A Cottage by the Sea
  • Home
  • On My Mind
  • Quotes
  • New Beginnings
  • Secrets of an Old Woman
  • A Solitary Traveler
  • Compassionate Reading
  • About me
  • About me and my blog
  • Comfort food
  • Books
  • Suggested reading
  • Poems

Viewing the world through the lens of service

1/31/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
     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.

0 Comments

A simple plan~

1/26/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
     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.  

1 Comment

Marching, packing and silence~

1/21/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
     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.

0 Comments

It's time to go~

1/18/2018

4 Comments

 
Picture
     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.

View of my church from upstairs window.
The library from upstairs window.
4 Comments

Don't give up walking~

1/11/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
     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.

0 Comments

Winter without kitchen water~

1/4/2018

0 Comments

 
PictureSunroom covered with snow, hence the reflection.
     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.

0 Comments

Renewing silence, solitude and simplicity~

1/2/2018

0 Comments

 
PictureThank you Betsy Thompson.
     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/

0 Comments
    Contact me: [email protected]

    Categories

    All
    3rs
    3Ss
    3S's
    Aging
    Andre Dubus Iii
    Ann Patchett
    Anticipation
    Art
    Assisi
    Barbara Kingsolver
    Being Alone
    Beyond Words
    Boo
    Books
    Cantice Of The Sun
    Celebrations
    Choices
    Christmas
    Churches
    Community
    Cor
    Cottage By The Sea
    Cottage Day
    Courage
    Curiosity
    Dad
    Dalai Lama
    Death And Dying
    Depression
    Desiderata
    Dietrich Bonhoeffer
    Donald Hall
    Dostoyevsky
    Dr Alex Tang
    Edinburgh
    Eleanor Lerman
    Elizabeth Strout
    Emily Dickinson
    Environment
    Esther De Waal
    Faith
    Field Trip
    Florence
    Fo
    Follow Your Bliss
    Food
    Friendship
    Frugal
    Gifts
    Giving And Receiving
    Gratitude
    Health
    Heart
    Hermits
    Hope
    Humility
    Impermanence
    Independent And Close
    Inspire & Affirm & Encourage
    Introvert
    Iona
    Ireland
    Italy
    James Hollis
    Jane Austen
    Jan Sutch Pickard
    Joan Chittister
    John Dear
    John Masefield
    Joseph Campbell
    Judgments
    Katherine Paterson
    Knitting
    Li
    Lonely
    Longing
    Love
    Luke Russert
    Marsha Sinetar
    Mary Oliver
    Max Ehrmann
    Meaning
    Memories
    Mom
    Moving
    Museums
    My Day
    Nature
    Nina Sankovitch
    Now
    Oliver Herford
    Pamela Dalton
    Pandemic
    Paris
    Passion
    Paulo Coelho
    Peace
    Philip Koch
    Place
    Play
    Prayer
    Present Moment
    Quiet
    Rachel Carlson
    Radical Compassion
    Read
    Reading
    Resolutions
    Restlessness
    Retirement
    Retreat
    Richard Rohr
    Rilkie
    Rita Golden Gelman
    Robert Kull
    Rome
    Routines
    Rumi
    Sankovitch
    Scotland
    Seen In A Draper's Shop
    Service
    Silence
    Sim
    Simplicity
    Skye
    Sol
    Soli
    Solitude
    Soul Work
    Space
    St Catherine Of Siena
    St. Francis
    Stress
    Susan Gain
    Tenzin Palmo
    Thanksgiving
    The Uncommon Reader
    Thomas Keating
    Thomas Merton
    Three Sieves
    Time
    Travel
    Tru
    Viktor E. Frankl
    Walking
    Wonder
    Writi
    Writing

    Archives

    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010

Proudly powered by Weebly