Happy New Year Give-Away Winner

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The coffee cup was emptied.  Washed.  Dried.  Refilled with names on paper strips.  And the winner of our latest giveaway – sponsored entirely by our Anonymous Lovely Person is

Alys over at Gardening Nirvana.

Congratulations Alys, at your leisure do have a scramble through the Etsy Store, make your choice and contact me [details on ‘Contact Me’ page]  🙂

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I just want to take a moment to reflect on being the recipient of unexpected gifts.

I think that life gives us gifts all the time, but often it is not really appreciated – I know for me this is absolutely true.  It has taken me a life time to move to a place where I am aware, am open, am accepting and choose to practise acceptance of what is on a daily basis.  To see life as a gift rather than a chore……  and to realise that what I want may not be actually on the list of things I need or can have.

I have some days when I say to myself, I’m not getting out of bed until I feel grateful for something – anything.  Some days I stay a longer time in bed than I should 😉

And I know each day is made up friendly asides, fortuitous events and serendipitous meetings.  I know there are countless occasions when disaster has been narrowly avoided and even more countless occasions when a smile or friendly word has made someones day better.

Yet when, out of the blue, someone does something genuinely kind, caring and generous for me I am utterly blown away – I feel a ‘yes’ move through me like a soft breeze of awakening, my heart opens and expands beyond my physical body, my lips curve in a smile, first of astonishment and then of joy.  I feel a sense of wonder and elation.  It settles and I feel a gentle ‘wow’ that fills my body.  I notice that the negative voice becomes still.

I have paid attention to my physical and emotional response to this gift.  I wonder if it is the same for you all?

I have always been the person who gave and this is the first time I have been given to – in this particular manner.  It has made me really aware of what an amazing thing it is to receive an unexpected gift.

My dear anonymous donor did far more for me than make this give-away possible – it has been a really lovely experience!  Thank you xoxo

33 thoughts on “Happy New Year Give-Away Winner”

  2. I was brought up to be generous and couldn’t imagine a life without sharing. Part of living in a working class family methinks as community becomes so much more important and what you have gets shared around in equal measure. I love your generosity and the generosity of your benefactor. I also agree that you have to look for the gifts in life and sometimes something wholeheartedly aweful is a precursor to an amazing gift. We all think that the “bad” things that happen in life are negative but to be honest, without the bad, we wouldn’t even notice the good and most of the time you have to suck a load of life lesson lemons in order to get that soul healing vitamin C that the lessons contain. It is often years after the event that you see how the “bad” situations, actually facilitated the amazing things that are happening in your life. Sometimes that might be just enough to get you through them and out the other side :). Well done Alys, enjoy your gorgeousness and display it with pride. This lady sure knows how to tart up a crayon or two and I can’t think of any other artist that gives whimsical gorgeousness such vivid and splendiferous colour 🙂

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    • Well said Narf77! Who knew such wisdom lurked in the back blocks of Tassie eh? It is such a shame that it takes so many years and so many meetings with the ‘bad’ stuff to grasp the concept you have so clearly explained to us ……… imagine what life could have been like if we’d got it in our twenties!! xoxo

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      • I think that’s the point…the world just wasn’t ready for us all smarted up in our 20’s Pauline! We would have taken over the world! 😉

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  3. As others have said, what a lovely post, Pauline, and I’m quite sure that you often deserve to have yes move through you like a warm breeze!!
    I did have to chuckle at having to stay in bed longer on some days, but what a great practice it is to make yourself focus on gratitude before getting out of bed each morning.

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    • Thanks Laurie! This morning I stayed longer in bed, not so much because of lack of gratitude [I was really happy for my warm and cosy bed and Orlando thought it a great treat!] – more because we have apparently migrated northward in the past 24 hours and relocated somewhere between Canada and New York State where we joined forces with the winter blastings!

      I exaggerate of course, but it feels like winter and is quite dark – not our usual summer weather at all! I’m really glad I’m inside and not camping 🙂 The heating is on and so are the lights and it is 9 am……..

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  4. This is a lovely post Pauline. Many of us are givers but not so used to, or comfortable being, the receivers of other’s kindness. This was such a lovely gesture by the donor and she/he sounds like a pretty special person in recognising that in another. And congrats to Elys 🙂

    I totally support Kim.dot.com too, he may appear a villian to some I guess but to us here he is a big teddy bear, a very intelligent one and I for one would love to see him as our PM, he has more smarts than any of our politicians!

    Have a lovely day sweet lady 🙂

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    • Thank you Wendy, I appreciate those words!

      Did I get my facts right though? I must do more reading about him, I watched something that was posted on FB recently and I saw a gentle giant with a [Germanic] sense of humour and a well developed nerd/geek lifestyle. He spoke calmly and clearly about recent events – I was impressed!

      xoxo

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  5. Wow! This is such a beautiful post. The way you wrote it, with so much sincerity and emotion. Your writing style is amazing! By the way, congrats to the winner!
    I see you have been busy. Your art is beautiful!

