One that I know of. When a powerful and timely reminder comes along, why does our human nature pass it by almost as fast as it appeared? As if something better is on the horizon.
Next Blog
Tag: Midlife
Washboard, By Lorie Sheffer, Guest Blogger
My friends seem to know that at any given moment I can be found doing something weird. A few summers ago I decided to forgo air conditioning, finally relenting in mid August, when I ran our central air for two weeks. I did it as an experiment to see just how much the cost savings would be, and to recapture some of the summer nostalgia from my childhood. Then there was the winter of the gray hair. It was a belligerent attempt to embrace my natural color, which I hadn’t seen in years. That ended with me having a panic attack at the sight of myself on a photograph, and a frantic run to the beauty supply store. This summer, I have regressed back to the days of the washboard and clothesline. Growing up, even though almost everyone had a washing machine, there were lines of laundry drying in almost every back yard. Now? Not so much.
While in the middle of a renovation of our home, we are left without major appliances, save for a refrigerator. Sure, I could go to the local Laundromat, but I have an aversion to throwing my laundry into public machines. The last time I went that route I watched a woman stuffing a washer with cloth diapers while telling her friend about her family’s recent bout with Norwalk virus, that common and very contagious illness that causes 48 hours of the worst gastrointestinal explosions imaginable. So, with that imagine seared into my memory, I decided to tackle outdoor laundry day in my yard. I’m not about to heat kettles and boil our clothing, but I did discover that, while very labor intensive, scrubbing things item by item on a washboard sure does relieve tension.
Call me crazy, but nothing makes you appreciate what you have so much as not having it. Sitting in the shade, scrubbing laundry for hours, gives you time to think. Technology has invaded us to the point of taking away some of the simple pleasures of life. My mind wondered back to when my cousin and I would think it was just the best fun ever when our grandma would get out her big galvanized washtub, fill it with cold well water, and let us sit in it. I remembered the snap of freshly laundered sheets blowing in the breeze, and the smell of them on a just made bed. I also thought back to how my grandma would be upset to see birds eating the raspberries from the fields, knowing that one flight over a fresh load of laundry she had just hung on the line would mean sure disaster.
I’m not about to claim that I will not be thrilled the day my new washer and dryer arrive. But I can also say that there are worse things than sitting outdoors on a beautiful day, hands immersed in soapy water, the sound of fabric sloshing against a washboard. There is something soothing about not being plugged in, not being connected to the Internet or the TV. Without the distractions of technology, it is easy to daydream. Most surprising of all, I have found that I have been sleeping more deeply than I have in years, waking up early without an alarm, and feeling more rested than I can remember.
Had To Post This, It happens In A Blink
Today’s 2nd MLC post. Felt compelled:
Mental Vacation, By Lorie Sheffer
Memorial Day Weekend. The official start of summer. Most people think of outdoor activities, vacations and summer foods. One of my favorite foods to serve with the usual summer fare is those big dill pickles that you can fish out of a barrel. I like them cold, crunchy and garlicky. The smell of the dill and the snap of the pickle as you bite into it, and the juicy, sour taste makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
If thinking about a cold sour pickle can make my mouth water, then what other physical reactions can be caused by thoughts? Can thinking about stressful things cause a physical reaction? Of course! Chronic stress can cause digestive issues, high blood pressure and headaches, and those examples are just part of a long list.
On the flip side, thinking about positive, peaceful things can have a soothing affect. There’s a very real, biological reaction that Buddhist Monks have when they practice mindful meditation. Recent developments in functional MRI technologies and advances in neuroscience have proven that there really IS such a thing as mind over matter. Thoughts alone can rewire the brain to some degree. Yoga classes, prayer, meditation or just taking time to think about something positive can have health benefits.
The next time you are thinking about something that is stressful or something that makes you angry, pay attention to how it makes you feel physically. Is your heart pounding? Are your muscles tense? Do you have butterflies in your stomach? Now, also pay attention to how you physically feel when you’re in a good mood. Relaxed? Energetic? Ready to take on the world? Why not see if you can teach yourself to swap out some of that negative thinking for something more enjoyable? Think of a favorite place, maybe. For me, it’s a secluded spot on Assateague Island, surrounded by wild ponies, the sound of the ocean over the dunes. It’s very hard to feel stressed when I’m there; even it’s only in my mind.
Commencement, By Lorie Sheffer
Within a span of a few days, both of my “kids” received diplomas. They each walked a very different path to get to that end.
My daughter earned a Bachelor of Arts in Letters, Arts and Sciences from Penn State, York Campus. The look on her 11-year-old son’s face was priceless as he watched his mother finally walk across that stage to receive her diploma. They had done their homework together at the kitchen table, and he had seen her still sitting there finishing papers she had stayed up all night to complete, only to have to shower and dress for work that same day.
We had a celebratory dinner that evening, during which she commented about the 14 years it had taken her to achieve her goal. She commented on what her little brother had achieved during that same time. He had finished high school, graduated from college with two honors degrees, and obtained a master’s degree in bioethics while completing medical school. His graduation was set for three days later. I had seen the smile on my son’s face during her graduation ceremony, and watched as he listened closely to the graduates who stepped up to the open mike to say a few words. Many of them thanked their families for supporting them through the years, especially their small children who saw Mommy or Daddy working full time while finishing college a few credits at a time. One graduate was in tears as she said she was so honored to be the first member of her family to earn a college degree.
My son said to his sister, “Not everyone has the luxury of going to college full time. Sometimes life happens, and you have children to care for and bills to pay. You did this while working full time and raising an amazing son.” He was clearly in awe of his sister and what she had accomplished.
It’s so easy to be intimidated by the accomplishments of others. It’s tempting to just not even try, thinking it’s too late or that it will take too much time. What struck me was the admiration and respect that my son had for the tenacity of the graduates he had heard that night. He, who had accomplished so much, was blown away by their spirit and determination.
More than the diplomas they received, I find that, as their mother, I am most proud of her will to reach her goal no matter the time and sacrifice it would take, and that his long list of accomplishments never eclipsed his true appreciation for the accomplishments of others. Children learn more, I feel, by example than they do by words alone. That being said, these past few days may have been one of the best learning experiences of my grandson’s life; not only in persistence and appreciation, but in humility.