11 April 2013

wilderness first aid kit for the soul

midweek messiness, grateful lists and flowery-goodness come a little late this week.  life is busy with the balancing act of boys back at school, homework, dogs, a broken washing machine and the ever classic oven door handle falling apart. At first I thought the oven door handle was the least of my problems until I tried to bake something actually in the oven. well guess what? you need a handle to open and close the oven door! sigh. it feels like our home is perched precariously up on a balance beam, there are some moments we have just the right amount of time to play and work and do all the things that need to get done; & other days, most days, even some years, it feels as if we are slogging up hill through the mud in the pouring rain, only to find out we have carried our coals to Newcastle and our oven door is broken. 

We jimmy-rigg oodles of things around here. In part because we hate calling our landlord & in part because we like the independence of doing it ourselves, the satisfaction of mending something broken. However, there are times and things we can't ace bandage and we have to ask for help, oven doors and all. I not only have a hard time with those moments, relinquishing control to someone else; but I often struggle, struggle in knowing when to yell for help, when to blindly wander around the mountainside at dusk, and when to just sit calmly waiting for someone to find me. When life skids itself into these moments, when I am frozen in my inability to put my next foot forward (as I am afraid I will get completely knocked off my feet), I usually have to sit in the shadow of the mountain and cry.  There I usually find out it is not really about the oven door, or the stinky clothes piling up on top of the washer, there is usually something deeper adrift in my soul that is working itself out. And I know that a good cry is part of the wilderness first aid kit for the soul. Perhaps that is the foundation to any soulful first aid, a good cry. however, what goes in my wilderness first aid kit, may not be the same as yours. right now in mine i would put crushed petals, and lemons, sticky mudpies, the scent of the milky breath of a newborn, and the warmest sleeping bag i could find(to keep me warm while under the stars until the morning). If there was any room left in there, I would place my camera & my notebook with my HB pencil. wilderness first-aid kitsthey are ever so nice to have around. They help you get to that moment, the moment of corner turning. When you can turn a corner and think about life and all its messy ways, and of all the ways to make lemonade out of lemons, crap into compost and above all how you are going to jimmy-rigg your monkey-wrenched plans. I think thats when you know that you are there. 
         So we live our lives out, seemingly ever so short in the great expanse of the universe, taking in the gifts, jimmy-rigging when we can, calling it in when we can't. & i believe that the lives we all lead are pretty good ones. & as for me i may not always know where i am going with it all or what i am doing, but i love my life and am ever so grateful for it. 
              with all of its jimmy-rigg back flipping sobs. 
              and happenstance filled happy shouts of joy. 
                                                          xxoo

and i would really love to know, what would you put in your wilderness first-aid kit? oh please do share your soulful first aid fixes!!...p.s. a tent to hide in, a place to rest my head and little gardens in the home also knit up my soul. 

         

17 comments:

  1. Oh - I had to think about this for a bit. It always helps to get outside - this is what I would include - sunshine, exercise (a walk or run), tears, a good belly laugh, good food, hugs from my loved ones.

    Thank you for another beautifully written post.
    Chey xo
    ps - jimmy rigged fixes are the best kind.

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    1. oh I like the the idea of bottling sunshine! & I always forget good belly laughs. I think I am due a real good one soon. this list is great! xxoo

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  2. Rebecca, So nice to have discovered your blog via Habit of Being. I love this idea of defining our own wilderness first aid kits. Mine would involve dirt, duct tape, seeds, silly jokes, the distinct smell of sunscreen mingled with sweat, chocolate covered almonds, a fine tipped pen and my camera.

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    1. Hello there! The distinct smell of sunscreen mingled with sweat is such a good one. This list is wonderful as well. I know that when I get up in the morning, I will be searching for chocolate covered almonds. thanks so much for saying hello!
      xo

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  3. In my Wilderness First Aid kit would go a cup of coffee, knitting needles and yarn, Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver, a journal. And my special living room chair. My kids, as much as I love them, aren't allowed...after I've applied the first aid kit, after I'm relaxed, then I'll return to their world.

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    1. Lisa, I agree, my children are definitely not allowed. & how could I forget coffee, my knitting and a book? But then, I am not sure it would all fit. However, if I needed to stay awhile it certainly would be worth the effort to drag it all in. hope you are well and that your weekend plans are grand. xo

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  4. Thank you- I joined the Blog Hop and just found that yes, the first link doesn't work because I misspelled the name of my own blog! I tried again and now I'm on. I put the Blog Hop widget on my blog. Fun! If you can just delete the first link attempt...? Thank you!

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    1. I think that you are the only one that can delete it! xo

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  5. I love that! Wilderness First Aid Kit! Dancing around helps me shake off bad vibes and celebrate good ones!

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    1. and I say yes to dancing! a little dance party sometimes is just what one needs. xxoo

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  6. I love the way you write :) A wilderness first aid kit is a brilliant idea- mine would include, a soft breeze, a cozy wool blanket, baby snuggles, morning sunlight, hot tea (with honey), and maybe some solo piano.
    Thank you for this. I have been crying in the shade of the mountain this week. It seems our whole life is jimmy-rigged for now. Something worth crying about.. and celebrating. Sometimes life is more beautiful when hanging by a thread (or strip of duct tape :) xo

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    1. I love your wilderness first aid kit! I envy you that you can have some solo piano playing! To lose one self in their craft of music...sigh. All I have is singing loud and off key.

      also life is jimmy-rigged! and weeping about that fact makes you all the more human...but we always need to to take those baby steps, somehow, past those nights of darkness, into light & life. I always struggle in making that jump. Perhaps I need to pack a lantern as well as some rope to help me cross the crevices. xxoo

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  7. Gorgeous, beautiful, this picture!
    Your words are simply lovely.

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hello there! I love it so when you leave a bit of a note to let me know how you are and what you are thinking. I always love to hear about the things inspiring you and moving you through your day.

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