One of my fellow volunteers often uses the word ‘service’ in our conversations. Service is the lens through which she views the world. Obvious things such as serving at Open Table, but also as a way to think about what we do and how we act out in the world.
For the past six months I’ve been volunteering at Open Table, a food pantry in the town adjacent to mine. I started going once a month with my church, but now, whenever possible, I sign up for the 12:45-4 Tuesday shift, the day the seniors come. In spite of the fact that I loved the kindergarten and first graders I taught for twenty-five years, my favorite age these days is seniors. Maybe it’s because I am one of them. Although I am not lonely, I understand their need to tell their story. Although I have plenty of food on my table, I understand their need to make their own choices of the food they put in their carts.
One of my fellow volunteers often uses the word ‘service’ in our conversations. Service is the lens through which she views the world. Obvious things such as serving at Open Table, but also as a way to think about what we do and how we act out in the world.
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We’ve slowed down our moving schedule. As with any initial wave of excitement of a major life change, the next step is to take a deep breath and sit down to think things through. Our current plan is to get rid of what we don’t want or need, store in our barn boxes of the many of treasures we want to keep, and have the downstairs and some of upstairs painted. Our goal is to make the house enjoyable to live in until we’re ready sell. We’re feeling relaxed with this simple plan. A year ago this weekend I attended the Women’s March in Washington; this year I’m packing boxes in preparation for our move out of our home of 40 years. So, I might ask, ‘Where is the silence, solitude, and simplicity in my life these days?” My answer: it is still with me. My mind returns to those cottage-by-the-sea winters where I very intentionally spent the weekdays getting a handle on what silence, solitude, and simplicity meant to me. Although I don’t go to the cottage anymore,, I still spend time alone each day in simple silence in the midst of my current busy life. Practice, practice, practice. Silence, solitude, and simplicity are not final goals but ways of being on the journey, whether I’m sitting alone, marching, or packing boxes. We’ve decided to move. Those of you who know us may be surprised, maybe not. Jim and I have lived in this old house for forty years and have loved everything about it, the inside and the outside, the beauty and the challenges. Our kids and grandkids have run up and down the front and back stairs, but they walk now. So it’s time for us to walk out of here to a place where we don’t have to rely on stairs (and shoveling, and frozen pipes). We need to do this while we’re healthy (enough), wealthy (enough), and wise (enough). Jim and I are a good team, each playing a different position on life’s court. Why not play this moving game while we’re winning. Plans: a condo in Sudbury. Sadness: I won’t be able to walk to the library or to church. It's time to reactivate lettingofstuff.blogspot.com where I have shared the times that I’ve gotten rid of stuff. I’m back walking. After strolling all over Florence early in December, and daily walks in Lancaster, PA with my daughter at Christmas time, my daily exercise came to an abrupt halt. We returned to a New England of frozen pipes, zero temperatures, and snow blocking the walkway in front of our house. I stopped scheduling a walk into my daily schedule. My bad. Now, with the weather warming up, there is no excuse; only adjustments need. Today I drove half a mile up the road, parked at Our Lady of Fatima church, and walked my usual back roads. A simple solution. Don't give up walking. A Northeasterner here in New England. Tough for everyone. I know that, so I feel selfish to admit that I’m going to enjoy a couple of days hunkered in my warm house. That is, as long as we have power! We live on a main road so we’re never long without it. I’m grateful that I’m so happy right now, considering that we have no running water downstairs. I can do without the washing machine and even the toilet, but a kitchen sink without water is hardly a sink at all. When the pipes froze a week ago we carted the dishes up the back stairs and washed them in the upstairs bathroom sink. Remember, this is an old house, which means steep stairs and a tiny sink. Three days ago, when the hot water pipe froze up there, a better solution presented itself. Now we bring the water down those steep steps in a big pot and heat it on the stove. A another bowl holds clean water for rinsing. We throw the dirty water out the door, just like in the olden days. We’re trying to keep it as simple as we can, but I do long for complicated modern plumbing. I like to think that our relaxed attitude comes from practicing peaceful solitude. It is silent out there, except for the ferocious wind that I can see but not hear. Gratitude is the best way to start anything, be it the day or the year and everything in between. Gratitude is a theological principle and the only way to lead a satisfying, joyful, meaningful life. As 2918 begins it is especially important that I renew my commitment to silence, solitude and simplicity. Why? Because we have no running water in the downstairs, which means we have to run upstairs to use the toilet, get a glass of water and wash the dishes. The frozen washing machine isn’t a big problem since we don’t seem to be working up a sweat! Silence, solitude and simplicity are never contingent on circumstances, but on one’s state of mind. Silence comes from not complaining about the situation; I’m grateful that I have a home, and, if the heat goes off, we have friends who will take us in. Solitude is available throughout the day, throughout the house, no matter what the temperature or water availability. Simplicity is accessible through our attitude, and by the practical fact that there just two of us here to manage. betsythompsonstudio.com/ |
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