You are richer today than you were yesterday — if you have laughed often, given something, forgiven even more, made a new friend today, or made stepping-stones of stumbling blocks. If you have thought more in terms of ‘thyself’ than ‘myself’, or if you have managed to be cheerful even if you were weary, you are indeed richer.
You are richere tonight than you were this morning — if you have taken time to trace the handiwork of God in the commonplace things of life, or if you have learned to count out things which really do not count, or if you have been a little blinder to the faults of friends or foe.
You are far richer if a lttle child has smiled at you and a stray dog has licked your hand, or if you have looked for the best in others and given others the best in you.
Thank God every morning, when you get up, that you have something to do that day which must be done, whether you like it or not.
Being forced to work and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and a hundred virtues which the idle man will never know.
November is a lonesome wind, whining around the corners in search of identity. The wind whispers and moans, tasting of the tang of autumn fires and of the blizzard that hulks beyond the horizon. On the lowlands, a protected flower bed still glows with color. But the mountain peaks shine with fresh snow. And the wind tugs persistently at the last few faded leaves clinging to the cottonwood. Bereft of the glories of Indian summer and not yet of the winter, November holds us in silent abeyance.
It is the time for quiet. Colors wane as the forces of life concentrate their energies, not on display but on survival. The brilliant indigo of October skies fades to mauve and then to slate. Ponds and rivers echo the tone in chilling waters. The ragged chorus of frogs diminishes and falls silent, and the drone of a lone wasp is sudden and startling amid the growing stillness.
November is a time of withdrawal. The trees cast loose their flags of life, and soon living and dead stand indistinguishable — gray silhouettes against gray skies. Frosted flowers shrivel and fade, as the juices of life retreat to the sanctuary of the protected roots. Small animals draw close to their earthen shelters. Insects burrow in or under. Pond life retreats to deepest water. The full warm moon of harvest recedes into the void of space and silvers the spare landscape with cold metallic rays.
And yet there is a cleanness to November. There air is sharp, damp and penetrating. The woods are open to the slanting rays of the sun. Brush and trees that were only a jumble of greens take on form and individuality, The view across the hillside is unobstructed, and the neighbors who were screened off by foliage seem suddenly closer.
There is a certain pleasure in clearing the brittle remains of summer’s growth out of the flower beds and raking the last leaves into a tidy pile. In the cold of early dusk we, too, withdraw to our chosen shelter, warm numb toes before the fire and find satisfaction in solitary musings.
In the beauty of October we could have walked forever through the riot of color, breathing the intoxicating air, willing the cycle to stop there–and never turn further. Bur the grays of November have prepared us. We look over a landscape brushed in neutrals, husbanding its resources, girded against the coming cold, and we can no longer deny the rightful season.
We welcome a clearing away of the unnecessary. A concentration on the essential. A chance to view the basic structure without distraction. And something in us looks forward to the testing that is to come.
What would we do without work…..I know, I know, lots….but in fact, we would die of hunger, if not sheer boredom. Remember when summer vacation started and you were out of school? Wasn’t that the greatest feeling in the world, to have the whole summer ahead with a blank slate. That does go well for a while, and gnawing boredom sets in. At first it is barely felt, but then, it grows a little more each day. Suddenly ‘sleeping in’ runs out about 10AM, give or take….Eating is nice if someone has worked to get some food for you. Getting dressed comes next…if someone has worked to get some clothes for you….Using the cell phone, computer, TV, IPad, IPod, etc. is available….which again…is just fine if it is there, (like) someone has worked to get those for you. And on it goes…can’t go out to eat, can’t drive, can’t use a bike. Wait a minute!!! Don’t have a bed, blankets, stove, cups, house, garage, and all listed above…..unless…..someone else has worked to provide it for you.
Working gives us self esteem, hope, accomplishment, pride, and money to purchase the things we need. We begin our working life by putting away toys that someone else has purchased….in a bedroom that is comfortable, because someone has…etc. We help with food preparation, keep the garden free of weeds, and mow the yard whenever necessary. Sometimes these chores are ‘without’ monetary pay…..because our pay comes from the rewards of working together in our home, so that adults can work, and we can share in the reward…Seems like a big circle, doesn’t it!
Working is truly good for the soul….it gives us life and purpose and a reason to learn, accomplish, and achieve goals. It feels good to purchase your first car, to decorate your first apartment, and the pride that goes along with it, is truly amazing.
