Not-So-Sunday-Reflection-On-Gratitude
‘We can start with who we are and what we have today, apply gratitude, then let it work its magic. There is no situation or circumstance so small or large that it is not susceptible to gratitude’s power.’ —MB
As I walked back from taking the Kiddies to the school bus today, I heard the bell on our house ring throughout the valley. What a haunting but beautiful sound. Yes, after about 4 months of transient living, we now have all of our worldly goods under one roof. We have slept two nights in our new dwelling. I am grateful.
But yet, I have found it difficult to be grateful. Hmmm……why is that?
I have to confess that this has been one of the more challenging moves…even more challenging in some ways than moving from the US to Ireland. So perhaps it is because my focus has not been on what I have, but rather, what I do not have.
Well, I don’t have—
Electricity. Ok, we’re not living by candlelight, mind you, but we’re nicking electricity from the Lodge and simple things like using the kettle causes severe brown-out. So, no oven baking for me for a while. How many stove-top recipes can I conjure? Waiting for the local energy monopoly to come out. Waiting….waiting….waiting….
Washing Machine. The knob broke upon delivery and as with any appliance, it’s not just a matter of picking up a new one. Waiting for a replacement machine and encouraging the Kiddies not to get dirty. Kinda tough to do when you’re surrounded by dirt…
Living Room Chaos
Phone. A land-line is coming, but not sure when. Thinking about taking up a ‘smoke signals’ course to communicate with the rest of civilization.
Mobile Reception. The beauty of this house is that it’s well insulated. And that same warm, toasty insulation also cuts out any mobile phone waves that previously snuck in or out.
Water. Right, I do have water. It’s brown. Stream fed and as natural as can be. Friend-Lucy-Of-The-Lodge calls it ‘peat filtered,’ claiming its benefits. Pat-The-House-Builder calls it ‘bog water.’ That can’t be good. But my cups of tea have a lovely deep amber hue…
Beds. Three out of four of the family are camping it, while Son-Alex is tucked up nicely in his own bed. Have ordered mattresses and am waiting for the delivery people to ring up to schedule delivery. Oh wait, no phone….rats.
Fibre Chaos
Sofas. So, going from the Usually-Furnished-Rental-Accommodation to the Unfurnished-Lotsa-Square-Footage-To-Fill means new sofas. That’s a good thing. Waiting for the delivery lads to ring…..oops, no phone….
Alright, having said all that, it’s time to apply a little gratitude to the situation, being thankful for the familiarity of small, but important pleasures in life.
The comfort of the familiar
And even with all the hiccups and the extra work to clean up the mold and mildew that attacked our belongings from the extremely wet summer, at the end of the day, amid the surrounding chaos I will let gratitude’s power work its magic on me.
I know how difficult it is to feel “grateful” - when other people tell you to be, who of course have electricity, a working washing machine etc.! it’s like telling a child who’s hungry - to be grateful, because elsewhere kids are hungry with no promise of food! no good really - all I can say that it will get better, as soon as at least part of the things you lack now will be there. maybe it makes you feel slightly better when you hear that my washing mashine is broken too? take it with good humour and shove the heap of dirty laundry behind some corner:)) (that’s what I am doing at the moment, but I have been known to take out the 20 l dye pot and wash everything on the stove by hand, because we ran out of clean clothes in the meantime:)) - oh yes, and if you ever feel like dyeing with natural colours - bog water is soft water, it should work very well for you:))
11 Oct 2007 at 1:29 pm
yum . . . . bogwater coffee!
My lesson this morning was of also of the trial/perseverence-type kind, altho of a considerably different sort than yours. Funny how it seems the circumstances can change; the lesson stays the same - grin!
Big sigh. All the best to you.
11 Oct 2007 at 5:27 pm
Oh poor you. Hopefully matters will improve shortly. No need to feel grateful yet. Sometimes having a good moan lightens and shares the load. You have a lot to put up with at the moment. Keep the coffee pot on, take out your knitting, and or weaving and chill. There is nothing as bad as waiting on deliveries.I will be thinking of you.
11 Oct 2007 at 8:13 pm
having to be patient sucks. and feeling guilty because of feeling impatient and ungrateful, just adds to it! yuck! hang in there! i know you know there is a silver lining and things aren’t as bad as all that, but sometimes it is just so trying waiting around for resolution!
12 Oct 2007 at 1:59 am
Ah yes. Dirty children. My dryer is being, shall we say, difficult lately. And with rainrainrain in the forecast I don’t think that the line is the best option.
Everything will come together. Until then, knit and drink your peat filtered coffee.
12 Oct 2007 at 10:30 am
Good news! Your exposure to microbes in your water may mean that you’re less likely to develop certain autoimmune diseases, because you’re stimulating your immune system.
OK, that was true, if unwelcome information.
I’m sure that you’ll find yourself feeling just that little bit happier when it finally does resolve, as you’ll eventually grow accustomed to the deprivation, and then will be overjoyed when you no longer have to deal with it.
12 Oct 2007 at 10:58 am
I dunno, sounds like a slice of heaven to me Although I’m not in your shoes and my water runs clear. I just finished reading my morning paper and it makes me want to head for those hills.
12 Oct 2007 at 11:11 am
You’ll look back and laugh one day soon, and you’ll feel justifiably proud that you managed a difficult situation with good humour!
12 Oct 2007 at 3:43 pm
Hope you get all the necessary modcons soon. Am still trying to figure out where you are! Patience is a virtue.
13 Oct 2007 at 10:46 pm
chin up! it will all work out soon….hopefully by Christmas?
15 Oct 2007 at 8:21 am
What a wonderful quote. OK, I’ll show my ignorance by asking you who MB is.
21 Oct 2007 at 4:04 am
Hi, I just stumbled upon your site and was reading some of your previous posts about your spinning wheel. Yours looks alot like an early version of a wheel handmade by Ron Doley of South Australia. Heres a link to see his wheel. I had this type as my first spinning wheel before getting an ashford.
http://people.aapt.net.au/~vermiro/Spinning1.html
22 Oct 2007 at 3:39 am