I am humbled to share another message today, this one by my sister-in-law Mel.

Mel is a very special friend to 3 beautiful girls and Aunty to several nieces and nephews. She is also a nurse so helping and engaging with a variety of people is a daily habit for her. Mel has dedicated this message to her Family and especially all of the little cherubs in her life.

Her message is titled Lemonade: Food for your soul.

 

▪️Life will hand you lemons time and time again. But lemons make lemonade especially if you sweeten it up.

▪️The only thing you can control in life is how you deal with it.

▪️Stand up and be strong.

▪️Your family love you no matter what happens.

▪️Always remember that whatever you do, wherever you are, whom ever you’re with, there are people in this world worse off than you, struggling with poverty, famine and violence.

We cannot forget these people and their struggles. But despite these issues they still smile. They see the rainbow when it can’t be seen. They’ve got each other.

It is always good to remember these people and others less fortunate than yourself in times of your own stress and hardship. You won’t complain any more. You’ll Be thankful everyday of what you have and not what you don’t.

 

You know I’m a nurse and I look after so many people like mums, dads, uncles, aunts, grandparents, children, cousins and friends. Each one has a different story. It pays to listen to everyone’s story. I learn something new from each. Some have seen wars, famine, abuse, deaths door (some more than once) and even still they can smile. I remember one elderly gentleman who had lived to a ripe old age of 104, his memory not so great. During a lucid moment, I asked him about his life and what his secret was.

Do you know what his answer was?

 

“I’ve been to two wars, seen life taken peacefully and seen it taken violently.

I’ve starved to provide food for my wife and children.

I’ve seen people struggle to put a roof over their heads and food on their table and clothes on their back.

And I’ve never seen them complain.

They still always had a smile for me.

So every day I smile and I try to make others around me smile.

It might be a joke I’ve told or it could be something I do for someone else.

Something as little as letting someone go in front of me in a long queue or even buying a homeless person a meal or a bag of fruit.

The smile is worth it. It makes me smile and makes me happy.”

 

I cried…. but I smile every time I think of him and his words. ( And still cry a little bit too)

I now live by this. I open my smile to those around me. I offer up my seat, buy the person behind me a coffee, let people in front of me in a queue…. even just smile at person next to me. I only wish for a smile in return. Despite my struggles it warms me to do something small for someone else. (And not get paid for it… nurse remember!). It’s in these actions that you will find your sweetener for your lemons.

It’s these actions that will make your sweet, sweet lemonade.

 

Be and stay beautiful inside and out. And remember, family is there when it feels like no else is.

Love Mel

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I am absolutely honoured to be able to share another Lighthouse message this week, this time by our cousin Rikki.
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Rikki is the mother of two amazing children, wife to her soul mate, loving sister and daughter, and a cherished family member.
By day she gets to share in other couples happiest moments on a regular basis, and I couldn’t think of a better person-career fit than Rikki being a Celebrant as she has always been the brightest and most vibrant person in any room.
One of Rikki’s most important core values is ‘to be present’ and she has dedicated this message to anyone reading it.
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Rikki’s Lighthouse Message:

Life is what you make it, but ensure to simply stop. Stop and simply ‘be’ with those people you adore and make your world whole.
Stop and laugh.
Stop and treasure yourself.
Sometimes you may get so caught up in your life to achieve ‘X Y Z’ that to simply ‘be present’ is what actually shapes you and not your ‘X Y Z’ life successes.

Lots of love little P, from Aunty Rikki xx
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“I have realized; it is during the times I am far outside my element that I experience myself the most. That I see and feel who I really am, the most! I think that’s what a comet is like, you see, a comet is born in the outer realms of the universe! But it’s only when it ventures too close to our sun or to other stars that it releases the blazing “tail” behind it and shoots brazen through the heavens! And meteors become sucked into our atmosphere before they burst like firecrackers and realize that they’re shooting stars! That’s why I enjoy taking myself out of my own element, my own comfort zone, and hurling myself out into the unknown. Because it’s during those scary moments, those unsure steps taken, that I am able to see that I’m like a comet hitting a new atmosphere: suddenly I illuminate magnificently and fire dusts begin to fall off of me! I discover a smile I didn’t know I had, I uncover a feeling that I didn’t know existed in me… I see myself. I’m a shooting star. A meteor shower. But I’m not going to die out. I guess I’m more like a comet then. I’m just going to keep on coming back.”
― C. JoyBell C.

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And of course, We need to add Amy’s and My message to the collection:

Amy and I are the extremely grateful parents of the most gorgeous little girl, who has been the catalyst for this project. We have been happily married for two years – at the time of this writing – and are legitimately best friends. I am passionate and intense and she is calm and calculated, together we work perfectly, well most of the time anyway. She helps me filter and calm my busy mind and I help to fire her up and see herself as I see her, a straight up superstar.

My Lighthouse Message Message:

“Always value the importance of Self-Awareness.”

I have found that if you don’t continually work on self-awareness then it becomes extremely hard to grow in any capacity, whether that be in self development, work, relationships, academics, sports etc.

If you can’t recognize your own strengths and flaws then it’s nearly impossible to keep moving forward, and I believe that’s the ultimate goal. To continue to move the needle forward every day, stoke your fire, and give your best self to this world.

Be in touch with your thoughts and feelings and this recognition will lead you to a growth mindset, and people with a growth mindset just look at the world in a better light.

Love you little P xo

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Emma is the mother of a beautiful boy and soon to be married to the love of her life. She is caring and bubbly and always has an infectious smile.
Emma has dedicated this message to her loving husband, her beautiful son and her future children.
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“If I only had one chance to leave a message it would say – always BE YOURSELF in any circumstances life throws at you. Don’t be afraid to let your light shine, no matter who surrounds you and no matter what situations you find yourself in. 

 

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Anne is, first and foremost, a mother of 2 wonderful boys.

She pride’s herself on being a volunteer- soon to be volunteering at The Commonwealth Games- and has recently started attending university as an adult, stepping out of her comfort zone to pursue a new career. Anne is resilient, strong and a great role model for her boys.

Thank you for sharing your message Anne.

Anne’s Lighthouse Message:

Manners cost nothing, but can get you everywhere in life.

They open doors both practically and figuratively.

Manners have untold value for you and those you use them with.

You can start with a simple please or thank you and build from there.

You can also increase the value of manners by adding one simple thing…….a smile.

That smile, and a please or thank you, could make someone’s day.

That someone may have been having a shocker of a day and your smile and manners could quite simply turn it around.

Manners transcend time, race, gender, and religion.

Go on, give it a try, you will be glad you did!

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Laurel’s Lighthouse Message:

Grandmas are supposed to be wise and good at listening and help to solve problems big and small. I would rather think that this Grandma is not too bad at listening, although she may not always understand. I also think this grandma is good at being NICE! Being nice is a very important thing to be in life. If you are nice to people and animals, they will be nice to you! If they are horrid to you -that’s their problem! You just keep on being nice! It makes you feel happy and maybe it will make others feel happy too. Of course the most important thing after being nice is being happy!! You are a very lucky girl. Your Mum and Dad are really nice and because they do nice things for others they make people around them happy too. So first lesson in life from Grandma is to be nice to everybody and everything and life will be happy!!!