limiting my dreams to the kinds of things that I know can happen and start to think about some more interesting, more exciting (at least to me) options.

Even the oaks make these wildly vibrant lime green leaves in Spring. Talk about inspiring. They change them for other ideas later in the season. And then in autumn, some oaks go with vibrant reds, others work with tans. Beautiful. Thank you, oak.

Time for new ideas. More writing.

Manifesto
34. Every day focus on your dreams.
37. Every day fight for what’s worth fighting for. Pick your battles.
46. Every day you can change your thoughts.

It’s a kind of magnet in the late afternoon. I think we might have to keep it on after the Rugby World Cup.

When else, where else is the light so beautiful?

Of course, most of the people are more interested in the other attractions than the way the light runs across the buildings and scampers up the hill sides.

In the world headquarters of the verb, even the light is an activity.

Manifesto
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.
24. Every day is a journey. Not a destination.
50. Every day has an ending.

I’m walking down the street early this afternoon. I’ve just had a successful meeting. Things are going well.

Suddenly, there’s a lemon tree, complete with lemons, vibrant orange-yellow lemons. Completely out of context. How bizarre to see a fruit tree in the middle of the city. I was torn between being delighted and feeling slightly stupid. I’d walked past about 30 minutes earlier – and didn’t notice the lemons. Did someone just put them there? How could I have not noticed them?

Quite simply, there’s no explanation. I guess I was looking at something else, travelling somewhere else in my mind. Not paying attention, at least not to unexpected citrus trees.

Meanwhile, precious, beautiful, life slinks past. Just glides away. Vanishes. Unnoticed. Ignored…

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. — John Lennon

Manifesto
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
17. Every day look through a new lens.
28. Every day you will be tested.

The south coast.

The sun arcs overhead. Waves rolling out like freshly floured pastry on the shore. The ancient traditions of worshipping on the sea shore. It’s the one place most people can find a space in the corners of their minds for themselves.

Each of us chases the waves in our own way.

Living life out, breathing life in.

It’s a prayer for ourselves, voiced in the infinite voice of angels.

That is the only way we know how to do it.

Manifesto
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
23. Every day retain your personal power. It belongs to you. No one else.
39. Every day trust that there is a bigger picture. You are a part of it even if you may not know what it is.

When Spring finally takes hold, this oak tree is likely to be covered in the vibrant lime green of new growth. Likely, but not a guarantee – trees have their own seasons measured with a subtlety beyond our rush-rush human measures. There’s a season for us all. Some things we give up to make the change, others we ease into and take more on board with. We’re all changing, all the time. It’s all happening. It’s just not always that obvious. Thankfully.

Manifesto
02. Every day is an opportunity for a new beginning.
25. Every day your light shines for others to see.
40. Every day give things a chance to work out.

Early this afternoon a deeply evil looking cloud rolled across Wellington from the south. Soon after, in addition to the outbursts of lightning and loud thunder, hail the size of chick peas hammered the roofs and roads. It was quite entertaining watching the unfortunate drivers trying to manage the suddenly rather dangerous roads.

Whatever plans the drivers had, there was suddenly a new set of plans to be made.

Across the road, students were throwing hail as though it was snow. Down the slopes, courier drivers were trying to get their vans running. Office workers were out having a quick and cold cigarette. Others were taking photos.

Same for me – I had to make a photo or two while the beauty was fresh.

Manifesto
30. Every day use all your senses. Touch. Smell. Taste. Hear. See.
38. Every day be brave and give things a go. Use fear to trigger you into action.
48. Every day there are things you can’t change. You can change the way you think about them and deal with them.

I love kowhai – I’d plant them everywhere if I could. I love the dappled shade caused by the lacy foliage, the seed pods, and the yellow seeds. But most of all, I love the spring-ness of them. They flower in early Spring.

My Mum used to talk about the ‘Kowhai Floods’ – as a child the area she lived in was prone to flooding in late Winter / early Spring, as a result of the heavy rains in the short, sharp slopes of the Tararuas. Mum’s observations became part of the tradition for us to plant potatoes after the ‘Kowhai Floods’ – probably after the last frost.

Manifesto
36. Every day be still. Connect to your inner being. Listen and be guided by it.
42. Every day celebrate. Who you are. What you have achieved. Things that matter to you.
49. Every day is a good day.

There’s another terrific thing about having friends who see things in other ways. There’s a universe of sounds, sights, and smells out there that we don’t always notice, or take the time to pay attention to, let alone to enjoy. If you’ve got a friend who can show you something new to hear, see, or smell, your perception of the world expands to a whole new horizon. It helps you feel better about yourself too, experiencing new things in new ways. And being out, on a bright and beautiful morning, with a friend, on Lyall Bay beach.

Manifesto
01. Every day is a fresh new day.
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.

I like to walk around town because it gives me the opportunity to think – some times it’s the mighty thoughts of heros, other times the tiny thoughts of ants – no matter which, there’s definitely a therapeutic opportunity to be had walking along in a haze of thought. I’ve also noticed that the street vendors/petition signeratti/religious zealots tend to avoid me. I assume this is because they can hear the cogs going around in my head and don’t want to get their fingers caught in the machinery. Wise, very wise.

This evening, on the way to the library, I was very impressed with the creative individual (or individuals) who’ve dropped the traffic cones over the sculpture lights. Simple, effective. I wondered whether this was an example of thinking. Inside, or outside, the square. Either way, I like the result and I’m left wondering if I could adapt this for our garden.

Manifesto
17. Every day look through a new lens.
24. Every day is a journey. Not a destination.
32. Every day have a laugh.

I go for a walk at lunch time – fresh air and blood moving – some energy to get through the afternoon. As I’m walking I wonder what the rest of the world is up to. There’ll be the usual bad things, of course, amplified one moment by the media, forgotten a few seconds later. And there will be as many, if not more, good things to be found in the moment.

Where are you right now? Exactly where, exactly right now?

Are you seeing what you want to see? Or are you seeing what you always see?

I often retreat to my inner jungle. It’s pleasantly warm there. The sun is always rising. The plants are beautiful – fragrant, lush. The animals are starting to move around. I feel as though I’ve been away on the longest journey and it feels so good to be back.

Manifesto
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.
19. Every day make time for yourself.