The Anecdotal Life Part. 121
I am at the lake in
Michigan and yesterday a good neighbor came down the hill toward me
ultimately headed for the lake. During our "catching up"
chat I discovered that she had devoted herself for some years to her
mother who had been suffering with Alzheimer's. It had finally
consumed her mother as she knew her and it had consumed her as well.
From the sound of it, she and her husband had done a wonderful job of
giving her the best care that could be given. Now it was over
and she was understandably somewhat lost and not certain as to what
to do next. We have all been there and probably more than once. An
old parody of Star Trek stated it more humorously. It involved
Captain Kirk waking up from a coma with temporary amnesia. "
Where am I? Who am I? Why am I wearing these funny looking clothes?
and who are these funny looking people? "
It is a shock to find out that oneself and time are "out of joint". Put more simply, everything changes while one's attention is deeply immersed within a demanding regimen. Good or bad.
For a while we stumble around trying to pick up the pieces of our past forgotten life from off the floor where we dropped them.
But then, as we are more aware, it as if someone has walked up and delivered a box to you with your name on it. A message rests in a nest of tissue inside, an overwhelming message written in large black print. 'THIS IS A GIFT. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN YOUR FREEDOM. YOUR TIME IS YOURS NOW. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT? "
This shocking realization occurs at retirement. It hits after any consuming and lengthy effort or achievement. As an artist, it inevitably followed the months or years it took to complete a large cadre of work in a particular style. It lies within the wrench of seeing your children step out into the work. We don't always recognize the gift wrapped up, as it often is , in the upheaval of change. The current cliche is "reinvent yourself". Sounds easy....... Some people plan ahead in hopes of cushioning themselves from that scary emptiness that can ensnare us during those times. Fritz Perls called it "the fertile void",since it can precede your next creative act, adventure or the next turn taken on the road of life. What to do? What to do?
The Chinese say "Do what you love, that is wisdom." Trouble is , choosing among many choices and making that choice can be terrifying and laden with hidden responsibility.
I like to take one step and wait... if possible, to see how it feels. Some people plow ahead and like myself six years ago, make a mistake, as when I bought a twin screw engine, 34 ft. cruiser. I learned tons . I learned what being a beginner means, and what being a beginner feels like outside all one's comfort zones. I learned a lot of who, what, where, or when about a lot of things, people and myself. I learned what I really liked and what I really hated. So mistakes are important. If they don't kill you first, they can shape your next choice, and strengthen you .
My neighbor is lucky that she is young enough to choose from a broad swath of choices and has the time to do them. Here's to her!!
Bon Chance, Bon Voyage and Bon everything else...
It is a shock to find out that oneself and time are "out of joint". Put more simply, everything changes while one's attention is deeply immersed within a demanding regimen. Good or bad.
For a while we stumble around trying to pick up the pieces of our past forgotten life from off the floor where we dropped them.
But then, as we are more aware, it as if someone has walked up and delivered a box to you with your name on it. A message rests in a nest of tissue inside, an overwhelming message written in large black print. 'THIS IS A GIFT. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN YOUR FREEDOM. YOUR TIME IS YOURS NOW. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT? "
This shocking realization occurs at retirement. It hits after any consuming and lengthy effort or achievement. As an artist, it inevitably followed the months or years it took to complete a large cadre of work in a particular style. It lies within the wrench of seeing your children step out into the work. We don't always recognize the gift wrapped up, as it often is , in the upheaval of change. The current cliche is "reinvent yourself". Sounds easy....... Some people plan ahead in hopes of cushioning themselves from that scary emptiness that can ensnare us during those times. Fritz Perls called it "the fertile void",since it can precede your next creative act, adventure or the next turn taken on the road of life. What to do? What to do?
The Chinese say "Do what you love, that is wisdom." Trouble is , choosing among many choices and making that choice can be terrifying and laden with hidden responsibility.
I like to take one step and wait... if possible, to see how it feels. Some people plow ahead and like myself six years ago, make a mistake, as when I bought a twin screw engine, 34 ft. cruiser. I learned tons . I learned what being a beginner means, and what being a beginner feels like outside all one's comfort zones. I learned a lot of who, what, where, or when about a lot of things, people and myself. I learned what I really liked and what I really hated. So mistakes are important. If they don't kill you first, they can shape your next choice, and strengthen you .
My neighbor is lucky that she is young enough to choose from a broad swath of choices and has the time to do them. Here's to her!!
Bon Chance, Bon Voyage and Bon everything else...
Copyright: August 2, 2012.
posted by The Anecdotal Life at 1:11 PM
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