Where the warm wind blows
It has taken me a while to return to the realm of the written word.
Not because there has been nothing to write about. But because there simply has been too much. And at such times, the formation of words can feel premature, cumbersome and unnatural.
I am learning that thoughts need time to mature and space to gain clarity. And life sometimes needs to be understood in silence. Silence – that essential prerequisite for every true seeker. Silence – that very excellent teacher.
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about.” ~ Rumi
I was back home in Malaysia and Singapore for the last two months. It was an extraordinary journey. Not just in miles but in witnessing great frontiers unfolding within. Home is where we unlock the mysteries of our hearts. Home is where the warm wind blows. We all need to go home sometimes.
Thank you to all of you who wrote to check in on me during my absence. To know that you cared touched me deeply. Being remembered by so many of you brought me an unexpected joy. My heart was solaced.
I eagerly await with pleasure your wonderful familiar faces once again. And a warm welcome to those who have just come by. I so much look forward to getting to know you. And I wish you all a very Happy New Year.
* These photos were taken at my parents’ home in Kulim, Malaysia.
So you will stay until Chap Goh Meh…
Wish you Gong Xi Fa Cai..
Hello Hifzan!
I’m now back in Finland! So good to hear from you and thank you for the Chinese New Year wishes! Sharon
Good to see you back! 😀
Good to be back!!! 😀 Oh and so very good to see you Cathy! Hugs.
I’ve been following your blogs for some time, and I was already wondering where you’ve disappeared. ;-D – Your blogs have given me a lot of inspiration. Thank you!
My dear Maarit!! I was just thinking of you – really! I just found out that we have common friends – Frederic and Mona!! 😀 And that our husbands worked in the same office. Imagine the ties that connect us. I just went over to your blog for the first time and I am captivated by the depth of thoughts presented there. It is excellent! It is fascinating! I believe you have much hidden treasures to share with us all and I am eagerly awaiting your next post. Oh, it’s really so good to hear from you! Sharon
Thank you so much, Sharon. Your comment really touches my heart. It was my very first blog post and I was nervous and excited to publish it… Also because English is not my first language.
I already knew that we have common friends but that our husbands have worked in the same office – that was a surprise! Where and when was that?Is your husband Finnish? I have to ask because I became so curious. Lovely to have you there! Maarit
Glad to see you back xx
Hello Viv!!! So very good to see you here! I see you have been busy and your sewing and art have really taken off!! Oh my, hexagon blankets, aprons and dolls! I can’t wait. Please make Fleur 😀 Happy New Year! Sharon
Great to see you back, Kakak Sharon! And before too late: Gong Xi Fa Choi! 🙂
Hello my Adik Subhan!!! So very good to be back and even happier to hear from you!!! I’m having a great big smile here with Kakak and the Chinese New Year greeting – so much nostalgia from home! Your love and craft for the written word is an inspiration to me. Your ceaseless effort as a writer humbles me. Take care and do keep in touch. Sharon
Welcome back and Happy New Year from Australia x
My dear Sonia,
It was truly heartwarming being connected to you again after this break! The vitality, warmth and how you keep it real, funny and yet solidly wholesome draws me back for more. Many hugs and Happy New Year to you and all at home! Sharon
Welcome back, Sharon and a Happy New Year to you too! I smiled when I saw a new post from you in my inbox.
Blessings for an abundant year!
My dear Valerie,
Simply seeing you here brought such a sense of peace and calm to my heart. That is what you have come to represent for me. Going over to your place I have just been soaking in the insights and gentle truths you have brought. I will take my time to slowly and carefully go through them. Oh a very Happy New Year to you and I know it will be another year of blessings for you and me! Hugs xxx
I missed you Sharon. Very much. It is interesting how much I really missed you amd your beautiful words since I only know you through the blogging world. You seem to have become a dear friend, some one, whose writing I rely on to calm me after an especially harrowing day and tell me that beautiful souls like yours still abound this world. So glad you are back. A big hug from me, dear.
