Wednesday October 5 2016  REQUIREMENTS OF LIFE

Life sometimes requires us to do things we don’t want to do.  We do them because they must be done to enable us to have orderly and well balanced lives.  Perhaps I should change the word “sometimes” to “often”. 

In order for each individual to lead a productive and organized life there are a lot of “have to’s” along the way.  When we are born there are necessary requirements needed for someone else to take care of, even when they don’t want to do it, in order that we survive infancy, toddlerhood, and childhood.  And even from an early age there are a myriad of “musts” that we, as young children, must learn to do.  And most likely, we will NOT want to do them!  We probably even threw a few loud tantrums because we just didn’t want to cooperate.

Every day decisions must be made “to do” what needs doing before we can do what we would like to do; so Dave informed me a few moments ago.  I was sitting at my desk going through emails since a blog topic had not yet surfaced.  I was thinking about how much I’d rather be upstairs in my craft room working on the photo album (that is consuming my life at present) instead of writing a blog.  Do I have to write a blog?  No, I don’t.  The world would not come crashing down around me if I chose not to write one today, skipped a few days, or even stopped altogether. So I suppose it is not a requirement for me to do, but a commitment that I have decided to do.  But because I have committed to doing it, I discipline myself to fulfill my commitment and so thus, it is something I have to do because I have chosen to commit myself to doing it. 

Well, Dave informed me that he was headed upstairs to do one of the things he did not want to do, but in order to upkeep our home, he knows it must be done.  His comment was the fodder I needed for my blog topic.  What he doesn’t want to do is a big job and must be done in spurts over many days.  Today he is tackling the sun room windows which need to be washed.  The room has six, large, double hung windows and is on the top level of the house.  There is no access from the outside except by ladder.  So, he capitulates and wrestles with the heavy windows which are hinged to hang horizontally into the house so they can be accessed on both sides.  It is a heavy, difficult job.  And because we live in the woods the debris that comes in through the screens creates quite a mess.  AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, somehow the box elder bugs have learned how to enter and live between the screens and the glass.  He has to vacuum them up as quickly as he opens the window so they won’t fly all over the house.  There are dozens of them.  Dave is just beginning the autumn rounds of window washing.  We only have 45 windows in our house.  About half of them are on the upper level.  But, as he put it, it has to be done!  We have chosen to live here and have committed ourselves to keeping up our investment, so thus, we make certain to take care of the windows (along with a lot of other chores we’d rather not do).

I am looking at my life a bit differently these days.  I am committing to less clutter on my calendar, less mess in the house, and hopefully a smaller dwelling in the future.  It sort of reminds me of a statement I read in a book this past year, “downsizing up”.  The author emphasized that as we de-clutter our lifestyle, move to a smaller residence, rid ourselves of the things we don’t need, and limit our commitments, we are actually “DOWNSIZING UP FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE”.  Perhaps that is the answer to not having so much to do that you don’t want to do.” The flip side of the coin is that you can then spend so much more time doing more of what you would like to do. I’m not quite there yet.  But I’m working on it. 

 

THE HAVE TO’S OF LIFE

Kathleen Martens

October 5, 2016

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

Downsizing up

Sounds a bit suspicious

But the end results

Are temptingly delicious.

 

But how to get there

Is the question?

How do I live

That I am not in subjection?

 

Do I put on hold

My desires and dreams

Until I am downsized

To the extreme?

 

Or do I muddle

Through all my mess

Doing all the have to’s

To experience success?

 

Just one day at a time

Do what must be done

Because there will be moments

When it’s time for fun.

 

Like reading and writing

And creating art

And garnering all the pieces

Of a free spirited heart.

 

And always remember

These days will go fast,

So give unto others

Memories that last.

 

The less you own

The more you can do,

Not just for yourself

But for another too.

 

Live life simply,

As it creates elegance,

Live one day at a time,

With hope and diligence.

 

The more you get rid of,

The more of self you can give,

“Things” are no longer more important

Than the life that you live.

 

P.S. Forty five windows are a lot of windows!

 

Just so you know it is so difficult for me to write short blogs.  There is so much more I would like to say about this topic but I am trying to keep my promise to write shorter blogs.  It helps me have more time to do all the other HAVE TO’S!

 

Lord, thank You for the opportunity of living in a country that offers so many choices.

Thank You Father that You gave me the choice to choose eternal life through the sacrifice of Your Son.

Thank You for this day, this hour, and this moment as my fingers write out these words.

Thank You God that You are Sovereign.

Thank You God that Your Word has given us truth, regardless what the laws of our country dictate. 

 

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU