I cannot thank enough the gang at the Rakuten Affiliate Network and Cotton On for being so kind to put me on the list to receive the Rakuten Affiliate Network Cotton On Bonus box that was recently sent out to a handful of lucky bloggers.
What was in the Rakuten Affiliate Network Cotton On Bonus Box?
The Rakuten Affiliate Network Cotton On Bonus Box contained a track suit, a t-shirt and a pair of black stirrup leggings.
Note: I have bright studio lights on me in the bedroom. I also have my recording device on a bright light setting. My complexion is brown in reality. ( for those of you who will wonder why I’ve made note of this silly point, it’s because there are people who pay attention to this stuff and who will ask questions, not always in nice ways about the difference in my complexion from one picture to the next. So I am putting the answer ahead of being asked the question.)
Now back to the Bonus Box…
The Cotton On Bonus Box also contained a journal (with pen) and a calendar, both of which I really love because they remind me of what life used to be. Update: I should note that the journal/pen and calender were from Typo, an “Aussie gift, stationery and lifestyle brand”. Thank you Typo for the lovely gifts. (I do think, on further research, Typo is part of the Cotton: On & Co)
I am happy that the world is as advanced as it is because it allows me to do the things I am doing to keep myself happy in life. I could not have done any of these things back in those days when we only had paper journals and calendars, and no such things as blogs. But there is a bit of a disconnect from the real world when your life is lived through your fingers typing on a keyboard for most of the day every day for decades of your life, creating things that cannot be physically touched.
Back in time, before I started using blogs, I wrote in journals to help myself cope with my feelings of sadness and loneliness. It’s nice to have reminders from time to time that there are options outside of digital gadgets. I know for a fact that we sometimes forget that pen and paper are still an option when we need to record something in writing. I’ve had “wait a second, I could use pen and paper” moments when I’ve needed to print out the lyrics of my songs but the printer wasn’t working and I didn’t know what to do.
Like I wrote (typed) in the caption of a video I posted on the My Fashion Wants Instagram page, this week’s experience with my dad has reminded me of what really matters in life. (My dad has been in the hospital with infection caused by a malfunctioning dialysis access. He had to have emergency dialysis via a catheter in his neck. He also had to undergo surgery to remove the access because it was compromising his system. He could have lost his life and so it has been a very worrying and difficult time.)
I say that I have been reminded of what is important in life. It’s true, but I know I will forget again because that is the way things work. I will forget again (although I intend to try very hard to stay conscious) and life will remind me again. I know that we will lose everyone we love, and so many people have already lost people they love. Sometimes I wonder if it’s appropriate to be grateful that you and your loved ones were given another day, knowing that while you are breathing your sigh of relief, someone is releasing their cry of deep sorrow.
I know, you don’t come here seeking insight on life from some crazy chic you don’t know who is clearly about as in touch with reality as, I don’t know, whatever has a reputation for being most out of touch with reality. And I get it. You know what life is all about. You’re simply choosing to live and be calm and free, and happy while you have that ability.
But my mind is on life and death right now. I know I can’t avoid death. My dad is going to die. My mom is going to die. I am going to die. Everybody dies. But I guess I need to be focused on the fact that all is stable for now. I am here. You are here. So let’s be here to hold up the people who weren’t as lucky yesterday. The people who are losing their loved ones as I write this and as you read this. Because this is all of our reality and our truth. We are all in line waiting for our turn.
My heart wishes for this world a different kind of consciousness. A significantly higher level of awareness. I am working on this for myself. And I guess that is all we can do. No single one of us has the power to change the world. But we all individually have the power to change ourselves. And hopefully, eventually, enough of us rise to a higher plain to actually result in a changed world. I do realize that the world is hundreds if not thousands of years away from changing for the better in any fundamental way. But just because I won’t be here to see it, doesn’t mean I am wasting my time trying to rise higher in consciousness while living in times where it seems that honesty, kindness, thoughtfulness, forgiveness, acceptance, sincerity, understanding, unity, tolerance, patience, and basic human goodness are loathed and disdained, mistrusted and treated like abhorrent traits of weakness.
Thank you again to the team at Rakuten Affiliate Network, and to the folks at Cotton On for the Rakuten Affiliate Network Cotton On Bonus Box.
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