My dearest Pi,
Sometimes we receive a gift so precious that we cannot find the words to express how we feel…Your message is like that gift to me. I will keep your words deep inside and take them out to remind me that out in this great big world, I have a friend close by. Thank you so much for making my heart soar. Hugs, Sharon
Must tell you how excited I got when I saw your blog on my email. Guess which mail I opened first 🙂 ?
I’m happy. Too much happy 😀
nice to see you again, Thank you, have a nice weekend, love, nia
Hello Nia!
It warms my heart to see you here! Thank you for this nice note and I really enjoyed the tour around Istanbul through your eyes. It is a city that my husband and I have long wanted to visit! Thank you for showing us more reasons to come! 😀 Hugs, Sharon
Sharon, your absence has been like a lost link in a bracelet! Welcome back! Hugs, Diane
Diane, it is indeed to go be back and to know that friends like you await. Thank you so much for the warm welcome. Best of all, so good to see you doing great! Loving the new vitality and as always loving what your work. Hugs, Sharon
Glad to see you back! I love the photo of the dove.
Dear Pat,
Thank you so much! I’m still new to taking bird shots but the dove was patient enough for me to get a pretty decent shot. To be honest, I actually thought of you while taking this photo!!! And I realised then what marvelous work you do! This dove has a partner and they often coo and potter about gently outside the kitchen window while I do the dishes. They made dishwashing a treat! 😀 Hugs, Sharon
Have been sending you light and knew you’d return when you had thoughts to share. I agree they take time to mellow and connect, and silence is the surest way to travel more deeply than the cursory skim along the surface that our societies often encourage. Gentle peace and joyful gifts as your journey continues, Sharon.
“He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.” Elbert Hubbard. I just knew you would understand Kitty. Thank you so much. So good to be back and have you here. That means a lot. Hugs, Sharon
Welcome back, Sharon! Glad to see you here. As always, I love your photos.
Cathy
Dear Cathy,
So good to see you here! Your gentle kindness reaches out to me across the miles. Thank you so much. Hugs, Sharon
Good to have you back, Sharon! I’m happy you could go home 🙂
Hello Tiny!! And how was your trip home to Finland? Please send me the link if you had posted on that one. I would love to see it. So good to be back and so good to see you again! Hugs, Sharon
Hi Sharon – I wrote many poems to pictures I took on that visit – here’s one link http://tinylessonsblog.com/2012/12/01/breathing/ and many more at the Poetry Tag December-January. You’ll recognize the pictures as being from Finland!
Thank you Tiny! I’ll be on it in a minute!
Welcome back, it’s been a long time. I trust your journey was pleasant and enjoyable, and home is everything you expected and wished for.
Dear Barney,
Thank you so much for writing. I really appreciate you stopping by to drop me a line. It means a lot. Going home this time opened up my eyes to see myself in a way I had not seen before. And I am grateful for that. Happy New Year and hope all is good with you and your family! Hugs, Sharon
Thank you for reconnecting with all of us. I reiterate the feelings expressed by all here how much we missed you!
My dearest Anne,
Your care and concern touched me greatly. I am amazed how our lives are connected and how we have the power to bring comfort and happiness to another heart even without meeting face to face. Such must surely be the power of the human spirit. Thank you so much….. Hugs, Sharon
You have indeed been missed. If the dove is a symbol of your return, it stopped by my home the other day to foretell your return. Never, never have I had one in my yard. This one was intent on staying as no matter how one of the local squirrels tried to chase it off it just wouldn’t leave. It would flutter up to the fence then back to the seed on the grass, get chased, and return. Perhaps, that dove is like our words, they are always there, sometimes they get chased off temporarily, but they’re always intent on being expressed. Welcome back Sharon.
