Thursday 19 May 2011

Reminiscing & new beginnings as we stick our necks out for our dreams!



This time of year is a rather nostalgic time for me. We have been celebrating the anniversary of when we moved to our lovely new home, Necky Knoll House, and set up our Giraffe World Tours family business. And with every anniversary, there is a time of looking back as well as looking forward.


I remember standing outside our old home, Neckmoor Cottage, and bidding the rugged scenery farewell. A group of wild giraffes stood silhouetted in the twilight.



As we packed all our belongings ready to move, Maureen and I looked at each other, and I knew we were thinking the same thoughts.


It was on the journey to our new home that Maureen first sang our Beginning song, looking out of the windows of the bus. Now we sing it every year in the Spring.


So here we are, in the warm friendly squabbly family glow of everydayness. As we sing, we remember ... and we also look forward, sticking our necks out for our dreams!

'It's the beginning
Of something new,
Something to wait for
Dreams coming true.
Life for living
Places to see,
Being the things that
We want to be.

Though we go
By road unknown,
We move on
Together.
Though we seek
Freedom of mind,
Strength we find
In harmony.'

(c) Ingrid Sylvestre - Artist, Designer, Illustrator, Author, Songwriter - Durham, North East England UK

26 comments:

Cloudia said...

I needed this comforting example of making changes, Raph. thanks



Aloha from Waikiki

Comfort Spiral

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Raph G. Neckmann said...

Hello, dear friend Cloudia! I'm very glad that our nexample is comforting and hope that any changes you may make bring you closer to your dreams.

Grizz………… said...

Change is good…especially when we allow the past to inform and guide our future. Happy anniversary!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you so much Grizz. And to always make sure our dreams really are our dreams so we can stick our necks out nexuberantly!

Rune Eide said...

There is absolutely no-one who can match the giraffes (and their guide) in mixing necks and nostalgia, not to mention neckstoptia.

Bing0!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you RuneE! I'm so glad you like our mixture of necks and nostalgia! :)

The Solitary Walker said...

Happy anniversary! What would life be without the hope and excitement of new beginnings? A stale and tedious place, I think.

The Weaver of Grass said...

It all sounds so exciting for you all - follow your dreams I say.

Anne said...

What a beautiful song about change. As the saying goes,"When one door closes another door opens". This song says it all about discovery and dreams. I would love to have a copy of that beautiful song.

Rosemary said...

Your giraffey song are words to live by...... Life for living.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Solitary Walker. Stale and tedious - oh no! - better to stick one's neck out even if making many mistakes in the process!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Weaver of Grass - thank you! Like you, we follow our dreams!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Choices, so glad you like our song and what it says. It is up on our Nex Factor YouTube channel.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Rosemary, so glad you think so! We sing our song very much from the heart and it is our life.

Jan said...

Changes aren't always good but they are always changes and they must happen to move forward.
Having been through lots of changes, all I can say is 'I get by with a little help from my friends, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends'

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Oh yes, Jan - the help of one's friends is so vital. We cherish all our friends and nextend our affection to our human bloggy friends too!

Heather said...

Happy Anniversary and well done to all of you for having the courage to follow your dreams.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Heather! We're just eating some delicious strawberry pudding - wish you could come across and share it with us!

Friko said...

Happy Anniversary and may there be many more of them.

As a family, you pull together and make it work wherever you lay your necks. May you stick them out for evermore and may happy adventures comes your way.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you so much Friko - you have nexpressed our family aims so well!

Lyn said...

We move on together..lovely ..
Happy to read the words...the sound came on in spurts for me, but my comp. is very flighty today!!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Lyn! Hope your computer plays the sound soon - maybe it's the intergalactic Interneck connecktion!

Caroline Gill said...

Happy anniversary, Raph ... and that strawberry pudding sounds, well, super...nexpiali... yummy!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Caroline. Super ... nexpiali ... I like it! :)))) You're very welcome to share our pudding with us!

Janet said...

Hope your anniversary was good! When dreams become reality - the best! Hugs to you all from giraffe country SA! x

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Janet! Hugs to you too from all of us!