Adventure Number Two- I know it was an adventure because that’s what the kids called it when we began to take unexpected detours and meet challenges. We sat out bright and early enough on Wednesday morning, well provisioned with a picnic lunch of Andrea’s creation. Our first plan had been to hike Box Canyon near Ouray and then enjoy the hot springs. Our first need was to fill the gas tank. This I did with great confidence; knowing that my check had arrived at work about the same time we left town. Andrea had her wallet, Philip intentionally left his behind. I had a useless wallet containing a bunch of pennies and 210 cents in nickels and dimes. As we approached Ouray, I stopped at a last chance grocery store and added a bag of chips, cheese crackers and candy to our snack menu; and left a phone message for a cousin I believed to be vacationing in the area to see if we could meet up. Philip was beginning to proclaim, teenage fashion, that it was lunch time. When we neared Ouray I remembered our entry fee experience of the previous day and began to have second thoughts about Box Canyon. Further, Philip announced that he did not feel like hiking a second day in a row. We made an immediate right turn into the hot springs parking lot where I enjoyed lunch while contemplating huge goldfish and the kids delayed lunch by enjoying the skate park. After noon we window shopped at the gift stores, paid our hot springs fee (1/3 of what it costs in Glenwood), donned bathing suits and relaxed in the gigantic outdoor hot tub for an hour or more.
While window shopping we found a great little chocolaterie (with rest room) and bought 3 truffles; one chocolate raspberry (for Philip); blackberry (for Andrea); white chocolate / lemon (for me). That is, we tried to buy them. When the truffles were weighed, our total came to $2.79; but we could muster only $2.60 between us. The clerk, not wanting to put the edible merchandise back in the case or wait while we ran 4 blocks back to the car to check the ash tray (which we knew to contain only pennies); took pity on us and closed the deal for $2.60 rather than throw out the chocolates. So began the adventure portion of our day.
After the swim, the kids returned to the skate park for a few turns and then we headed back toward Montrose, where I knew of a delicious Chinese buffet. I sent them in to ask price as I hunted for a parking place. NINE DOLLARS per person? No thank you, we will just stop at the next MacDonald’s or Burger King and choose a few value items.
But, as we came into Delta, destiny overtook us. I looked up just in time to see “The Bucket List” playing at an historic downtown theatre. We took a turn around the block, found an easy parking space and joined the queue forming on the sidewalk. “Cash only” proclaimed the vintage sign. We stayed in line long enough to ask the location of the nearest ATM and ran a block to the teller. Finding the fee to be only $3.00, we decided to make the splurge. I balked at taking forty dollars instant cash, not knowing exactly how much that paycheck waiting for me was. Instead I took twenty. Uh, twenty. There are three of us. The tickets were $7.00. Twenty, huh? We knew, from our chocolate truffle experience, exactly how much we could scrape between the three of us. Having decided not to take out 40; was I now going to ask for an additional $20 with an additional $3.00 fee? No way! I had done some shopping for another party that afternoon and was able to temporarily borrow an additional dollar from the change. We were entertained by the movie, had a safe drive home. So ended the adventure – or so I thought. Picking up my check the following day reveled that I had earned $16.00 during the pay period. Ha! 16 dollars. Would I have even put gas in the tank if I had known that? Or would we have meandered around the house for spring break? Maybe the best surprise IS no surprise. Oh, well, my check will be doubly big next time; I’ve worked a lot the past two weeks just to cover for spring break.