I could spend hours just looking at the pair of doves that come visit my parents’ garden. They are so quiet and considerate and so very gently affectionate to each other it is a pleasure to watch. Funnily enough, I too never saw any doves before this trip either. I am glad a little dove came to tell you that I would be back soon! Thank you so much for welcoming me back with this beautiful message. I sit here humbled and grateful for the blessing of knowing you my dear Barb. Hugs, Sharon
Beautiful VIVID images!!! What are you shooting on I’m thinking about getting a new camera! I have a 30 D and as you can imagine the resolution is pretty poor compared to today’s standards!
Hello Jasmine and a warm welcome here! So very good to get to know you and your space brings a huge smile to my heart! I’m using a Sony DSLR and I’m just a beginner myself. Dabbling mostly 😀 I would love to see your photos. I would recommend you this link. It has helped me greatly.
http://thegreatamericanlandscape.wordpress.com/
See you! Sharon
I have been thinking about getting a sony. I am starting to drop my snobbery and ego with camera’s. THANK GOD!!!
Welcome back, Sharon! I have missed you. So true, we all need to go home sometimes.
Thank you Lee! So good to catch up with you and see your beautiful girls and now Teddy! Best of all to know that you are doing great! Happy New Year and to beautiful days ahead. Hugs, Sharon
The butterfly photo is stunning. Welcome back, and happy new year to you! Hope to see more images of your travels. 😉
Hi Ruth!!
I can’t wait to show you my pictures of Penang! The problem is how to sort them out because there are just so many! 😀 I was just at yours and the warmth of Croatia and those charming trulli houses made me feel like I was taken on a second holiday! Good to be back and wishing you a Happy New Year and happy travels! Sharon
Dear Sharon, I was so delighted to sign in to my email this morning and see your post. Your images are beautiful! And that is my favorite Rumi poem, the only one I have memorized.
You are often in my thoughts and in my heart–I have not written because I did not wish to intrude.
It is lovely to see you here, if only for a moment. Hugs, Vivian
Thank you for your very kind and lovely note this morning. I have been thinking of you and your beautiful sojourn and my growing concern during your absence and simultaneous reticence to disturb your solitude. I regret now that I did not follow my periodic urge reach out to you during that time, to tell you how much I missed you and hoped that you were well. I’m sorry. Vivian
Oh my dearest Vivian! While I have always looked forward to hearing from you, please know that there is no need to apologise when you do not write! I completely understand. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts throughout this time. Most of all, thank you so much for taking time to write especially during these difficult days. With such pressing matters at hand, please be completely assured that I should be the last thing on your mind at this time 😀 Promise me that ok! You take good care now. Rest easy dear one. And a great big hug from me. Always, Sharon
Dear Sharon, Your kind sweet words brought tears of relief to my eyes. But I stand by my apology and in future if you go missing I will search for you, as friends do. 🙂 Love, Vivian
It’s good to have you back in the blogosphere. I miss your wise words and your beautiful pictures.
I’d always heard ‘silence is golden’ but until I learned to be silent I didn’t know what that saying meant. It is in silence that we hear our heart and spirit.
One big thing I learned about silence last year is that I can be in a totally quiet space with not a sound being made and still not be in silence because my mind is talking. My journey right now is about being a quiet observer of my busy mind. Not an easy task….
Hugs and welcome back. Brenda
Sooooo nice to see your voice again! Welcome back Sharon.
Long time no see. I’m glad that you enjoyed your hometown The photos are really beautiful
Thank you Masa! It is good to be back too and I am delighted to catch up with you and see that you and your family are doing well! Happy New Year! Warm greetings from us! Sharon
Welcome back to one of your homes. ♡ Fae.
