yesterday i ignored the mud-stained entryway floor, put off folding some more laundry till evening, and picked the simplest thing i could possibly make for dinner which required little to no work: spruced up leftovers. instead of my usual chores i wandered outside for almost two hours. i decided right then that i will be a horrible housewife come summer.
it was just me, my sneakers, an extra sweater, and the great outdoors.
a warm sun. and a cool breeze off the river. and lots and lots of beautiful wooded areas.
it was almost two years exactly that i was driving through all these towns that i now go to for groceries, church, home. i sat in the passenger seat, my brother drove, and behind us were all the younger siblings. i introduced them to the very song that was played when my daddy walked me down the aisle. and i foolishly said things like, “i can’t believe people live out here — in the middle of NOWHERE!” i now have cousins who live in that specific location i was referring to.
moral of the story? life has a funny sense of humor. and don’t say stupid things.
but, i’m off track. the walk. wandering the area i now live in.
i wasn’t totally wrong two years ago — my new town is rather in the middle of nowhere (although cities are closer now than they were back where i came from). but because of this nowhere-ness, it also holds some beautiful reasons to live here.
a fifteen minute walk from my house and there’s a dirt road that follows a river. i noticed various animal tracks that i didn’t recognize as large as my own footprint in the soft mud. perhaps i should have been nervous as i left the dirt path and wandered through the woods, climbing about rocks, but i wasn’t. i was simply in love with life.
i suddenly wanted little nephews and a youngest brother with me. i wanted to pack up a picnic and bring them to this beautiful place that boasts of woods, streams, rocky paths, and a large river. and it’s right here, right in this small town that i live in.
suddenly i’m realizing that nowhere-ness has benefits.
it’s overcast today and rather damp. no more wandering and no more putting off the old fashioned mopping that i do (you know, the cinderella kind — on the knees, rag in hand, singing along, etc.).
but i would rather be outside.
God gives us beautiful refreshment just when we need it. The mopping and cleaning will always be there, but the sun and snow and meandering river is there for the moment and will not look exactly the same again.
Hey Louissa 🙂 It’s good to have these times 🙂 But you wouldn’t do it if you still were on the Bode….it’s -15°C!
Okay. NOW I’m jealous.
and what song was that?