Just so you know, right off the cuff, I am not near my mid life, therefore I cannot be crisis-ing about it! It so happens that the women in my line live forever. Therefore at a mere, 42 years of age, I am not even close to the mid-line. I am, however, in a mid-of-something cri-song. No, I have not been studying Dr. Suess in preparation for this post. I am, I suppose, a natural devotee, of sorts, to the great doctor and my method of thinking probably reflects my “Hop on Pop” view of things.
Not “Hop on Pop”, but worthy material just the same!
Now back to my Cri-song… Within my not-so-mid-crisong is a new state of poverty (not an actual state, merely a line on a governmental census). It is the happy reliance upon a benefit check which tides the family budget over, “just enough.” This is not so bad, the state of “just enough.” For I find, actually just discovered this morning, that my silver jewelry is shinier within the present state. I even think I have MORE jewelry now that we qualify for assistance (not really, it is just that I have opened my jewelry box to investigate its contents). In fact, I have re-discovered jewels that were previously considered, by me, not worthy of my standard. However, they now present themselves within a new light. And with this new perspective comes sparkly goodness upon my fingers, my ears, my neck, and my wrists. Oh La Lah!
I do believe this was a gift I received for my Bat Mitzvah, a sliver and crystal pendant.
In my previous jewelry wearing persona, I carefully and simply would only congregate like metals. Thus, yellow gold with yellow gold, and silver matched only to other silver–or white gold with white gold only. NO MORE… The new Cri-song demands all sorts of metal be mixed and interwoven (or twined) with other metal. And what I considered, beforehand, to be gaudy and overbearing, is now placed upon my appendages and worn with triumphant fervor. I am resurrecting jewelry from my Bat Mitzvah days, and wearing it with the gargantuan Granny rings that have somehow made it into our repertoire after loosing Brian’s mom and Granny to the call of Heaven (through Brian’s mom we inherited a few Granny pieces). I have even rediscovered a Cartier bracelet I was given “way back when”, which might boost me into a more affluent social class should I have it on. You know, it might help the nouveau riche overlook the fact I carry around a vintage, patent leather purse which I recently purchased for $12.oo from the Discovery Thrift shop.
Nice and Shiny
Yes, the Cartier I must begin to wear again. Which means I need to find the golden, flat head screwdriver which came with it (Heaven forbid I utilize anything other than the golden screw!). Wow, I did a Google search, just now, for a bracelet like I described, and I learned that the bracelet has “been seen on all the hottest celebrities”. Oh no…and now I just looked up the value of said bracelet and my husband and I looked at each other and said, “MY oh MY, we must sell it!” And then we laughed, for which is more important, to follow the example of “all the hottest celebrities”, or to have cash in hand to buy some fresh milk… Decisions, decisions, decisions! 🙂 Ok, now that I’ve taken you (and me) for a ride, the truth of the Cartier, as I remember it, is it is a “knock off”, not the real thing. Which means I would probably have to pay to have someone even look at it! Aaaahhh more Cris-songing.
“So what is the point of all of this rhetoric?”, you may ask. Well you might not ask, but as I write I am most certainly asking myself, “Rivka, what is the point of this post?” The point of this post is to illuminate my best intent on blooming where I am planted. It is merely one in a series. For example, the post about my Raleigh bicycle and me, is to showcase my utilization of what I have, where I have it, and the fulfillment which comes from investing in my imagination. As opposed to bemoaning the loss of travel opportunity I am currently enduring (used loosely, enduring is a bit too heavy handed an adjective). Blooming where I am planted means waking up thankful. It means my little world of Southern California can fulfill my hearts desires, if my heart and mind are in the right focus.
For instance, Brian and I went sailing about a month ago. Out at sea, I turned toward our shoreline and the area south of us looked just like the photos of a little town in Greece I have always longed to visit. And in the spring, when the hills are green and the air still crisp, I take a ride in our 1927 Oakland, alongside my beloved, and the picturesque beauty of nature is reminiscent of the green hills in Ireland I have admired from photographs featured in my favorite Atlas. So you see, the jewelry bit is merely my funny way of having fun…not to be confused with “having funds!” 🙂 It is blooming where I am planted. And the blooming part equates to:
- an attitude of thanksgiving
- utilization of current possessions
- resourceful inclinations
- perspective alterations
- imagination expression
So practically speaking…
Today I will utilize the above formula and transform a “shit load” of ground beef, which was given to me by a dear friend (by way of a charitable food organization), into several, and I might add, very palatable, meal choices. In all honesty, I have never…let me restate that…NEVER, purchased so much ground beef in one sitting, as I have awaiting my, “good attitude,” on my kitchen counter. For it, I am most grateful. And who knows, I might even have a moment to spare to head over to the Pacific Ocean, which if I do have time to do, will double as the Carribean Sea (this time). Enjoying life, where I am…today.
P.s. I must give credit to Kana Tyler who, by way of her own blogging style, has inspired me to insert photographs into my posts. Her blog, http://www.kanatyler.com, frequently has “eye candy” in between her prose. And I find, for an ADD type girl like me, the photos help guide my way through the words. “Thank you, Kana.”
living in loss and gratitude 
The Noise