Thank you so much Fae! Thank you for keeping in touch and sending me so much love even while I was away. Your kindness and care kept me. With so much love…Btw, I tried to look you up on Facebook but couldn’t locate you. I guess you don’t go by the name of Fae’s Twist & Tango? 😀 Much love, Sharon
https://www.facebook.com/FaesTwistAndTango
Ho! ho! ho! You just got a new Liker on FB!! 😀
welcome back. 🙂
Thank you and a big hug to Hanzo! 😀 Sharon
Glad you are back…Lakshmi x
Glad to be back too Lakshmi! Btw, I couldn’t access your blog with the link above. Do take a look and I’ll be checking in on you in a while! Have a truly great day! Sharon
Hi,
Loved the beautiful synergy between the pictures and the written word that you have brought in.
Shakti
My kind sir,
It is indeed such a privilege to hear from you and I thank you for the kind comments you have taken time to leave me. I apologise for not replying to your earlier message which I received while I was back in Malaysia. All I know is that I have stumbled upon one of those rare blogs which offer so much depth, knowledge and truth that I am honoured to meet the author of that blog. I am much looking forward to getting to know you Mr Shakti Gosal! My warmest wishes, Sharon
Hi Sharon,
The honour remains mine to have met such a warm and giving person as you.
God bless.
Shakti
I’m so happy to see that you are back. You had warned that it would be some time before you returned, and I have been waiting. I have just returned from a trip AWAY from home…which has given me insights into myself. Perhaps change is what we need now and again.
Isn’t it so that when we are sometimes removed from our natural and familiar surroundings that we get to see aspects of ourselves otherwise dormant or hidden away? Or then certain issues that becomes timely to deal with. You are so right – sometimes the external change do bring about internal change too. So very glad to be back and so very glad to hear from you! A tight hug, Sharon
p.s. I can’t access the link to your blog from the above link. Send me the link ok!
How wonderful that you are okay and that you are back, Sharon. I thought of you often, and wondered after your health. I hope you are happy and well.
So good to hear from you Yaz! Thank you for your kind thoughts. I spent this morning enjoying a brilliant read at yours. Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy New Year and to the open spaces of the many roads yet to be travelled! Sharon
Welcome back Sharon, it looks as though your time at home was very well spent. Good to see you back safe and sound and posting again.
Your butterfly is a real beauty, I guess you don’t see to many of them in Finland at this time of year 🙂
Thank you for coming by Finn! It is always good to see you too! I tried my hand at taking a bit of wildlife photos this time – garden birds and backyard visitors. It’s amazing how much life is teeming in the tropics. I saw a few variety of birds which I couldn’t identify by name and also some butterflies. Are you familiar with tropical wildlife? Have a great day! We saw the sun for the first time today since we got back! 😀 Sharon
Hello Sharon, alas I’m not overly familiar with tropical wildlife, but it makes me stare open-mouthed when I do see some! Especially the birds and the insects.
Hi, Sharon! Welcome back to the web and the world of distant yet never-far-friends. I’m glad you had a wonderful two months. I know what you mean about there sometimes being too much to write about … it sometimes leaves me post-less! Jeanne
Thank you for the warm welcome Jeanne! Yes, it is good to be back among friends I have not met. I am surprised myself how attached I have become to the good folks I have met here. Great to see you doing so well and enjoying the best things in life. Your coffee has been on my mind since 😀 Sharon
How wonderful to have you back! Happy New Year!
Hello Sherrie!
Great to see you moving on with your writing. I hope we get to read some of your drafts some day? A very Happy New Year to you and to fresh inspiration! Sharon
You were greatly missed, my friend!
Russ
Thank you so much Russ. Always a joy to hear from you and I loved that piece you wrote about the Tale of two Secret Agents and the Urn 😀 Thank you for all the happiness you create. Sharon
I’ve been wondering where you were. I hope all is well and that your time of silence has helped you with whatever it was that took you home. It’s lovely to have you back. You have been missed. 🙂
Hello Sally!!! I’m doing well, thank you so much. I appreciate your warm welcome back and always so good when you write! I’m still thinking of the holiday you went to in India and Nepal. Hugs, Sharon
I missed you and quietly wondered what had happened to you. So glad to know that all is well. Please don’t feel you need to reply as you have such a busy comments section. Your images and words are as lovely as ever.
