To Life As It Is

Only a few weeks ago I saw myself as a Recovering Rushaholic. I was experiencing a few days of peace and a deep sense of optimism. Just as the peaceful and hopeful and reflective Memorial Day holiday was ending, I pulled together my travel stuff, drove a couple of hours to an early flight, flew into the Heartland, drove another three hours, and spent a week in the muddle of family, caregiving, loving and experiencing losses first hand. My speed picked up.  There was so much to do, to solve, and only a week to do it! By the time I capped the trip off with two doctors’ appointments and a twelve-hour reverse journey, I was past rushing. It’s taken three days for all my cells to return home. They seem to take longer than the luggage.

This is the season of travel. Whether it’s a road trip or a duty call hardly matters. Sometimes the reality exceeds the expectation. But what happens when it doesn’t? What follows can be a deflating sense of disappointment (at best) or complete exhaustion and fatigue by the time you make it back to your own bed.

A decade ago, we were beginning a trip one summer at a B & B on an island a couple of ferry rides removed from Vancouver island.  We arrived fresh and ready for adventure. Our Danish hosts greeted us and invited them to share some of their own homemade blackberry wine.

Our host led with the first toast: To life as it is!  This took my breath away. Over the years I had learned more than a few toasts in other language, a cheerful way to show my cleverness. But now I had I nothing. Not one of them could match this.

I’ve carried this toast, this wish, in my hip pocket ever since. May I greet whatever might arise with that sense of acceptance and joy.

And so I offer this to you to share as you go into the season of gatherings and celebrations.

To Life. As it Is.

Photo by User: Lobo|Wikimedia Commons|CC BY 2.0