Beware Mousetrap Ahead.

 It is amazing how we can allow life to become so comfortable that we begin to take things for granted. I have a certain number of routes that I can choose to run and because I run at the same time each day I expect on certain runs to meet certain people. I take it for granted. The same people walking their dogs, the same old guys out for their morning stroll. I turn certain bends and expect certain things. Then one day it all changes and you are facing a solid wall that was not there the last time, what do you do now? Out of your comfort zone and you immediately feel rattled.

There is a lovely story that makes a similar message. A little mouse lived on a farm. He lived behind the skirting board in the kitchen. It was a nice spot to live being warm and always there was plenty to eat around the place. One day he peeped out from his spot and saw the farmer’s wife opening a parcel. The parcel contained a number of mousetraps.

The little mouse panicked. He ran off to the shed and told the chicken, the pig and the cow. They all looked at him and asked what the problem was. The mouse said they were dangerous things mouse traps. The pig laughed and said that it might be for him but not for them. A mousetrap was never going to be a problem for them.

Later that day, all of the animals heard the farmer’s wife screaming. The mousetrap had gone off and caught a snake by the tail. The snake had then bitten the farmers’ wife. The farmer rushed her to hospital and they did their best to remove all the poison, but late in the night she still had a terrible fever.

The farmer knew that some nice chicken broth was known to help. He went out to the shed and killed the chicken to make the broth. Sadly the fever persisted. So many people visited and offered their help the farmer had to kill the pig to make enough sandwiches to feed them all.

Sadly the poison took its toll and the wife died. The farmer on hearing how many people were to be attending the funeral had to kill the cow to supply enough food for them all.

So you see the truth of the matter is that the mousetrap was responsible for the deaths of them all and the mouse was a witness to this. Some times life can get so comfortable for us that we fail to notice the needs of those around us. We are all part of the wonderful thread of life and whether we like it or not what effects those around us can so easily in the end effect us.

Sorry the pictures do not exactly fit the story but I took those yesterday and thought I would share them with you today. I saw this fellow and some beautiful deer yesterday they made my day.

Have a marvellous weekend.

The Fire

There was a fire at one of the largest houses in the village. All the villagers had rallied round to try and put the fire out. A line of people passed buckets of water from the well to the house that was ablaze. Some of the villagers had managed to get the owner of the house out of the building and she was being looked after by two of the ladies of the village. She was wrapped in a warm blanket and was being given a warm infusion.


The villagers did not really know the lady because she had hardly if ever spoken to any of them. The only times they really saw her was when she came out of the house carried in her sedan by her servants. The children of the village had often ran alongside and tried to speak to her but she had always turned and looked away. She found it difficult to believe that people dressed so shabbily and looked so unkempt.

This night she had no alternative but to speak to them, they were after all trying very hard to save her house and her possessions. Yet even now she looked at the ladies that were helping her and wondering how they could look so shabby. She was still speaking to everybody as if they were her servants. As they rescued belongs from her house she would tell them to handle them with care, to put them down gently.

Soon the fire was brought under control but it was too late to save the house as it stood. One thing was certain the lady of the house could not sleep there tonight. The villagers had offered rooms to the servants which they gladly and thankfully accepted. The old lady was a different story. What were they to do with her?

One of the villagers suggested she be taken to the old hut on the outskirts of the village that had recently been vacated with the death of its old resident. It was agreed. Bedding was gathered together and some food. The old lady protested that she could not sleep in these sheets, but the truth was she had little choice. By the time they arrived at the hut it was dark. The old lady was aghast at what she saw but was made as comfortable as possible by the villagers.

In the morning she awoke. She went over to the window and drew back the thick faded curtains. As she looked out she was astounded. Before her was the most beautiful view she had ever seen. She still lives in the hut. She and the villagers have made improvements but she has also helped them to make improvements to their conditions.

Sometimes life has to get to a low point before we become aware of the beauty around us. Sometimes we are so busy complaining about our circumstances we fail to see the ways we can make others lives better.

We are surrounded by beauty. To be aware of it is the way of the Tao.

This blog is linked to my other blog where the artwork chosen is discussed.:- Iona

Secrets and Giving

In recent years we have seen the growth in the large charity events, sport relief, children in need and numbers of celebrity events in aid of the growing number of charities. Now for those that benefit this must be a good thing. Who would ever question the motives of the celebrities, who get plenty of publicity? I often think that for the amount they raise after all the effort they could almost just slip that amount out of their wallet and never miss it. The fact that those in need benefit must never be objected to.


Religions have from time immemorial have tried to persuade their followers to be generous in giving to those less fortunate. There is the promise in most of these religions of future benefit beyond death. It is still a fact though that there is no promise of a special deal in the here and now. For most religions giving must be done in secret with no show of giving. It was wonderful to see artists giving artwork quietly to various groups to help those whose lives were so dramatically affected by the disaster in Haiti. Giving brings its own reward in exchange for our kindness there is a growth in the inner being.

When we begin to think of others besides ourselves there follows a growth in the person. It is wonderful to watch a young child for the very first time hand something it has to a parent. In this action is the first signs of growth of the human personality within, they are becoming aware of others. When a person for the first time begins to stop wanting to be loved and begins to do things for another without seeking any payback we can be sure that this person has began to learn what love really is.

So can we argue that it is from selflessness that growth can happen? When you see a pain in another person you recognise because you have felt that pain yourself then you can help. If you have felt the deep pain of loneliness it is possible to see that in others and you have the power to help.

Artists can be so guarded of the things they have learned that they want to hold on to them. How many times people have said to me don’t give step by step help to other artists unless somebody pays you to do so. There has to be a payback it would seem. Not so long ago I was asked by a fellow artist how I had achieved an effect in an abstract painting. I described it as fully as I could. Not long after I saw her exhibit a painting using this effect to its full, and better than I had myself. There was the payback for me; I saw that there was even more that could be done with this effect and new doors opened for me.

We all have our secrets and our places we want to hold onto for ourselves, and rightly so. But it is from giving that there comes knowing and from knowing comes growing. So open some of those secrets of experience and in secret share them with others, then you too will grow.

The painting attached to this blog is my most recent it is called:- Secrets.  ( The little secret places we have and the secrets of our minds)