The day starts bright and early for me as my alarm sounds at 4:45 am.
I really think that time should only come once a day - in the evening!
A weekend of travel and dance competition has me more worn out than I was early last week.
Around 8:45, I find myself sitting alone in an auditorium waiting for Sweetpea to perform. In those 4 hours since I woke, I showered and completed my "getting ready" routine, did Sweetpea's hair and makeup, got all our stuff re-packed and back in the truck, and traveled to the nearby convention center.
Hubby and Buddy went fishing so I'm by myself at the event today.
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| yes, those are rain drops on the windshield and yes, I realize through the window pics are rarely great, but I think this one was! Anyone else see a woman's profile? |
I keep a close eye on Sweetpea's competition backpack.
It's packed to almost busting today and weighs a ton due to all we have in it. I'm lugging it around with her stuff in it, plus my wallet, phone, water and "just in case" items.
I discovered after we were dropped off at the convention center this morning, that she'd also put her Kindle Fire in there.
One thing that's hard to do by yourself at these events?
Simultaneously save a seat/seats and go to the bathroom when needed. If I don't have a friend nearby, I hesitate to leave anything in a seat and walk away. You just never know when your stuff might disappear while you're gone.
I try not to be weird about "my stuff," but when there's hundreds of dollars worth of electronics in one location, it makes me edgy. Also, I want to be good stewards of our money; not take careless risks, you know?
Now we're driving back home to NC, and I remove my rings and place them in the door so I can put on some hand cream.
I look at my engagement ring and remember when I was scared to death to take it off. It's definitely the most expensive single piece of jewelry I've ever owned, but more than that, it holds tremendous sentimental value to me.
I realize, though, that my fears around taking it off have eased significantly in the 15+ years since I first put it on.
It's not that I want to lose it, or would be ok if something happened to it, or that I wouldn't be immensely upset were I to drop it or lose it.
I suppose with time I've gotten more comfortable with it. I guess I feel confident taking it off without losing it. Does that mean I take it for granted or that I'm desensitized to what it represents?
I don't think so, but really it's hard to say. Who of us is completely honest when it comes to admitting short-comings?
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| This wreathe was in the master bath in our cabin; I'm thinking I need to DIY one for my house! |
Unfortunately, I do see this as a trend in our society more & more.
Our children think if you lose or break something, you just go buy another one.
If you want something you can't afford, you use a credit card.
If everybody else has a particular something or is doing a certain something, they are entitled to have and do the same.
And it's not just kids - many adults live that way too.
I think about this a lot and wonder how we got this way. It's easy to say it's complicated or that it's caused by a combination of things.
What I think it boils down to is this: we've moved away from being a society who puts God first. A society who thanks God for everything we have but instead credits ourselves because "we worked hard for it."
A society who instead of praying about how we spend our household income and tithing on it, justifies our spending, again, "because we worked hard for it."
A society who instead of parenting and making constant effort to instill morals in our children, instead tries to be their BFFs and give them everything we never had, not as a reward - just because.
And just like those kids we keep giving STUFF to, none of us is ever satisfied.
We complain all the time - when things are mostly good but one little thing goes wrong {like our Keurig breaks or doesn't brew as usual}; we complain more & more as things on the list start to go wrong.
This isn't meant as a sermon or a judgement but as an observation that applies to me and my household as well. And I don't say these things solely out of guilt as much as genuine frustration coupled with a sincere desire to change.
Have we forgotten what it is to be happy? To be grateful for each and every thing we've been blessed with regardless of whether it was a gift or an achievement we toiled long and hard over?
Have we forgotten what the phrase "less is more" really means? That perhaps less STUFF and less DOING and less GOING means more family time and, dare I say, more love?
Days 11 and 12 were spent contemplating these things.
Today, Day 12, I discovered the second verse to The Serenity Prayer, and I find it immensely more pertinent than the first. I plan to print a nice copy of this and display it prominently in my home.
Not because I'm a recovering addict from any substance, but perhaps addiction to our current life habits are just as binding and just as unhealthy.
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