Live Life as an Adventure #2
Adventure Number Two- I know it was an adventure because that’s what the kids called it when we began to take unexpected detours and meet challenges. We sat out bright and early enough on Wednesday morning, well provisioned with a picnic lunch of Andrea’s creation. Our first plan had been to hike Box Canyon near Ouray and then enjoy the hot springs. Our first need was to fill the gas tank. This I did with great confidence; knowing that my check had arrived at work about the same time we left town. Andrea had her wallet, Philip intentionally left his behind. I had a useless wallet containing a bunch of pennies and 210 cents in nickels and dimes. As we approached Ouray, I stopped at a last chance grocery store and added a bag of chips, cheese crackers and candy to our snack menu; and left a phone message for a cousin I believed to be vacationing in the area to see if we could meet up. Philip was beginning to proclaim, teenage fashion, that it was lunch time. When we neared Ouray I remembered our entry fee experience of the previous day and began to have second thoughts about Box Canyon. Further, Philip announced that he did not feel like hiking a second day in a row. We made an immediate right turn into the hot springs parking lot where I enjoyed lunch while contemplating huge goldfish and the kids delayed lunch by enjoying the skate park. After noon we window shopped at the gift stores, paid our hot springs fee (1/3 of what it costs in Glenwood), donned bathing suits and relaxed in the gigantic outdoor hot tub for an hour or more.
While window shopping we found a great little chocolaterie (with rest room) and bought 3 truffles; one chocolate raspberry (for Philip); blackberry (for Andrea); white chocolate / lemon (for me). That is, we tried to buy them. When the truffles were weighed, our total came to $2.79; but we could muster only $2.60 between us. The clerk, not wanting to put the edible merchandise back in the case or wait while we ran 4 blocks back to the car to check the ash tray (which we knew to contain only pennies); took pity on us and closed the deal for $2.60 rather than throw out the chocolates. So began the adventure portion of our day.
After the swim, the kids returned to the skate park for a few turns and then we headed back toward Montrose, where I knew of a delicious Chinese buffet. I sent them in to ask price as I hunted for a parking place. NINE DOLLARS per person? No thank you, we will just stop at the next MacDonald’s or Burger King and choose a few value items.
But, as we came into Delta, destiny overtook us. I looked up just in time to see “The Bucket List” playing at an historic downtown theatre. We took a turn around the block, found an easy parking space and joined the queue forming on the sidewalk. “Cash only” proclaimed the vintage sign. We stayed in line long enough to ask the location of the nearest ATM and ran a block to the teller. Finding the fee to be only $3.00, we decided to make the splurge. I balked at taking forty dollars instant cash, not knowing exactly how much that paycheck waiting for me was. Instead I took twenty. Uh, twenty. There are three of us. The tickets were $7.00. Twenty, huh? We knew, from our chocolate truffle experience, exactly how much we could scrape between the three of us. Having decided not to take out 40; was I now going to ask for an additional $20 with an additional $3.00 fee? No way! I had done some shopping for another party that afternoon and was able to temporarily borrow an additional dollar from the change. We were entertained by the movie, had a safe drive home. So ended the adventure – or so I thought. Picking up my check the following day reveled that I had earned $16.00 during the pay period. Ha! 16 dollars. Would I have even put gas in the tank if I had known that? Or would we have meandered around the house for spring break? Maybe the best surprise IS no surprise. Oh, well, my check will be doubly big next time; I’ve worked a lot the past two weeks just to cover for spring break.
Life as an adventure
Live life like an adventure. Well, that sounds like fun; but I fear that my attitude more often lines up with the old Holiday Inn commercial which said, “The best surprise is no surprise.”
Both Andrea and Philip have been on spring break this past week and we really wanted to do something special. Florida and the beach maybe? No, that has never been in reach. Train ride to San Francisco? Dream on! A quick look in the bank account ruled out overnight trips altogether-we were lucky to find gas money to get Andrea home. So, on Tuesday we took a drive over the Colorado National Monument near Fruita; stopped to eat our picnic lunch at Artist’s point and then hiked to the Coke Ovens formation. It was a nice easy hike and our energy was a gift of the wonderful sunshine and our recent move to lower elevation. Returning to the fork in the trail, we decided to explore the monument canyon route; lengthy and more challenging. A quick check of Andrea’s IPOD at the floor of the canyon reveled that we needed to hoof it back to the car in order for Philip and me to arrive at work on time. Back UP the zig-zag trail we hurried. Whew! On arriving at the car we were relieved to find an hour to spare and disappointed to find a $7.00 entry fee waiting for us as we exited the national park. We learned two lessons: 1) National Parks charge all year long 2) Its not wise to take on a full scale hike before moonlighting at serving, bussing, and scrubbing floors Cinderella style. Philip and I ended up bone weary and exhausted.
