When I was a kid, one of our neighbours used to say that and
of course, we’d all crack up when he did.
He was a devoted church-goer and a lovely man so it was doubly funny
when he said it. It was code for “if it
ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
This seems to be my train of thought these days… but with a
twist. I’m looking at parts of my life
that I have thought were broken, and that I have spent lots of time trying to fix. What I’m realizing is that if I look at these
same pieces with gratitude, and an understanding of my circumstances, all of a
sudden, I no longer need to try and change them. It is what it is. Or as Popeye would say, “I yam what I yam,
Olivsk”.
I’m not talking about giving up, or falling into complacency
about my life, or succumbing to defeat.
I’m talking about channeling my considerable amount of energy into
getting the absolute best out of every moment, every day, regardless of what it
looks like. I love those “aha” moments, when I “wake up” and totally “get” that
my current situation is exactly where I’m meant to be and why.
So I find myself realizing that my store, Presence, is not
going to provide me with a significant retirement fund. Having been an
entrepreneur most of my life, I have failed to put aside enough along the way
to make sure that I can always live in the style to which I’d like to become
accustomed! At the same time, being here
for as long as I have has been incredibly rewarding in terms of meeting new
friends, acquiring new skills, being surrounded by beautiful objets d’art, and
amazing scenery. I also have come to realize that when I chose to do this I was
at a different stage and a big portion of my decision was made from a need to
satisfy an itch stemming from personality, a need to be recognized as a
prominent and successful business person in my community. When I accepted that essentially I already
have what I need in terms of approval and appreciation, I have less of a need
to keep my store going. Presence has helped me find (pun intended) that what I
was looking for was always here. Within.
I want to really zero in on these next few years, and really get clear about
what really blows my hair back. And do
it. Be it. For the right reasons. Or at least for reasons that are pertinent to
me today.
You can be sure it will have something to do with music,
intuitive reading, and helping others find their true path in a healthy and
wholesome way.
Stay tuned. It ain’t
over until the (insert appropriate
adjective) lady sings. And I haven’t
even started warming up yet.
Branded by the key of C,
Authentically yours,
Buns.
P.S. I found out that
the expression came from the book, Bird by Bird, a very famous, New York Times
bestselling book about writing by novelist and memoirist Anne Lamott. Although
I haven’t read the book yet, here are a couple of quotes from it that rang true
for me…
“Don’t look at your feet to see if you are doing it right.
Just dance.” (p. 112)
and I love this one…
“How would your main character describe their current circumstances
to a close friend, before and after a few drinks?” (p. 47)
And now, gitcher cowboy boots on and have a listen…
.
Oh my country girl. Your boots are showing and it's grand. Here's to new adventures and flying high.
ReplyDeletexoxo Marty
And have you been introduced to Rev. Margaret Watson's blog? http://leaveitlay.blogspot.com/ You might enjoy her take on things...
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if you were saying that this expression came from the book or was just used in the book. I don't know who Ann Lamott is, but the expression didn't come from her or her book. Maybe she used the expression in the book, but it's a very old colloquial expression from the southeastern US.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I knew it came from somewhere down south but I haven't been able to trace it. I know that Ann Lamott (an American novelist) has used it, but I also knew that the expression must have pre-dated her. Do you have any more details? By the way, thank you for reading our blog!
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