So whether it is plowing or purchasing, digging or darning, selling or sailing, raising or razing, work is good. We learn not to be ‘lumps’ (someone has to take care of.)…Incidentally being a ‘lump’ only lasts so long…After a lump becomes an adult, and does not work because HE/SHE DOESN’T WANT TO…then he will find himself with other lumps. Those lumps will go on to find ‘lumping’ is not too acceptable with the established majority of worker bees, and life as he remembered it ,in 2nd grade, when those with a work ethic ‘worked’ to make his life pleasant, will fade into oblivion.
Yes, it is a big circle…..and you need to decide which circle you want to be in…..jump in the moving walkway of life and enjoy work….Pass on the good ethics and morals that work entails… oh yes,and keep the walkway running smoothly, for other workers….someone has to!
Once upon a time there was family who lived in a house. Kids, parents, grandparents, and great grandparents lived there, too. There were the usual hassles of a family living together….but, for the most part everything was fine. If anyone in that family were given the choice, to stay or go, all would vote unanimously to stay.
Down the street there was another house with the same kind of living arrangements. They too made it through the hassles of a large family living in one home, even though some of the members were not as dedicated as others. Still, if anyone in that family were given a choice, to stat or to go, all would vote unanimously to stay.
Still further down this road, lived a third family, with again, the same type of arrangement. This family seemed to constantly be in an uproar. Not everyone felt it was important to keep the house clean, the clothes washed, the yard mowed, and food on the table. Still the majority of the members tried their best to keep the place up. For awhile the most of the family had jobs, the kids kept their schooling up, and the stay-at-home retired part, did their share of cooking and cleaning and keeping the house tidy.
The first and second family continued to have their bumps, their job changes, their high school and college graduations, and their marriages, all changing the character of their lifestyles. It seemed too, that naturally there were new additions born into these homes, as well as the older generation passing into eternal life.
But the third house never quite became that harmonious….No matter how hard the most of the members tried, it seemed there were those who did not want to participate, in the duties. It led to a discord that caused some to want to leave….and those who chose to, were not necessarily the ones who kept up the house, or car payments, or saw that the school kids had new books and pencils. Some were good and conscientious and willing to work and share the bounty…..others thought it was their right to be a part of the blissfulness of a happily run home, but not participate in its workings.
And so each who wanted to leave, left. For those looking for a new home, more peaceful, more established, with more of a future, it was to be kind of a bumpy road for awhile, but because of their direction, their desire, their morals, and their beliefs, their new home was made and the family began to flourish, once again.
The family members, who chose not to do their part, but still wanting the rewards, tried their best to fit in. It seemed that the ‘fitting in’ only worked when they were living in the household, who either chose to take care of them, or were just like them, just hanging around, not accomplishing much of anything, except having their clothes get more dirty, and their tummies get more empty, and yards having more weeds.
The families who took in the people who didn’t hold up their end of bargains, soon learned that everyone was expected to do their part, their share. And dang if some of those ‘new family members’ didn’t take up their share of the load. They found that doing part, worked very well, for everyone!
Homes that took in ‘inactive’ members soon learned that an opportunity for some turned to out to be a burden for others, if all didn’t do their part. Of course the natural highs and lows that occur in lives did occur in these homes…but for those who worked together, the bumps finally would be smooth again.
But for those who centered more on using what was not theirs, or taking advantage of equality, life was dim.
And so it goes for all of us. We face these values, these bumps, and grief, in our lives. We also share love, encouragement , and even our country. We give time, food, care, medicine, and money to help, no matter where in this world those in need live and are happy to do so.
But this world is just like the 3 neighbors, living so close in life and yet so far in accomplishments. Most try and fail, try and fail, and then find that they are well on their way to their chosen success.
To welcome with open arms comes expectations from those new members who want to be part of our family. We ask no more or less than we ask of ourselves and our more established family members. Depending on our age, we understand the ‘guilt trips’ we take ourselves on…wanting to ‘make room’ and ‘make room’ and ‘make room for one more’. And yet, deep inside, we understand it is just not possible.
What is possible is to help those who understand the expectations of living with us. We really don’t ask for much do we….go to school, hold a job that takes care of yourself if alone, or your family. We ask that you are honest, that you let others have religious beliefs that are not necessarily yours, without any type repercussion, that you do not like or dislike anyone because of their race, and that you love the US. We also ask that as a citizen you understand and abide by our laws, knowing that if you disagree, you may use your vote to change them.
In making this commitment, we want you to become a part of our nation, and, we encourage you to become a part of helping the nation you fled from, because we know that if you were not afraid, or could not take care of your family, chances are you would still be where you were born. It is our ideal that all land be full of countries that have good living conditions, jobs, and health. That all countries have clean water, and medicine, and a school to attend….and that all nations be governed by men and women who care more for you than for themselves.
