Simpler Days

I am an estate sale/flea market/ ebay JUNKIE!!! I love finding random stuff and adopting relatives and familial heirlooms that never were a part of my personal family tree and high-jacking them for my own. I can't help but wonder about when I am dead and gone what my grand-children or great grand children will say (or deduce) about the random things they find in my collection- what fantastic stories they will make up about our imaginary relatives.

I showed this picture I had found between the pages of a book I had in my collection to my Grandmother. I sincerely cannot tell you where I acquired it, whether it came with the book or was part of a collection I picked up somewhere and had stashed for safe keeping. In small talk, I said something to the extent that it must have been wonderful to live in simpler times. My Grandmother had a twinkle in her eye when she made the off-handed remark that living in the shadow of War and Depression made everything simpler- it was life or death. With little or no money, you made do and there really were not many choices to think or ponder about, you just did the task at hand. She said, simple is what you make of it and that things get "unsimple" when we give ourselves too many choices that distract us from the basics. Profound. I love my grandmother.

I started thinking about how it is that this time of the year seems to be so complex, so hurried, so stressful and so well, the farthest possible point from simple. I crave simple. The problem is, rather than guarding my time and energy, I give myself too many choices and pencil in commitments that keep me from accomplishing the basics. Focus on what Christmas is about- everything else, the shopping, the travel, the schedules, the relatives that insist on throwing monkey wrenches in the best laid plans, the silly light that burned out and just made half of your outside decorations unlit.... that is all the extra stuff that gets in the way of simple. Just a thought.

Comments

[Sarah Hodsdon]

I love you you know that?

[eBeth]

I understand about the journals! If you do ever want to send- we can still try to send them- maybe every other month would be easier?
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
love you,
eBeth

[Sarah Hodsdon]

Merry Christmas eBeth! I seriously wish we lived closer- I feel insanely guilty about not sending you our journals, truly I am a dork- let it be known, I am a dork! Remember that movie Much To Do About nothing with Emma Thompson and Denzel Washington.... Say that let it be known thing as written above like Michael Keaton announces to the world that he is an "arse"...tee hee hee I love that movie. And for the record, I have said "No" to a lot more projects than I have said "yes" to...you would be proud. Hugs to you and yours :)

[eBeth]

Hi Sarah! I know what you mean about being too busy-- one thing I learned as I have gotten older (and hopefully wiser) is that I had to learn how to say NO. I too would spread myself too thin and then grow resentful about it, when it was all my own doing! Have a blessed Christmas- keep in touch! eBeth