    I hope your 2014 is filled with many blessing and lots of unexpected gifts 😀 ❤

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    • Hello, hello!! Thank you, thank you!! You know I always love it when you come by!! I return your wish back to you too, may your paintings grace the walls of many wonderful homes and establishments 🙂

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  6. Congratulations to the winner. Pauline, you are the gift and it’s all coming back into your work and into everyone who’s surrounding you. It’s smiling and you just give us that smile 🙂 Pawkiss 🙂

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  7. wow…I know I tell you often, but I’ll tell you again..I LOVE your cards and they are just beautiful…you are very talented….what a great way to be, not get out of bed until you are grateful for something..and you stay there until you do! You are an amazing person and I am so glad I get to stop by and read about your reflections on life, see your new art work or just read about some random thought you are pondering…I would say we are all grateful for your blog! Great post….and tomorrow I will remember your shared “wisdom” don’ t get out of bed until you are grateful for something….great way to start everyday:-)

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  8. Sounds like someone thinks you’re very special Pauline 😀 I think so too. You have a vibe of ‘no holds barred’ living and enjoying life, I envy that. Alys will be so excited to have a gift from your collection and no one deserves it more. We Skyped this morning 😀 for almost 3 hours. I miss her so much. Maybe we could have a Skype x 3 one day. That’d be cool because it’d be a different day for you. Something to look forward too 😀 Cheers my dear. Hey, BTW….we were watching 60 Minutes and saw this crazy story about this guy who lives in some big mansion in New Zealand and was operating a site where people were uploading pirated movies. I forget his name, a large man who’s a billionaire….anyways, they showed a whole lot of stunning views and I immediately thought, WOW and Pauline lives there…wow wow. Beautiful. xoK

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    • If we skyped maybe I could tell you whats in your future …:-)
      You saw something about a man who calls himself Kim Dotcom. He is a German, who came here I believe via the US, in his early thirties and has been had up on piracy charges. Apparently he is a super Nerd/Geek. A top notch gamer and maker of websites etc and this is where his money comes from. He claims, and he has some support in this – that as he is intending to lay a superspeed internet link between the US and NZ [possibly Australia as well, I’m not sure] he got on the wrong side of Microsoft at al and all the charges are trumped up. I think America is trying to get him deported into their care – he is fighting that. I’m not sure that the charges are altogether without foundation – you saw his mansion……Its true he was the victim of a heavy handed dawn raid with armed police and helicopters and the works while he lay snoozing like a giant Winnie-the-Pooh in his king size bed….. I’m all for him and his plans as we have the slowest internet in all the western world apparently! A little bit of local news and scandal for you – though I may have a good deal of my facts wrong as I only pick up bits here and there as I don’t watch the news.

      Be aware that where the mansions are and where I am the views do change a bit 🙂

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  9. I enjoyed every word of your wonderful post. I have so much to be grateful for and yet I forget too. Thank you for your reminder. 🙂

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  11. Pauline, you have made me think about giving . . . and receiving. I don’t think I am as grateful as I might be, but I will do better. A member of my discussion group said she decorated a jar and every day she is putting in a slip of paper with something to be grateful for, or something wonderful that happened that day. Next New Year’s Eve she plans to read them all. Several other members have begun this, too, and I am beginning today.

    I remember years ago walking home in Victoria (BC) with my sons’ dad. We were always pretty broke back then. A man walking toward us greeted T and reached out to shake hands. He didn’t stop walking. T turned to me and showed me the $5 bill the man had given him. We looked, but the man had turned a corner and was out of sight. I’ve never forgotten him, though.

    I will pay more attention to how I feel as I receive from now on. I love what you shared about your feelings.

    I think many of us prefer to be givers and not recipients; I think to be either is a blessing, as we can’t have one without the other.

    Congratulations, Alys! I’m sure we are all excited to see which print you choose. 🙂

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    • Thank you Linne 🙂 I am so glad to hear you will start a jar – what more wonderful and tangible proof can you have of your blessings than to see a jar filling day after day……. I think my little daily project may work out along those lines – so far it is anyway 🙂

      I have finally really learnt to pay attention to whats going on within as I rattle about in my daily life – it is quite exhilarating. And I love the way the background noise completely disappears………

      You are right of course – to give or to receive – both are quite wonderful! xoxo

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    • Awww…you washed out your coffee cup just for me?! 🙂

      Oh! Where to start. What a lovely, lovely post.

      Before I forget, your new banner is wonderful. I love seeing all your art together like that. I will miss Orlando’s pic so you must promise to blog about him from time to time.

      Your morning routine is inspired. Talk about getting up on the *right* side of the bed each day. I love that. I love that you can open up and accept this anonymous gift, and, assuming your giver is reading this too, you’ve given so much back with your genuine appreciation and gratitude.

      Someone shared this quote with me today and I wrote it down: “Happiness doesn’t make you grateful, being grateful makes you happy.”

      Thank you, Pauline, from the bottom of my heart.

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      • Oh darn it all – I just wrote a long, complex reply, hit the wrong button and lost it all!

        So basically, you are most welcome 🙂 I love the quote. Orlando will be back quite soon. Did you see the direct link to my Etsy shop under the banner? [I did that today and am quite pleased with myself :-)] The morning meditative routine took years to make a habit. And yes, especially for you, I washed out my coffee cup 🙂 xoxo

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  12. Beautifully written, Pauline. If anyone thoroughly deserved this “gift” from a gorgeous anonymous donor, as Michael Buble says in my car, “it had to be you!” Your artwork is simply stunning! One of the resolutions I will definitely keep this year (when we are back home) is buying one of your heavenly paintings from your Etsy shop. I have just the spot … but, oh, which to choose … lucky I have another week and a bit to decide! The beautiful Alys is such a deserving winner, too. Congratulations! xoxoxoxox

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    • Hello Dani, I am so happy you stopped by in the middle of your holiday! And I am so happy to hear you like my art too – double happiness!! Love that Michael Buble! Keep on relaxing and enjoying – I hope your weather is being nice, ours has just turned on us!

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