Do we have a perfect country….no. Do we have citizens that hurt themselves and others and break the law and do not care for their family…yes. Are we trying to make things better…yes. Do we want any more incoming citizens hurting themselves and others, or breaking the law…no. Do we therefore have the right of great expectation within our borders…yes.
So until that time….when other lands welcome home their families, we ask for you to understand and be a part of the solution, not the problems of this world.
I suppose it is not too exciting for those readers who are not buying and selling stuff…to hear of the order taking and shipping for a very small business, however, it is my page so there. One of the orders has arrived and will be priced shortly. The other order should be shipping soon. If I were just buying and selling regular stuff it wouldn’t be so important, however, I sell antiques, or just ‘old stuff’ and what I ordered has to do with Halloween. It is may not be common knowledge, but one cannot sell Halloween too well AFTER Halloween. There is that tricky time between summer, school, labor day, autumn, and ‘too early’ when one must decide when to decorate for Halloween. This holiday was not nearly as exiting when I was a little girl…as it is now. I see homes decorated far more for Halloween than ever…and people of all ages seen to enjoy the fun.
Decorating over, under, and around ‘old stuff’ is always a little bit of a challenge, but who cares. I started this little business in ’87’ and there are times each year when one thinks….just quit! Then the juices start to run again and off I go, with my friends sometimes, to buy at auctions and the gift shows. Anyhow, decorating is truly fun. Nothing ever changes at my house…nothing! I use the energy of re-arranging for making minimum wage or less selling my stuff. (you can tell I’m hooked when I admit I make next to nothing!)
Anywho…..the decorating will begin, hopefully by Labor Day or the weekend after. Out will come my new choices for this holiday….boas, angel wings, skeleton earrings, spider earrings, a beautiful black over the shoulder collar that looks like crow feathers, rhinestone masks, handmade cloth pumpkins for every season and household, 24” spiders, 18 spiders (wolf of course), and the 16″ brown recluse. But the best is last…..wonderful witch hats…I repeat, wonderful witch hats, made of cloth and roses, and more cloth and scary stuff, etc. Oh yes, I almost forgot, alongside the hats will be 9 1/2″ old crows to watch over everything.
Now see, won’t that be fun…not only to put out for display, but to buy (I hope). So, c’mon down……
It is safe to say that this small business has saved me thousands of dollars, even tho I sometimes am in the red at the end of the month. Can you guess why? It is easy….I have purchased things for almost 30 years to resell….not to keep (I hope again) Believe me it is so much more gratifying to buy and sell than it is, for the most part, to buy and keep. I am speaking more of clothes than anything else. So now, when I get the urge to spend money, I buy for my ‘old stuff’ place and hope to make more money, so I can buy for my ‘old stuff’ place, and more money, etc. etc.
More on selling stuff at another time….but for now, have a great day……later peeps (as my niece says)
We did our job……last week at the gift shows in Las Vegas, two of them even…..The ASD/AMD show and the Las Vegas Gift Show. We were up at 5:30AM and out the door at 6:30AM to get a good parking spot. When the doors opened there were 5 of us…..checking out jewelry, purses, makeup, clothes, wholesale in bulk, books, pots and pans, hats, gloves, t-shirts and so much more. There were 2600 booths at the Las Vegas Convention Center this year….boggles the mind. We shopped separately and together and met for lunch, or whenever our feet hurt enough to go on break. After closing it up at 5PM, we went back to the hotel and did nothing……Lots of people think we work all day and party til the cows come home. We walk all day, trying to buy the coolest things for our businesses, and then we sit in the casino for about an hour, hoping for a free Tequila Sunrise, and then we toddle off to bed……or at least somewhere to get off our feet. What fun! What pain?
The Las Vegas Gift Show is also twice a year. Although it was 106 outside it was probably 75 inside the 3 A-B-C buildings you see from the 15 freeway just before it takes off for Salt Lake City. We only took a day for this show and went directly to gifts. We were ‘boggled’ again and found some really nice Easter decorations. Yes, you order for Spring the summer before and order for Summer in Spring. Hope China comes thru, cause if the ships don’t carry the containers of goodies….and the Los Angeles Harbor longshoremen don’t unpack those containers, we won’t be decorating for Easter, as is now planned.
But for now, everything is rosy. We had fun as friends and as buyers. Even tho it was summer in Vegas, it was just plain ‘cool’ in the gift shows. Can’t wait til September….there’s another one coming up! Yippeeee!
seriouslyscorpio 