So, Wednesday we did the only sensible thing: We headed for the hot springs and adventure number two.
A Bucket of Joy
Numbers 4 and 5 on the bucket list were: Bring joy to others and; have joy in my life. I think these two goals, or life ambitions, are inseparable. Ifs pretty hard to live a joyless life and have any joy to bring to others. Conversely, if one’s own bucket is full of joy, it is easy to splash dippers of joy all over the surrounding people. Joy is a thing that just spills out, so I don’t think there’s any point in hypothesizing a miserly person who keeps all their joy to themselves. Real Joy spills out.
I do think it is possible for a joyless soul to try hard to conjure up a false joy by dedicating themselves ceaselessly to others. In this case one’s joy, or mood, is dependent on the response or lack thereof in the receiving party. Real joy is not dependent on something as fragile as mood or response; nor is it synonymous with happiness or laughter – though I would like plenty of those in my life also.
OK, I’m off to gather a bucketful of joy so I can splash it liberally on others!
Leave a Legacy
Its number three on the aforementioned Bucket List; but right up there with number one on mine.
My three children are by far the greatest thing that has come out of this challenge and chaos called life.
They are not mine to buy and sell and use and own; but, they are mine to love, and to provide wings for. They are the primary recipients of the LEGACY I long to leave. A legacy that includes:
1) Plenty of music and musical opportunities
2) A classical education
3) Rewarding work ethic
4) The proper tools and gifts to help the tree grow in the way it is bent
5) Freedom to be oneself, who one is meant, by the Creator, to be
6) A well of memories and experiences to grow on
My professional friend has a large matted gold frame on her office wall. The frame proudly displays all the major accomplishments of her life: diplomas, professional licenses – and a portrait of her three children. I could not illustrate it better. Children are a heritage from the Lord. They are my life’s magnum opus. Children’s Children are the crown of old age. I must be old, because I have a three jeweled crown.
Leave a Legacy
Its number three on the aforementioned Bucket List; but right up there with number one on mine.
My three children are by far the greatest thing that has come out of this challenge and chaos called life.
They are not mine to buy and sell and use and own; but, they are mine to love, and to provide wings for. They are the primary recipients of the LEGACY I long to leave. A legacy that includes:
1) Plenty of music and musical opportunities
2) A classical education
3) Rewarding work ethic
4) The proper tools and gifts to help the tree grow in the way it is bent
5) Freedom to be oneself, who one is meant, by the Creator, to be
6) A well of memories and experiences to grow on
My professional friend has a large matted gold frame on her office wall. The frame proudly displays all the major accomplishments of her life: diplomas, professional licenses – and a portrait of her three children. I could not illustrate it better. Children are a heritage from the Lord. They are my life’s magnum opus. Children’s Children are the crown of old age. I must be old, because I have a three jeweled crown.
Reflect (#1 on the Bucket List)
“Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants…….The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word. But the worries of this life…choke it, making it unfruitful. Matthew 13:7 and 22.”
Over the past several years, I have repeatedly heard speakers lamenting and pointing out the fact that houses are no longer designed with front porches on which to sit and talk with family and neighbors at the end of the day. Companionable reflection rarely happens in our activity laden or television choked lives.
When we moved to the cabin, the porch, or deck, was rather rickety and precarious. Doug reinforced and replaced the pile and beam supports. I bought two patio benches for our anniversary the first year. For a few years we made a nightly habit of sitting and reflecting on the trials and successes of each day. It was a good habit. Reflection is healthy; for the individual and for relationships. By and by the worries and cares of life choked out this reflection time. Once again the struggle to survive became all consuming.
Now I am once again in a place, a time, of reflection as I work on my book and “feel my pain.”
