Words from my friend William as we hit zoom together today to chat about the way I've lived my life so far ;)

Join us on zoom today Wed. 30th April at 7pm. A cup of tea is all you need bring x

My dearest Substack friends,

I would love if you might like to hop on zoom today at 7pm (Irish Time) to support me and my friend William as he has invited me to speak in the School of Philosophy in London (virtually).

I will chat about who I am, how I’ve lived my life so far, my dearest and always missed grandmother who lived to be 107 years of age and how when I moved in with her, my process of decision making was made from a place of love and how I was rewarded with so much love in return. I am going to enclose William’s own words about our talk down below as I feel he really covers all angles and you will get a feel to who William is as a person. William runs a online writing blog as well as so much more, in his home called ‘Wisdom Works’ and tonight you will see why I love him so much and hopefully you might get an insight to who I am beyond the written word on this page too ;)

I would be so grateful if you might attend as it would mean so much to me.

I am a little wobbly as my heart always feels the great loss of Granny being in Heaven when I speak of her, but in that wobble is everything I live for - the love of another human, the love for sharing my and her story, the love for connection, the love of friendship, reach out and most importantly hope. The love shared between two people is always a gift and I am always grateful for my grief too because without it, I would not have known such love.

Tonight’s talk will also touch on how I believe in my little motto of ‘being in the right place, at the right time, choosing to do the right thing with the right heart’ and in how I choose to live my life, I apply these words in all moments of worry or doubt. Doing the right thing is always the right path to choose even if sacrifice and hardship lies within it. Because when we choose to do the right thing, the full circle always returns to us. The circle of virtue always keeps turning and we never regret doing the right thing because we are here to be with each other, to help each other and in turn to be connecting to each other. That is where the good lives and thrives.

I’d love if you might like to attend later on as I really hope I can do a good job for all involved. I haven’t done a public talk like this in sometime and even though I’ve had quite the few personal tests in the last few months, I am so excited to share the space with you and hopefully I can bring a smile upon your face as well.

My plan for my talk is to simple be myself. Us Irish are famous for telling a tale or two, so tonight I will do just that. I will be the storyteller of my own life and the life of one of the most amazing people I’ve ever been lucky enough to know and love.

It is a free presentation which is an extra treat for all and it would mean so much if you might join our zoom. I hope whatever way you come to the talk, I promise I will try my absolute best to make sure you leave it feeling stronger, lighter and with a whole lot of hope in your heart.

I’ll include the direct zoom link here. This link will bring you directly into the zoom room in which we are holding the talk:

https://fses-org.zoom.us/j/97302345458?pwd=cFB2blRrVHJRUElvMTVtSitBeFl3QT09

It is wise to join the link a few minutes before it starts as once it begins it might be harder to get in.

Please enjoy the next section of this Substack. It is William’s own words ahead of our talk. I know you will enjoy.

Thank you so much for your support always,

Keep looking up and lots of love from my heart to yours,

Lou x

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Dear All,

In the eulogy at Pope Francis’s funeral what was observed amongst much else was that he was a man of kindness and compassion. As such his appeal was universal. It reminded me of the quotation from the Dalai Lama we have on the fridge: My religion is kindness. If you want others to be happy practice compassion. If you want to be happy practice compassion.

With that in mind, below is the link to the free Wisdom Works presentation on Wednesday in which Louise Coghlan will tell the compassionate story of how at the outset of Covid she moved in to look after her 106 year old granny and having done so got the idea of broadcasting live conversations with her as a way of lifting people’s spirits. They spoke of her granny’s philosophy of life that supported her through all the difficulties she encountered in her long life. It went viral. When her granny finally died at the age o f 107 Louise put the funeral out live on line. 80,000 people attended.

There is a saying from Marcus Aurelius: What stands in the way becomes the way.

Louise approached such a huge obstacle as a pandemic with a compassionate response, first in attending to the needs of her granny, but, having done that, finding a creative way to reach out to what ended up as millions of people.

Do join us, 7pm this Wednesday, 30th April, for an inspiring presentation in our Circle of Virtue series. See below for the link.

The link to the zoom room for this talk: https://fses-org.zoom.us/j/97302345458?pwd=cFB2blRrVHJRUElvMTVtSitBeFl3QT09

Best wishes, William

IN GIVING WE RECEIVE

How many times have we found that in giving we receive? How many times have we felt that we are not up to facing any more demands? When this thought is uppermost, the tiredness increases. But, no sooner do we go out to meet a need that has arisen, then the tiredness disappears, and we wonder where the energy has come from.

As a teacher I have experienced this over and over again. The students’ needs wipe out self consideration. This not at all an unusual experience. All of us must have experienced something of the same, for it happens everywhere, at home, at work, when dealing with problems and concerns, in all aspects of human experience. Although it’s not at all unusual, it is good to recognise it for what it is. It is not just by chance that this happens. It is the principle of love working in us all. It’s that which supplies the energy,

In Louise’s story there is an essential principle. By as much as she turned out, so she found a resource within. In giving she received. The same applies to all of us. By as much as we overcome our confining thoughts, so the creative energy is there. To serve the needs of millions of people. This is a major discovery on the path of love.
By giving we receive.
By as much as we overcome confining thought,
so we discover our own inner source of energy.

Because it forms part of everybody’s personal experience, such occurrences can be easily overlooked, but we should be encouraged to take note of them and having recognised them, consciously apply them. It’s good to be thoughtful and then act on what we discover.

PRACTICE:
Apply the principle: In giving we receive. Test it in experience and note the result.

www.livingandlaughingwithlou.com

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I’ve been so blessed in my life with such amazing people entering my world and becoming my best of friends. These are my chosen family. You are one of those people. Thank you for being here and for all your support. Lou x