My Dear Shaz, I am beyond happy to see you back. I was thrilled! Big hugs to you. I am also most happy that you are well. Thank you so much for visiting my bog. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 Renee ♥
My dear, dear Renee!!!
First off, thank you so much for writing to me while I was away. I’m sorry I didn’t manage to get back to you but it warmed my heart to know that you cared. My grandmother passed away while we were back in Malaysia and so it was a rather intense time. But I was glad I got a chance to hold her hand for one last time. So it really meant so much when so many wrote. Thank you for always bringing me sunshine. I truly mean this. You are one of the nicest people I know! Hugs, Sharon
Oh Shaz, I am so sorry for your loss. Like you mentioned it was touching for you to be able to hold your Grandma’s hand. Big hugs my friend. I thought about you often and was praying that your health was good. Take good care of you and thank you for bringing smiles to me. You are a special friend to me. 🙂 Renee ♥
Happy New Year Sharon. Good to see you again 🙂
Sharon I am glad to see your return! I have something I want to share with you for 2012, I have nominated you yesterday at my blog foreverpoetic.me, for the Most Influential Blog Award 2012. You have touched so many of us with your warm spirit and your words. Influencing our day to day lives with the beauty you share. Are lives are made much better by the life-light of your spirit! Congratulations and God bless you and your family! P.S., I loved your post especially the image, I am a great lover of Birds!
great to have you back Sharon..glad to know you had a great time ..back home.
beautiful photos and a warm post…looking forward to your posts from home..:-)
best wishes
take care
sriram
Welcome back, Sharon. 🙂 It is nice to be back home and to soak in everything that was familiar. I look forward to your posts and beautiful photos.
~Imelda
“Home is where the warm wind blows” is a very nice thought indeed. I wonder if a warm wind ever blows in Finland? Perhaps in summer?
Welcome back and such a delight to visit with you again. I also have been going through that silent phase and it has been good for my soul… not sure for blogging but I am at peace with it…. As always you share so beautifully… Rumi is a favorite. 🙂
Eliz
What a wonderful phrase “Where the warm wind blows”. In the Spring I like to drive into the rural area near my home when the farmers are plowing their fields. I stop, lower my windows, and absorb the smell of the freshly turned earth.
Earth – What wonderful place to be.
Dear Claude,
What a privilege to hear from you! Thank you so much for writing this. It brought fresh images of farmlands and the verdant soil. I can see you in my mind just soaking it all in – the good Earth. I look forward to the photos when you embark on this drive in Spring. Sharon
What a beautiful post and your pictures are simply amazing! 😉
Sharon, it is so wonderful to have you back and your wise words are always a balm to my spirit. You have been tremendously missed! Since I don’t use the Reader or email systems to their full advantage, I simply have my favorite friends I check in on frequently and I came by here many times over the past few months. So you can imagine my delight to read this and one more to enjoy. Yes time away is important while we are busy growing, and allowing our inner growth to percolate before the words come. When your words do come to the surface, they are always soothing and inspiring in their deep truth. Thank you, as always dear heart, for sharing your lovingkindness with us all here.
Namaste. Gina
I, too, checked for you the last few months, hoping to see something written in your uniquely sensitive and endearing voice. I’m happy that today I went in search again and found your most recent posts. It’s good to read your words and see your beautiful photos once again. Peace, Mark
So nice to see you back expressing yourself with words of beauty…
Great to see you back again with your beautiful words, Sharon!
I also was away for a couple of months, but gradually trying to get back into blogging. So glad you were able to take a break and travel back home.
You are so poetic! Love to you and your family Sharon!
And here I was thinking I was neglecting you. So happy to hear that you are back, and hope your trip went as well as you hoped. Welcome back!
Your blog is wonderful and very inspiring.
Big hug♥
DIna