Tag: gratitude

The purpose of the past/ Cel przeszłości

Photograph: Alicja Pyszka-Franceschini, 2025

Is it possible to improve in life without being grateful for the past and what it taught us? Could we make progress in life without seeing the positives in our personal journeys? Could we be artistic, creative, productive if we do not appreciate what we have or what has passed? If we are angry that the flowers have died, could we appreciate their textures, their patterns, their beauty highlighted by time? They were. They existed. They contributed. If we decide to engage with the past or the passing of time in a creative manner, the effect is usually gratifying. Could it be otherwise?

Czy można poprawić sobie życie bez odczuwania wdzięczności za przeszłość i za to czego nas nauczyła? Czy możemy robić postępy w życiu, nie dostrzegając pozytywów w naszych osobistych podróżach? Czy możemy być artystyczni, kreatywni, produktywni, jeśli nie doceniamy tego, co mamy lub tego, co minęło? Jeśli jesteśmy źli, że kwiaty umarły, czy możemy docenić ich faktury, ich wzory, ich piękno podkreślone przez czas? Były. Istniły. Przyczyniły się do piękna. Jeśli zdecydujemy się na twórcze zajęcie się przeszłością lub wpływem przemijania, efekt będzie zazwyczaj satysfakcjonujący. Czy by mogło być inaczej?

About a boy who could not feel happiness

Once upon a time, there was a boy who could not feel happiness when other people were joyful. He always responded with a minimizing commentary or disapproving face. He saw others smiling, chatting, playing and appreciating a warm cup of tea and a free biscuit on a table but he could not reciprocate. with a smile. His eyes were always stern, lip corners dropped, body posture irritated. ‘How can they be so happy?’ he was wondering all the time. ‘How can they be so happy when so little is done?’

He was very puzzled but fortunately quite capable of self-reflection too.

‘Am I envious of joy?’ He thought to himself appealing to his inner wisdom but could not satisfy himself with an honest answer.

Tired from his own thoughts and worries, he went to a nearby park where an elderly lady was sitting on a bench feeding birds with seeds. She was smiling and talking to the birds. She was happy. The boy got irritated again. ‘How can she be happy just like that? Feeding birds?’ And then he got curious as he recognized the feeling. ‘Miss, could I feed the birds with you?’ he asked.

‘Of course.’ She answered passing him a bag of seeds. He started smiling but then as soon as he felt his own smile he got irritated with himself for smiling.

‘Miss, why am I angry with myself for smiling.’

‘I think it is something to do with your inner mirrors. It is because of your adult inner mirrors.’

‘Are they broken?’

‘Did you notice?’

Story and photography: Alicja Pyszka-Franceschini, 2025. Copying without the explicit permission from the author is not permitted.


			


	



			
				


	

		
Thankful Time/ Wdzięczny Czas (English/Polish Post)

			


	

		








In smart work there is less joy than in a game of tag
and time is running out
for children and adults alike
into the hustle and bustle of memories.

Who caught whom?
No one asks about the tag
But everyone writes a report
On the questions they asked
And answers they received
Only relevant to self
It seems

But to receive an answer
Is to make a promise of gratitude.

No one knows
Few understand 

Has the person who asked got lost earlier?
Or did they ask in time?
To be grateful?
Or to be done?
Choose.
– Alicja Pyszka-Franceschini















Additional good read for this week:





This article has caught my attention this week. Very interesting read. This is the Key to Achieving ‘Time Affluence’ (click to read). 










Poem and photography by Alicja Pyszka-Franceschini, 2025. Copying without an explicit and written permission from the author is not allowed.










Po Polsku







W mądrej pracy jest mniej radości niż w grze w berka,
a dzieciom i dorosłym czas ucieka tak samo 
w zgiełk wspomnień.

Kto kogo złapał? Nikt nie pyta,
Ale każdy pisze raport
Z pytań, które zadał
I odpowiedzi, które otrzymał.
Dotyczących tylko siebie 
Wydawać by się mogło.
Ale otrzymać odpowiedź
To złożyć obietnicę wdzięczności.

Nikt nie wie.
Niewielu rozumie.

Czy osoba, która zapytała, zgubiła się wcześniej? 
Czy zapytała w porę?

Być wdzięcznym?
Czy po prostu mieć wszystko zrobione?
Wybierz.





Wiersz Alicji Pyszki-Franceschini, 2025.







Ten artykuł przykuł moją uwagę w tym tygodniu. Bardzo interesujący!





Artykuł w magazynie Forbes zatytułowany “To jest klucz do osiągnięcia ‘Bogactwa Czasu'” (kliknij w link tutaj) 





Do następnego razu. x





Material Copyrighted by Alicja Pyszka-Franceschini, 2025. Copying without an explicit and written permission from the author is not allowed.






			


	



			
				


	

		
Thankful

			


	

		



























I’ve got an impression that last winter my mother was making this soup every three days for our children. Her grandson was competing with himself to see how many bowls he could comfortably consume. We all looked at him in disbelief, wondering where that quantity was disappearing. Surely, he was not spoon-feeding the dogs under the table. He loved it. Everyone else did too. They gladly returned from the cold and sat in front of a steaming bowl and each bowl came with a piece of popular Polish bread showered with flax seeds. Yummy. 





Do you cook? What do you like making?






The knitted cloth that the soup is placed on is actually a scarf made by my aunt. It is so warm, you won’t believe. Shoulders wear it gracefully indebted to my aunt for many hours of her work. I was comforted by the softness of the scarf. The warmth of the soup also brought reassurance. I am grateful that my mum and aunt keep their skills fresh and that they continuously make an effort. It is mesmerizing to see how things emerge in other people’s hands. As if from nowhere…












Creativity blossomed in our house over the weekend. Icy weather gave us many opportunities to refresh and revive our spirit and gave us hope for a good and creative year. I hope you are feeling equally energized.












The photos of the soup were taken last year in Poland. The photo of my children was taken in Melbourne (UK) at Woodhouse Farm. Many thanks to Brian Woodhouse for allowing me to take photos on his farm and fields.





Below is a photo from my parents’ place in Poland. 










*Corrected draft.
















			


	



			
				


	

		
Gratitude for ice

		
	

		


	

		
















It’s hard to see this. This amount of flooding and the road closure. It is easy to become overwhelmed. After all, we see Earth in a trauma response. With a compromised immunity system. When we cross Earth’s boundaries, Earth crosses ours. You feel this too? And yet Earth never stops being generous. Giving beyond the easily discernible. It tells us to look harder, better. Beyond the ‘road closure’ sign. There is art to be grateful for. 

Two pieces of work abstracted from ice. Mostly created on this road.

















Willington, Derbyshire, UK.

Work of Alicja Pyszka-Franceschini, 2025.










Oh, by the way, I updated 





my photo art portfolio. You can see it here: https://a-credible-dreamer.co.uk/





I have one more post to share soon. Expect a new arrival on Sunday.





I hope you are really taking care of yourself. Make use of the refreshing icy weather if you’re based in this hemisphere. And do what makes you happier and stronger. Speak soon. x