Practically every week a day or two before the blog is due a title enters my mind without a particular context.
As I sit down
to write, a context begins to form.
Two days ago I
thought Small is not necessarily less than Big. Sometimes something small can
bring more comfort, especially for a baby or small child. Then I thought,
something big and fluffy can be easier to grab hold of by that small child.
Now I am
thinking of examples: a tune versus a symphony. Each has its place in life: a
room versus an apartment or a house:
a new pair of
shoes versus a whole new outfit: a first marriage versus a first meeting: a
single day versus a whole year.
There are many
to conjure. As my life grows longer and my years grow shorter I have begun to
emphasize SMALL or SHORT!
Simple
pleasures have become magnified. This one could be the last! Large problems
become magnified as well. They seem insurmountable given that time has
shortened. Small greetings and gestures hold more power for me, offered or
received.
I am reminded
of the frequent expression, "a pinch of salt. A small addition can bring
out the flavor more than a large one.
Of course I
still do allow myself to wander into big plans once in a while, but I do not
set them up for too much time from now!
Currently, I am
working on learning Mandarin from an internet site. Language well spoken is
pure music to me. I have no special goal in mind since I have already visited
China some time ago. My daughter got married to a Sri Lankan in Hong Kong, and
my partner and I traveled into other parts of China at that time. I have never
thought of Mandarin becoming part of my linguistic panoply. Is it a small plan
---short term, or is it a long term one? Undecided.
There are
different ways to confront growing older, for sure. Perhaps it is time to
examine your willingness to make long and short term plans (preferred word to
"goals"). Examine how real they feel or how useless or unreal.
Are you playing
with yourself? Shortchanging yourself? My husband and I have been invited to
spend two weeks in Florida during December. The plan is a family visit with
grandchildren (three of them out of four). It is a short term plan, but I do
allow for surprises! It is analogous to sewing on a button without biting off
the tail of the thread. I am letting the tail dangle!
Life does seem
relatively short from this end, and yet who knows? Most of my life has been
spent one day at a time; the grand times and the pitfalls given equal measure.
So "small
vs. large", what does that truly mean?
My body is
small; my vision is big. My budget is small; my appetite is big. My mind is
deep; my body grows weak.
C'est la
vie---an old French adage that finally comes full circle!
A bientot, my
life has been long; my hours are short.
MISS RHEINGOLD
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