Soul Coffee with Donna

I am not entirely sure if there are words in the dictionary to describe the events of my last three weeks, and in the main they are not for here. But let’s just say that for almost every single one of them, there have been moments of being brave, courageous, of facing inner and outer demons, and doing a lot of digging deep. Much has been revealed.

But yesterday I crashed. I was done.

A call to my line manager, and two much needed days off were required. Yet I woke today with barely a plan, and barely the energy to even think of what I might do for the day.

Instead of giving I needed to receive.

Instead of trying to write, and be creative, just needed to be

Instead of learning I needed to feel

Instead of self help, I turned to poetry.

And after a walk along the river, and with my free Caffè Nero vouchers, started my flat white coffee, and picked up ‘Brave’ by Donna Ashworth.

And for an hour it was as if she took me out for coffee.

Words of her poetry speaking into my soul.

Phrases that leapt off the page, some more warmly received than others, some affirming, some bringing a silent tear, but delivered with a warmth, care and love, that I needed.

I offer some that struck out for me today, my coffee out with Donna Ashworth, for you today too.

One Day you will see,

That all this mud

was simply the soil

that grew you to full height

(Donna Ashworth, Brave)

You Mustn’t run on a broken leg

bones rest to heal, thats true

but you can still love with a

broken heart and you must

because love is the glue

(Donna Ashworth, Brave)

And this one:

I wish you beauty in this life, my friend

but most of all, I wish you the bravery

to see that beauty in yourself

because it is there, it most definitely is there.

(Donna Ashworth, I wish you beauty)

To become a more positive person

you must make a pact with your inner child

to hear her voice above that

of your inner critics and demons

(Donna Ashworth, The Positivity Pact)

Just begin….

The world may not immediately embrace

your contribution

but the universe will and its her you need on side

(Donne Ashworth)

If you dont know how to move forward…

just take a few brave steps and have faith,

the universe will meet you there

(Donna Ashworth)

It is brave not to be busy

to be bare and boldly being

when everyone else strives to buy

the emperors new clothes

(Donna Ashworth)

My Soul garden is in bloom when light is being sought

and love is at the forefront of all I choose

starting with

me

(Donna Ashworth, Soul Garden)

Sometimes it was just the words in between the poems, the almost throw away sentences that had no titles, not made it to ‘poetry status’ just gaps in between when balming words gracefully arrived from the page.

In amidst the conversations in the coffee shop, I had this one with Donna Ashworth, she sat there, invisible in the chair, but the words of her heart, written, calmed and restored my soul.

The Magnificence of the moon

is rarely captured by camera

what makes you think

you are any different?

(Donna Ashworth)

If I ever meet you Donna, I’ll buy you a coffee.

Thank you.