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Tag Archives: Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Language Creates Reality

Some time ago, last June in fact, I made two fabric story books for a little friend of ours, Arthur. You can see them here. Arthur is a beautiful one year old who has Down Syndrome. His Mum, Becca has created language cards to help us all to better understand how to speak to and about people with Down Syndrome. BBC Breakfast showed the following interview yesterday . Please watch.

The reaction world-wide has been amazing. This is what Becca has told us today –

“Language Creates Reality update:
We had over a million online views in the first day, and were the 2nd most watched story across the world on the BBC app all day. We have been asked to translate the cards into French, Spanish, Belgian, Dutch, Irish, German, and Italian so far …and have been offered translators for some of them. Since the show we have had over 100 emails from professionals who are sharing the cards on a major scale through their networks, many of whom are teachers and medical professionals. ITV West Country have approached us as they now want to cover the piece. We are on CBeebies Instagram. Frugi have celebrated the cards with a blog https://www.welovefrugi.com/…/language-creates-reality…/ Arthur is soon to appear in River Island and Asda modelling their clothes. I will always be thankful to the amazing creative collaborators Bear and Pear www.bearandpear.co.uk – and Thom and Angie Jones for pushing this forward… AND I am very grateful to YOU ALL for being part of this movement and adding your passion and sharing. Together we can, and are, making powerful positive change…”

Here are the cards for you to read, share and print out.

Please feel free to Re-blog this post. Let the whole world know about the wonderful work Becca is doing and what she is achieving. Photos sent by Becca for inclusion here.

Arthur and his Mum, Becca

Arthur, beautiful little boy

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on October 17, 2020 in friendship, Postaday2020, Uncategorized

Tags: Archbishop Desmond Tutu

More Sparkles, Matchbox and Hope

29 Dec

We have a glass cone ‘tree’ lit from the inside which I love.

One of our presents this year was a scented candle (vanilla, my favourite) and a prettily decorated box of matches.

You may have heard of our New Year Honours List when people are awarded Knighthoods or other means of recognition. Some of the people are ordinary folk doing wonderful work in the community who deserve all the kudos given by such awards.
Some are not. In the face of such darkness, I offer you some words from Desmond Tutu.

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 29, 2019 in Christmas, Photography, Postaday 2019

Tags: Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Take a Side, Pride and A Poem

24 Jun

We live in very uncertain times and many of us feel worried. At choir we are learning several songs of strength and resistance written by our leader and I always leave choir feeling stronger and more determined. One of our songs (and I will share them after their debut concert in July) is about standing up in the face of injustice and defending those less able to do so for themselves. I was reminded of these words of Desmond Tutu:

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

On Sunday, in Saltash, we waited for the Cornwall Pride Bus and the parade. It was brilliant and very well supported. One of our songs is about being who you want to be and loving who you want to love and I will share that one later too.

I have a friend who is a poet and he has recently had an event where he gave away A Poem on a Paper Bag – a delightful idea. He visited Cornwall last week but we have family here so couldn’t meet up. However, he has sent me my very own Poem on a Paper Bag and here it is, in his very own handwriting. Thank you so much, Kim. I love it – Jackdaws caught to perfection!

Kak-Kak by Kim Ridgeon

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on June 24, 2019 in Celebration, Cornwall, friendship, Photography, poetry, Postaday 2019

Tags: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, be who you want to be, Cornwall Pride, Kim Ridgeon, love who you want to love

First Day of Spring and International Day of Happiness

20 Mar

Today is officially the First Day of Spring. Here are some Primroses and a SnowBaby for you to enjoy that I spotted on my walk back from town this morning.

Primroses

SnowBaby on a rock

The BBC is playing poems to celebrate Spring throughout the day. This one by Stevie Smith is a delight.

Black March.

I have a friend
At the end
Of the world.
His name is a breath

Of fresh air.
He is dressed in
Grey chiffon. At least
I think it is chiffon.
It has a
Peculiar look, like smoke.

It wraps him round
It blows out of place
It conceals him
I have not seen his face.

But I have seen his eyes, they are
As pretty and bright
As raindrops on black twigs
In March, and heard him say:

I am a breath
Of fresh air for you, a change
By and by.

Black March I call him
Because of his eyes
Being like March raindrops
On black twigs.

(Such a pretty time when the sky
Behind black twigs can be seen
Stretched out in one
Uninterrupted
Cambridge blue as cold as snow.)

But this friend
Whatever new names I give him
Is an old friend. He says:

Whatever names you give me
I am
A breath of fresh air,
A change for you.

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world” ~ Desmond Tutu

I have added the Roasted Cauliflower with Lentils recipe to my Recipes (Savoury). Click on the red link to find the recipe.

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 20, 2018 in Beauty, Food, Kindness, nature, Photography, poetry, Postaday2018

Tags: #BigIssue, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Black March, Desmond Tutu, snowbaby, Stevie Smith

Sunflower, Tremenheere and Ubuntu

19 Aug

1 Only one of our Sunflowers has been successful and it is beautiful.

Sunflower

2 We had a family outing to Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens this afternoon and the children loved exploring the jungly garden. The adults loved the sculptures and we all enjoyed delicious cakes at the end of our hot, hard walk.

J exploring

View of St Michael’s Mount from the top of the gardens

T exploring

3 It’s World Humanitarian Day and SG, a good friend, has said her word for today is Ubuntu. Archbishop Desmond Tutu explained ubuntu like this – he says that you cannot exist as a human being in isolation, as we are all interconnected:
“We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.” Or, as SG says, “I am because you are.” Thank you for this, S.