I am reminded daily of the ebb and flow of life. In fact, most of my journal entries and stories these days share a common thread – my experience with change. Change is certain, and the more I remind myself of that, the more I find I’m able to surrender to it. I recall an analogy I became aware of when I was younger that has stayed with me – “be a pop can in the river of life”. Go with the flow, don’t try to reach out and grab the shore, trust the journey. It sounds peaceful just reading it, doesn’t it??
Whether it’s by choice or not, change wakes us up and adds excitement to our life. It has taken me awhile, mind you, to get to the point where I could even make that statement. But for some reason, I see life now as a curve in the road, one which we can never quite see around, never knowing what’s in store for us. We don’t know for sure what’s around that corner until we’re completely through the turn. As we continue, all is revealed – until the next corner. The ultimate form of anticipation.
I can’t remember exactly when I first started buying 3-ply toilet paper, but it occurred to me the other day that it has been an odd form of comfort for me in times of change. It’s the one thing I’ve never given up.
You see, if I allowed 2-ply into my life, to me it would be an admission that things are different this time, that maybe it is that bad – and I’ve never believed that. No matter how dire my situation may get, I’d like to think at least one thing will remain constant. It’s the fact that I can steal away for a few moments on any given day and be comforted by a million tiny pillows – the silent message being that everything will be okay.
I wonder if maybe we all have something in our lives that we are unwilling to give up when times may warrant a leaner existence or when we’re on a detour into the unknown. Change is guaranteed, but there’s a difference between change and drastic times. One calls for adaptation and a ‘be calm and carry on’ attitude, while the other calls for drastic measures (at least, that’s what ‘they’ say). And really, I think we all have to come up with our own definition of drastic. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Everything is subject to the label we put on it and our personal beliefs.
Whatever the case, I’ve come to understand that it’s often the little things in life that get us through the tough times. Who knows how much of a difference a full-fat latté or a teeny little bucket of Haagen-Dazs ice-cream can make until you reach that moment of discovery.
I love my 3-ply toilet paper. I may go so far as to say it can change the world. Well – my world, anyway.
Photo Credit
Photo by Carol Good – all rights reserved
it IS the little things that truly givE us comfort during difficult times. For me, it’s a really good cup of coffee……it’s something I never skimp on