Awards: Accepted with Gratitude – Passed On with Love

Two fellow bloggers – on the same day – raised my gratitude to a new dimension.  Their votes of confidence not only lit my candle, but also put some “om pah pah” in the Love that hangs around this platform.

 First thanks to: “On Dragonfly Wings With Buttercup Tea”

It only takes one small candle to alter a darkened room.

Becca appeared in my life with a request for an intuitive session.  During and after the session, Becca and I corresponded through email as well as our blogs.  She mostly loves to write Haikus and occasionally writes prose.  In both, she portrays a spirit that guides her through life.   She presented the award by saying:  “Since you are such a positive inspirational messenger, I have nominated you for The Candlelighter Award.”

May I not falter from my ascribed post, Becca!

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The other award came from:”Perspectives & Prejudices”

The translation, "Dearest" or "Favourite", means I have to fill some very big shoes.

P & P read blogs for a while before she took the plunge and set up “Perspectives & Prejudices”.   She nudged my heart when she wrote about the positive energy she encounters on Soul Dipper, then hit my soul with this comment:  “I love reading her comments on my blog – the thoughtfulness behind each one feels like she’s dipped into a part of my soul.”

Mission accomplished thanks to you, my sweet young friend.

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Now it’s my turn to pass on these awards:

I’m sending the The Candle Lighter Award:

“The Candle Lighter Award is an award for a post or blog that is positive and brings light into the world.  The Candle Lighter award belongs to those who believe, who always survive the day and those who never stop dreaming, for those who cannot quit, for those who keep trying.”  Others say that it is for those with “faith of steel.”

to Tracy Todd’s Blog:

The best description of Tracy Todd comes from her blog – the first question in her  “About” tab:

“Why walk when you can soar?”    

“Tracy Todd was an active woman who loved sport and outdoor activities, but her life changed irrevocably when a tragic accident left her a quadriplegic. Since her set back, she has learned that you do not need to walk to be able to soar in life. She talks from the heart and is sure to touch the heart of every person in the audience.

Tracy has influenced the lives of thousands of people all over South Africa through her powerful and entertaining presentations. Her life story will touch your heart and make you look at life with renewed appreciation.”

At the time of the accident, this teacher and her husband were raising their son.  Now, she lives alone…well, as alone as one can be with a stream of care-givers ever being needed for each and every activity.

Tracy’s honesty in dealing with every aspect of daily living shows the rest of us how we take life for granted.  Her Candle Lighting spirit shines through struggles and triumphs.   She also presents her story and her light to others – through speaking engagements.

Tracy, as one who teaches the world how to manage the dark – candle by candle – please accept this award and pass it on to another.

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Next, the Leibster Award – as explained at  “Perspectives & Prejudices”:

Here’s a little about the Liebster Awards as passed on by P & P:

“Liebster is a German word meaning ‘dearest’ or ‘favourite’ and the thought behind it, is to award those blogs that you think are your favourites.

These are the rules:

1. Show appreciation of the bloggers who nominated you by linking back to their blogs.
2. Choose your top 5 favourite blogs and award them by linking back to their blogs.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Last, enjoy the love and appreciation you’ve got and share the blogging karma!

Your chosen blogs should have less than two hundred followers.”

In choosing five bloggers, I decided to take the root of the word “Liebster” and extend it to the German word for love: Lieben.  I decided to thank those bloggers who have expressed their love of nature and/or humankind.  Whether the blogger has done this through posts or comments, it does not matter.  As long as the bloggers, in some unique manner, gave me a clear sense of quiet passion powered by their hearts.

( I do not know the number of subscribers other bloggers have…)

1.  Naomi’s Notes:   Naomi and her husband, both from South Africa, were the photographers on our Soul Safari of 2009.  Upon meeting Naomi, I knew her heart was brimming with love and a spirit of giving.  Actually, before we met, I watched her, in the Airport, lovingly massaging David, her husband before we hopped on the plane to Madikwe.   Upon learning of David’s love for extreme sports, I realized he gives Naomi many opportunities for practicing her massage skills.  Naomi encouraged me to begin my blog.  Since I love writing, but have not been interested in writing a novel, blogging was the perfect solution.  (Two year anniversary, Naoms!)

Naomi and Dave’s photography captures their love for life – especially in South Africa.  Check it out at Naomi’s Notes.