In a previous post, I quoted Christian Counselor, Maryellen Stipe as saying (in part)
“When you fill your life and brain with obsessing … fixing …you mood alter on that (worrying, catastrophising, planning to control the chaos, etc) and you do not feel your own pain, or take care of the issues in your own life. You are so busy living someone else’s life that you don’t live your own life or dreams or purpose”
Reflection. Reflecting on the pain and the joys in life. Getting emotionally, mentally, spiritually healthy. Definitely on my list of 10 things I want to do before I die. How about this year?
The Bucket List
Definitely, it goes on my list of movies I want to see. It is also reminiscent of my thinking and Blog writing of last year at this same time, Ten Things I Want to Do Before I Die.
On Sunday morning I heard a “Bucket List” message at church, complete with trailers from said movie. The speakers said that a survey was taken of folks in their 90s. Following are the top 5 items on the bucket lists of those elders:
1) Reflect more
2) Live life like it is an adventure
3) Leave a Legacy
4) Give other people Joy
5) Have Joy in my own life
Not bad. I kinda like that list; in fact, I think I will reflect on it in the coming days and see how well it fits my current list of Ten Things I Want to Do Before I Die.
Here’s to an Addiction Free New Year!
Information you need to know from Christian Counselor and Life Coach, Maryellen Stipe:
Caretaking can be an addiction, an addiction to other people’s problems. When you fill your life and brain with obsessing on other people’s issues and fixing them you mood alter on that (worrying, catastrophising, planning to control the chaos, etc) and you do not feel your own pain, or take care of the issues in your own life. You are so busy living someone else’s life that you don’t live your own life or dreams or purpose. This is why co-dependents are called “co” dependents—they are also dependent or hooked on the addiction of their significant person. Taking on the role of savior in another person’s life is intoxicating because the co-dependent feels so powerful and comforts himself or herself with what a good person (s)he is to look after this loser in her life. Caretaking is one of the legal addictions of Christians. It can seem noble but it also steals one’s life away. Instead of taking her (or his) cues from the Lord about how to live her life, the co-dependent takes her cues from the problem person. The co-dependent’s life orbits around the problem person rather than around the Lord. God’s Lordship in his / her life is diminished. The co-dependent is not free to obey God’s bidding. He / She lives life focused on the problem (s) of the significant other. This kind of activity is modeled in many Christian homes and passed on to generations
Writer’s Irony
In the desert town where I grew up and where I am now domiciled; there is an old Indian legend which says that the Native Americans (Ute tribe), as they were being pushed out by white settlers, left a curse that anyone born here might leave; but would always have to return.
Well, here I am, back home again and living a writer’s irony that rivals that of a science fiction author. I have heard repeatedly that good science fiction is like prophecy and tends to come true in the future. I do not write Science Fiction so I presume I am exempt from living my plot, digging my own grave, or pre-engraving my own tombstone.
Good fiction of any nature is often based on fact or experience; so you could say that my narrative came true in the past rather than the future. I think of relational, narrative, fiction as a sort of unknown author’s memoir. Much more is probably true than the reader imagines (only the names have been changed to protect the innocent-or the guilty).
I am now 136 pages into my novel, and I know the final page. The main character hops a plane and moves toward her future in Seattle. My original plan had been to spend these 5 months writing in Seattle. I have always loved Seattle and thought it would be rather quaint to wrap up the plot there. A sudden turn of events rerouted me to the desert. Rerouted me on the heals of scripting the protagonist to say, “I promptly joined the Symphony Guild.”
Guess what I did this morning, gentle reader? I knowingly, intentionally, joined the Symphony Guild – the new and improved, 22 years more experienced, but none the less, same guild that was the model for that chapter of the book. I have been here before, I know the script. Now I see it with the eyes of the next generation. Last week my old friend Charlie commented on this very blog site. Guess whom I had just caricatured and morphed into someone else in the preceding pages?
So explain to me again how I ended up here in déjà vu land?
I WASN’T BORN HERE. I AM NOT UNDER THE CURSE.