A Good Day, a Great Week

Having the entire week to our selves without having to think, plan or do for others has been a welcome relief. That’s really an understatement, it has been heavenly. We have been able to slide back into our own routine, accomplishing what’s necessary at our own pace while feeling relaxed and peaceful in the process. That is the form of living we try to achieve. Things got quite out of balance for awhile and I think would have continued on that way if I had not taken the initiative to change it. It became a matter of handling the situation and obligations to others with firmness yet diplomacy. Although not spoken of in these terms, the bottom line became this, we are here to assist but we are not indentured servants.

Yesterday was good all the way around…perfect weather and nothing too pressing! The day started out stormy with some much needed rain. (Our garden is happy, happy, happy about that!) The dark clouds soon moved on and we became the recipients of a most perfect July day. I know I comment on the weather often, lol, but it has a big affect on me and my daily agenda. Had it been cool and stormy all day I most likely would have baked bread. But instead I spent as much time outdoors as I could, savoring the billowy white clouds in the majestic blue sky and letting my hair hang loose to allow the heavenly breezes to blow though it. Summer days like these are fleeting and if possible one must breathe them in and savor their essence.

I put a crock pot full of stuffed peppers on to cook in the late morning after which Jarrod the journalist and the photographer arrived right on time for our interview. Coop and I were happy to be able to share what we knew about Freecycle™ and the importance of recycling, I hope the young journalist does a good job of presenting the information. I urged him to revisit their website, both local and national and make note of their mission statement. I also printed off our local groups rules for him to become familiar with as he seemed to know very little about the movement in general. The article should appear in next Wednesday’s paper.

After the interview, Coop got busy and created our fire pit by digging a shallow groove about 3’ wide in the ground on the east side of our driveway area, just about where we had one years before. He gathered field stone from around the silo and old barn bank and hauled them up to the circle. Later in the evening I went out and arranged them and surprisingly there were just the right amount to make a full circle. Now we have a real fire ring to enjoy…and soon I hope!

Earlier while sitting outside under the tree appreciating the day, I finished a book recently loaned by my sister. “Mutant Messages from Down Under” came out in the early 90’s originally. I recall the big hoopla over it at the time because of it being a fictional account of the authors’ Aboriginal adventure in the Outback, a fact that came to light later after it became a big seller. Other authors went on to publish similar first hand accounts of their fictional adventures and so this book read much like “The Celestine Prophecy” or “Emissaries of Light”, with basically the same lessons in oneness spirituality and environmental responsibility. Like MMDU, none exceptionally written, but all with a valid message.

MMDU is one of those easy reads I like to take in during the summer when I am less inclined to read anything of great depth. I’m a highlighter or underliner when I come across a statement that resonates with my spirit. But since this was not my book, I thought it wiser to make notes on scraps of paper of pertinent messages I took from this book. Here are a few thoughts that I wrote down;

We can enrich our lives, give to ourselves and be as creative and happy as we allow ourselves to be.

Most die without ever knowing how it feels to stand naked in the rain.

Possession is the extreme of excluding others for self indulgence.

The end of each species is a step closer to the end of the human species.

There should be no suffering for any creature except what they accept for themselves. (This statement is best understood in the esoteric nature in which it was written and relates to soul purpose.)

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