That's right, the eagle has landed, all my ducks are back in a row! I am so pleased to have A safely back. You pray and believe everything is going to be alright, and it is so wonderful when those prayers are answered. I am incredibly grateful.
In advance of our family vacation I am encouraging A to declutter his room and get ready for the new school year that will arrive almost immediately we get back. In a spirit of fairness I too am decluttering and organising closets. My burst of activity is not only prompted by the impending arrival of September, which for me has always signalled a new start, but also by a wish to facilitate any reinvention I might be considering. In view of the fact that A is becoming so independent at such a speed and my role as a mother is evolving, I want to reinvent within my career as 21st Century Housewife (not to actually change that role) and the scope for reinvention is quite tremendous and full of possibilities. It is all rather exciting and I do not want any negative energy that any clutter or messy closet might hold to get in my way!
I do find decluttering incredibly therapeutic. The getting rid of things you no longer need and physically removing them from your universe is almost always followed by something exciting. Either something new (and hopefully more useful) arrives to take the place of the clutter, or something exciting happens. I nearly always find this to be the case. In fact whenever we have wanted to move I have always begun the process by decluttering. It does not just make the house look nicer or make it easier to move, it seems to signal to the universe that you are ready to let go of the old and let in the new. Whether one wishes to move or not, anything that encourages forward movement in life is highly desirable.
I admit it is hard to pack for a holiday and declutter at the same time but I have always been one for a challenge. Of course packing itself is a bit more challenging at this time. My friends are having a quiet giggle at me because for the very first time I was insisting I was only going to take hand luggage (I am not a light packer at the best of times) and of course that is now totally impossible. In all honesty, the only real inconvience to the hand luggage restrictions (and something I feel almost ashamed to admit) is that I will not be able to take my makeup on board. Of course anything that faciliates an easy journey during these worrying times is important, but I really hate being seen without my face properly made up. It may be old fashioned, but that is the way I am. Sadly I have yet to find a makeup that lasts an entire transatlantic journey. I have spent huge amounts of money and time trying to find said product, but it seems to have eluded me. Still, it is hardly a terrible thing in the scheme of things. Made up or not, it is much more important to have a safe and happy journey.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Friday, August 11, 2006
Ducks in a Row
Well, yesterday sure made my blood run cold. You just relax a tiny bit and then bang! Someone uncovers yet another fanatical plot. It is very unsettling.
A was really worried about terrorists when he flew to Spain on Monday. I told him not to be silly, of course everything would be okay. I sure did not feel okay when A rang yesterday and asked me if I knew what had happened. Last time someone asked me that was 9/11.
Thank God it was all intercepted and stopped. Thank God there are additional security measures in place. Thank God we are British and just carry on regardless.
Still, I have to admit I prefer that, if these sort of things are happening, I have all my ducks in a row as it were. In other words, I have all my people in one safe place all together. This time we are all spread out and it feels very uncomfortable. Especially as the duck who is not in place is my 13 year old son.
So I'm doing the usually Mummy thing - assuring him that his return flight is an European flight, that there are extra safety measures in place, that it will all be okay. And I'm praying my heart out. It is the best protection I can give him.
I wonder if I'll feel confident when we all fly out to North America next week? The more I fly the less I like it (and I fly a lot!). Now we factor terrorism into it - well it just makes it all the more difficult. Eight hours of sitting there worrying. Super. Can't wait. Eight hours of looking at everyone else like they could be a potential terrorist. I hate that. I'm genuinely one of those Pollyannas who looks for the best in everyone, and believe it does not matter who you are or where you come from you are probably inately good, and suddenly here I am practically turning into a racist - judging folks on how they look. Terrorism is such an insidious thing. Even when you swear you won't let it change you or make you afraid, it does both.
We have to fight that as much as we have to fight the terrorists. Fight being afraid, and fight changing from loving trusting human beings to frightened distrustful racist ones. As for me, I'm going to keep praying till I get my duck back, and then pray some more as we go off to North America together. I still believe we are, most of us, inately good, and that by working together we can crush "the enemy within." Good always wins in the end. Somehow though, I think we are a long way from the end.
A was really worried about terrorists when he flew to Spain on Monday. I told him not to be silly, of course everything would be okay. I sure did not feel okay when A rang yesterday and asked me if I knew what had happened. Last time someone asked me that was 9/11.
Thank God it was all intercepted and stopped. Thank God there are additional security measures in place. Thank God we are British and just carry on regardless.
Still, I have to admit I prefer that, if these sort of things are happening, I have all my ducks in a row as it were. In other words, I have all my people in one safe place all together. This time we are all spread out and it feels very uncomfortable. Especially as the duck who is not in place is my 13 year old son.
So I'm doing the usually Mummy thing - assuring him that his return flight is an European flight, that there are extra safety measures in place, that it will all be okay. And I'm praying my heart out. It is the best protection I can give him.
I wonder if I'll feel confident when we all fly out to North America next week? The more I fly the less I like it (and I fly a lot!). Now we factor terrorism into it - well it just makes it all the more difficult. Eight hours of sitting there worrying. Super. Can't wait. Eight hours of looking at everyone else like they could be a potential terrorist. I hate that. I'm genuinely one of those Pollyannas who looks for the best in everyone, and believe it does not matter who you are or where you come from you are probably inately good, and suddenly here I am practically turning into a racist - judging folks on how they look. Terrorism is such an insidious thing. Even when you swear you won't let it change you or make you afraid, it does both.
We have to fight that as much as we have to fight the terrorists. Fight being afraid, and fight changing from loving trusting human beings to frightened distrustful racist ones. As for me, I'm going to keep praying till I get my duck back, and then pray some more as we go off to North America together. I still believe we are, most of us, inately good, and that by working together we can crush "the enemy within." Good always wins in the end. Somehow though, I think we are a long way from the end.
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