Monday, February 7, 2011

"Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, we enter the warrior's world."

~Pema Chödrön

I don't know about the warrior's world but I know that sometimes it seems hard to let go of everyday complaints and allow the miraculous all around us to filter in.   Emily used to tease me that there were "miracles in every square inch" of life around me.  (and then she would go on and on about "stretchable cotton" but that's another story).  And while I laughed at her teasing, there's a part of me that believes it.

I am by nature a positive person and can't help it.  I share an office with a person who is a curmudgeon on a good day.  Most of the time I let his words roll off my back (like a teflon duck) but sometimes I just can't stand it any more and have to respond with something along the lines of  "of course everything is still the same.  You haven't made any moves to change it".  Said in a polite, calm manner of course. It wouldn't do to have screaming coming out of the office.    We sometimes have to agree to disagree because I think we look at the world through very different lenses although he is only 5 years older than I am.  We do share a lot of the same values or else I don't think either of us would have ended up in Human Services for all these years. 

It's such a beautiful day today that I can't stand being inside.  It's still cold but not biting, miserable cold.  Just nice, clean smelling cold.  If I were home today, I'd open all the windows and let in the fresh air.  We spent all of our weekend doing basically nothing and yet today, my body feels like it's been beaten with a bat.  Everything is sore and tired.  This is a nasty virus whatever it is. 

I've spent all morning (and I do mean ALL morning) on the phone.  My Monday morning doctor called me last night to let me know she was sick and wouldn't be in today so I had to hit the ground running to keep people from making the trip downtown for nothing.  I've managed to reschedule everyone and now have to see about getting some prescriptions to tide them over until next month.  Glamour, I tell you.  Pure glamour around here.

And this is what all the glamourous people are wearing.  Handknit socks with dansko shoes.  I wore my lovely colorful socks to work today under some tan pants and a brown sweater.  I looked all professional and serious until I sat down and my socks showed.  I love this. 

We're expecting another storm tonight into tomorrow but with "little or no accumulation expected".  This is a good thing since I think people are sick of digging out and after the positively balmy 45 degrees (7.2C) we had today, I know I am not in the mood for more frozen precipitation.  It'll just be an ugly morning with slushy rain/snow falling.  Can't wait.

Not much else going on here.  I was going to ruminate about how it gets harder to be a parent as your children get older and you have to back off and not try to fix everything for them but I think I'll save that for another day.  Today, I'm just going to sit back and let some ordinary miracles in.

Like these socks. They are going to be spectacular.   (yarn is Weathertop, my LOTR yarn from January).  Pattern is Rheims from the artwalk sock yarn club. 

So, get out there and find a miracle.  You probably won't have to look hard or go far.  For as Emily reminds me, "there's a miracle in every square inch". 

Happy Monday.

9 comments:

Galad said...

I think I needed that reminder from you and Em that there is a miracle in every square inch.

Love the socks and the idea of them peeking out from under your "business" clothes :-)

Feel better soon

Amy Lane said...

Those socks--both the ones in progress AND the ones on the feet, are a miracle.

Bells said...

Every day miracles are wonderful. Sometimes I think those little miracles Emily talks about are what keep me sane and alive.

Saren Johnson said...

I remind people how lucky they are quite a bit. Sometimes, it's really tough to remember that fact for myself - just like you.

Anonymous said...

Now I'm curious about stretchy cotton....

Thanks for the reminder. I'll go hunt up a miracle right this minute. Perhaps it's hiding under that stack of papers...

amy said...

It's just all a miracle, isn't it? That this is my life? That I made it to here, and it's so good?

Alwen said...

People laugh or don't think I'm serious when I say how grateful I am for things like running water, and hot water IN THE HOUSE, and flushy toilets.

But I say if I couldn't be grateful for magic like music that comes out of a box at the flick of a switch, just how big of a miracle would I be waiting around for?

I have more clothes in my closet than some medieval KINGS had in their entire lifetimes. It's a good life, and I'm very happy in it.

roxie said...

Yep, a reasonable acquaintence with the realities of life in even the recent past will put our current lives in luxurious perspective. Life expectancy a century ago was 48 years. Electric lights, indoor plumbing and antibiotics are my miracles of choice today.

Those socks are awesome. The stealth silly and the LOTR mystic cathedral, both. Heck, all your socks are awesome. I'm going to wear a pair of them today!! Thank you again.

Olivia said...

Yeah I love those socks you are wearing to work. I don't think in terms of miracles much; but I do like to stop and be in the moment sometimes, appreciating what I have rightnow instead of constantly thinking about what comes next.

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