The Unexpected Mover - Part III

Moving a household is a glimpse into a man's world.  Military wives are very familiar with the prepping drill but the lifting and loading and then unloading is strictly a man's job.  The conversations are colorful and pungent; no swearing, well, not much anyway, but the stories and observations are the glue that makes the work easy and fast. Teamwork at its best.

Thursday night, we gave up hope of finishing the move in one day.  We booked a room at Days Inn, and left to sleep. NOT.  I didn't sleep, and Don barely slept. Work commenced at 7 a.m. Friday morning, and we were still at it at 2:43 p.m.

We finally depart, much to the relief of our buyers, and arrived at our daughter's home before dark.

After a painful and exhausting two days, the unload commenced early Saturday morning.  The house is packed and moving around is a challenge.  Sunday, we slept and rested; we were tired to the point of illness. 

End of Part III

The Unexpected Move - Part II

I read a little piece recently that addressed the question, "What do I Like to Do?".  I can most readily answer that question by telling you what I DON'T  like to do.  I don't like moving.  But here I am, moving again, at 77 years of age.

At an age when people are downsizing, we are packing again. No one died. Our financial circumstances haven't changed. Health isn't an issue. We have chosen to move because there is simply no compelling reason to stay.  We have no family here, no relationships rooted in decades of time, solidified through work, school, church connections, or child-rearing.  Yes, we have friends here with treasured routines in place but the roots are shallow and as we discovered, early last year, easily disrupted and torn apart.

One of the things I've learned, in my eight years here, is that friendship is layered.  In a small community, the passage of time, for long residing residents, creates deep roots with one strong, nourishing tap root.  There isn't much room for groups to expand.  Like an extended family, these communal friendships have shared stories that provide the glue for its continuity. We share none of these experience that bind us to the community. There will be people we will miss and, in fact, already do miss.  But our children are in Indiana and Tennessee. And, of even greater importance, our grandchildren are in Tennessee.  The almost 3 hour drive to visit them becomes more tiring as we age and the time between visits becomes longer.  So, it was time to move; time to reinvent our life just one more time. 

The Unexpected Move - Part I

 In 2017, we moved from California to the southeastern corner of Missouri known as The Bootheel.  In a state regarded as a split state during the Civil War, this little bit of Missouri hangs below the Mason-Dixon Line much like a Florida dangling chad. And, it's the only part of Missouri that is uniquely Southern. Otherwise, all other parts of the state consider itself Midwestern.

That move produced a book, A California Girl Meets the Bootheel in 2019.  Having lived my entire life in California, settling in the Bootheel was more or less like landing on Pluto. Writing this series of newspaper stories, over a period of 18 months, went a long way towards introducing me to the community and helped me adjust to a new way of life.

Now, at 77 years of age, I am doing the unthinkable. With my husband leading the way, I am moving  -  again.  In a long life, marked by many moves, this isn't one I saw coming.  When it arrived, the very idea ran through our life like a run-away freight train.  Everything changed.

In the spring of 2024, our settled life changed with such sudden rapidity, it took me the rest of the year just to adjust to the idea.  Then I found myself sliding into regret but there was no getting off this speeding train. And then, just like that, our house was listed and sold.  Now we are signing to sell our home on July 15th.  We are signing to buy our Tennessee house on July 16th.  The movers arrive on the 17th and we are out of here.  The whole thing has left me gasping.

End of Part I

Mary Magdelene

 

Friday Five Minute Writing Prompt- Persevere

Romans 5: 3 “ . . . when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.

Grief, sadness, and confusion were my constant companions in my young adult years.  I learned that some things can't be fixed and perseverance became my middle name.  Isolation shielded me from advice, from guidance. The knowledge that joy could be mine was absent in the midst of my own misery but much later in life was mine to share with others.  I called that a hard won lesson and a win.

The Strong Survive - 5-Minute Write

This morning I gazed at my one remaining  plant container I brought with me from California.  It is utilitarian and not one of my favorites. But as I look at it, it occurs to me that even though it isn't pretty, it IS a survivor.  Harshness in life can do that to you but if you are strong, you survive.

