Things That Are Real

Life in the limbo of houselessness and boxes and corona virus has me rattling around feeling disorganized and unsatisfied. 

Perhaps this is the meaning of my dream the other night: a calm, clear turquoise ocean beckoned me out on a paddleboard. A manatee was swimming by and I decided that if I lay down on the board and just drifted, the water might bear me out where I could get a closer look. After floating for a while, my vision of the sun and sky were interrupted by the crest of a towering wave that was ready to crash down on me. I told myself, "It's okay, you can swim, you've been in big waves before, just take a really deep breath now" . . . . and then I woke up. 

Is it true we never dream of our own death? I'm thankful for that. 

There's a message there, though.

I also happened upon this quote from Anne Lamott:

     [M]y grandson’s 4th grade class had Condiment Day every Thursday. Ketsup: 

     You had to catch up on some assignments.  Mustard: There were things you 

     absolutely must do, things you couldn’t put off any longer. And relish: 

     something that you loved doing, something fun or silly, or any activity that 

     brought you pleasure.

The Universe is definitely trying to tell me something.

I've been too light on the relish lately. And if we work too much, and too hard, and don't have enough fun, even having fun is too much work.

I'd put too much time on the computer in there, somewhere, also. The virtual world is enticing and then another evening slips by and nothing has been accomplished but another night of brain anesthesia. The "To Do" list is still as long. The piles of paper are right where they were yesterday (where does all this paper come from?). The feeling of unease still lingers.  

Changing that pattern now involves doing more things that are real. Some things may involve the computer but they are fundamentally not virtual activities.

Put that book back on the shelf where it belongs.

Wrap up those packages and get them to the post office.

Answer those cards -- or admit defeat and throw them away.

Make room in the garden for the new growth that's starting to sprout. Last month's freeze has done its work but spring is coming soon. 

Take time to smell the orange blossoms -- the true scent of springtime in Florida.

Nothing's more real than spending time in the sunshine.