Naomi, out of  respect for your advancing business activities, I would understand if you are not posting awards on your blog.  However, I hope you will accept it, and tuck it away somewhere, as appreciation for all your work towards evolving humanity and the planet.

2.  synch-ro-ni-zing:  Ruth presents her love of mankind and the planet with masterful diversion.  She features poets, writes her own poetry, writes prose, shares photography, describes people she admires, and responds to comments as though she was having tea with each one of us.  She  shares her life with grace and invites the reader to join her in the act of being.  In other words, we don’t just read a poem about a leaf.  She takes us by the hand so we know what the leaf sees, what it hears, whether or not it gets hungry and perhaps even its frustration over living through a creature’s sneeze.  Her love of being one with all she encounters displays vividly throughout her posts.

Ruth, I know you’ve been blogging for a number of years and are probably well over the 200 mark, but we cannot neglect our seasoned mentors!

3.  Raven’s Press:  During 2011, I began seeing Liz’s soulful comments sprinkled throughout many of my favourite blogs.   She was obviously a person with seasoned depth and love for the world.  I visited her blog and found she was then very involved with poetry challenges.  I continued enjoying her comments.  When she came to Soul Dipper, she and I were able to confirm a connection through email.  She showed signs of many facets yet to be discovered.  Recently,  Liz wrote a guest blog at Into The Bardo  about her shamanic journey while visiting Machu Picchu in Peru.

Liz, thank you for having the courage to share your love, your healing insights and wisdom with us.  Please write something about yourself on your “About” page on Raven’s Press.  Readers love a glimpse of who the writer is. I hope you have set up the “subscribe” widget so we can receive notice of your new postings.

4.  The Kitchen’s Garden  Celi came from New Zealand to The States through some circuitous route that included a stint in England.  She and John now farm somewhere in the Midwest and live off the land.  Their dogs, cats, sheep and cow keep all of us entertained with their phenomenal personalities and antics.  Celi recently did a post about a woman in a neighbouring town committing suicide .  Feeling it was motivated by sheer loneliness and dire hopelessness, Celi decided to make a difference.  When the weather shows signs of Spring, she will dedicate time and effort to having young people come to their farm.  They will learn life skills through working with the animals, growing a garden, learning some culinary skills and being in the company of a woman who is interesting and interested in them.

Through the blog, we will all learn.  We will be planting, hoeing and growing together, thanks to Celi’s enthusiasm.   Celi!  I said “hoeing”!  😀  (She’s a very cheeky Kiwi, this one!)

5.  Kate Shrewsday:  Kate showed up in South Africa for some time before I noticed that she also jumped the pond to land in parts of America.  Her comments were clever, informative, witty and full of promise that her blog would be one of quality.  When I finally organized time to visit her blog, I was delighted.  Not only does she turn an amazing phrase, she takes family situations – usually animals and children, but occasionally hubs – and spotlights a healthy, loving, active, and full life.  As she portrays her dedication and love to the two-leggers as well as four, she manages to produce a point of interest that allows her erudite side to shine with luster.

I learn from Kate, but it’s deeper than that.  She builds an environment of inclusion, awe, stimulation and love.  What more honourable move could one mom make?  There she is, making certain that the children in her keep will be evolved well past the rest of us as they rush to the platforms of our past decades.

 “Primus Inter Pares” – First Among Equals 

My friend, Priya at Partial View, also received awards recently and responded with a heartfelt summary of appreciation for almost every blog she reads.  I can understand her gesture!  No matter what I say, there are dozens of blogs I am not mentioning.

There are pros and cons to this award process.  To newcomers, I encourage you to keep your objective clear, keep writing and keep commenting on other blogs you enjoy.  You’ll find that some people post so frequently that you cannot keep up with them.  If you enjoy their posts and can only make it to the odd one to comment, do so.  Sporadic comments of substance will be noticed and appreciated.

I keep in touch with a group of bloggers who have been posting for many years.  They don’t post daily.  They don’t have gimmicks.  They don’t attempt to get around to all the posts they have connected with over the years.  It’s impossible.  Yet they post and/or comment when they have something substantial to say that is going to fulfill some need and give something worthwhile to the readers or humanity.

Be discerning…don’t fall for the numbers game.  It  can become a racket that takes you away from your true reason for blogging.

Quality finds quality.