Bootheel Writers Group - Ten Minute Writing Challenge

The Teashop

He moves to my side

near at hand but not touching

Others strolled with us but

my focus narrows on the

man at my side

The teashop our destination

draws us onward Its interior

beckoning us downward

through a shadowed 

passageway

Lingering encourages us

a poet's heart greets us with a

smile . . . a wonder of conversation awaits

Little did I know his self-produced

books would inspire my own

efts decades later

Long after now I have forgotten his name but I still remember his

tiny teashop and his miniature booklets of poetry written as the

musing of a retired engineer

And soon after that the man at my side decided to remain there forever

Remains

A smile. Eyes light up

The half expected knock at the door

A temporary beauty but longlasting in memory

Drooping, dropping, creating a faded blanket

Only remains remain, struggling for last passage to glory.

Friday Writing Prompt - Journey

Last year I finally understood that how I lived my life with God's presence or absence made decision making harder or easier depending upon how I placed him in my life.  It's been quite a journey.’'

I'm fairly confident that had I asked God for help, I would never have stayed in my last job for twenty years.  I am confident that if I had understood that my I love  of writing was a gift of the Holy Spirit, I would have made some very different choices in life.

But this journey, had I made other choices, would have denied me my most precious gifts of God, my children and grandchildren, and meeting the man with whom I would create them.   

This journey also brought me to the realization of what writing really means to me.  I don't want recognition and success.  I do hope that my small writings, my poetry, meditations, and essays might be seen and heard and benefit someone.  So I will continue to do what I've been doing all along, blogging, sharing it, talking with people in writing group, and creating small booklets to sell or give away as the spirit moves me. 

Friday Writing Prompt -Worship

In Worship, we can discern God's will for us.  Rest in Him and He will show us His Way.

"Come Holy Spirit, as we discern your desire for us, light our path on the way you have set our hearts upon.  Guard us on our journey that we may not be distracted in our efforts as we endeavor to discover Your Will for us.

As many before us have joined in a Rule of Order, so help us to unite more closely to the rules you long for us to embrace. Guide our way with your light, guardianship and statutes for living so that we may see others as you see them.  Lift us up with deep affection so that we may be vessels of your love.

Lord, cast a light on us and lead us on our way.

Amen

Friday Five Minute Writing Prompt - But

Battling to my

Utmost BUT

Totally losing

Bravely standing, BUT

Upside down.

Task for another day.

Broken 

Unopened

Terrified

Bravely Battling. Broken, BUT

Unbowed.

Tamed, I am not.

Today's poetry

The Suitcase on the Bed

Coming or going,

It all looks the same.

Empty bed, unshared.

One suitcase with keepsakes.

My worldly possessions

Trimmed to nothing. 

If I could, the suitcase would

Become a backpack.

Freedom from the weight 

Of this unshared bed.

Possessions behind me.

Great expectations ahead.

Five Minute Friday Writing Prompt - Noise

f

 Noise

When I was young

On my virtue, I was lost 

Rightly taught action

Tedium of heart

Hope in age but . . .

. . . buried in Noise

Haiku

 Oh, to be second

when I have always only felt

life from the background

|

Friday Five Minute Writing Prompt - Second

 

Second place

Split second

Second to none

Just a second

Change is that fast

Not quite the best

Life here and then gone

First place, not second

waiting but it's always

more than a second

And then never forget the second great commandment  - 

Love thy neighbor as thyself |

Five Minutes Writing on Wednesday - Need

It is a quiet day, without clouds to obscure the sun, and I've started a new crafting project.  But now I have to wait until Monday for supplies to arrive. What an aggravation it is to know I have the supplies and then can't find them.  This is what I get for reorganizing.  Things always come up missing when you need them.  

Five Minute Writing Prompt - Favor

 

Do me a favor. Remember me. Name me.  I know your heart is broken but i promise you this. One day you will know me as your son or daughter. Cover me with a gentle saint.  Choose a name for me that is recognized for sweetness, hope, and peace. Find your peace, mommy.  And then find me in heaven when we are joined again and you can call me by name . . . Francis.  Do me this favor, I pray.

Five minute writing prompt: Effort

 Effort is by its nature, hard.  It means you have to work at something. The effort is work and am I willing to put in the work?

I made a choice, several months ago, to move.  At 77 and Don at 81, we are moving again.  This time I will seriously downsize and this will be hard.  Letting go is hard.  The first layer,  not so much.  It's the time and effort put into clearing out the rubbish of daily life.  It’s what I toss.  But, as I get deeper into it,  oh God please help me. Letting go is effort. It's hard. It's what I don't want to do.

stop.