What do winter and death have in common? Everything! No joking, it has been one beast of a winter. It began early around here- way before Thanksgiving. You could say I fall in the “not a fan” category where winter is concerned. When you travel as I do for work it is a real hazard to get out on the early morning “wintry mix” roads. That and the heating bills can easily set my teeth on edge even without the abnormally frigid temperatures.
I have been thinking a bit about my dead daddy and some of his sayings and ways. He died two winters ago. He would say “You know, Diana, it’s a great life if you don’t weaken.” It sounded absurd enough the first time he said it to me. Repetition of it annoyed me but in recent years I have come to understand what he meant. He was a working class warrior, a man who got up and did what must be done no matter how much he drank the night before or how many 12 hour shifts he’d pulled.
Though I would concede everyone deserves a good personal “pity party” now and again it serves no real purpose to weaken your self with complaints. My daddy focused on the good stuff in life. When he lost his job in the late 80’s after years of service for a company that just picked up and left he “made lemonade.” He took his love of driving and humbly delivered pizzas for a living in his late 50’s and early 60’s. I remember him telling me it was honest work and he was glad to have any job.
The words “recession” and “depression” around our economy annoy me the same way the phrase “they have no power” does. Exactly “they” have no “electricity” but still plenty of power to build a fire or use their wits. We live in a land of great plenty. Is it so depressing to drive an older model car or use last year’s electronics? Is there any real need for a new piece of furniture, clothing, electronics, car or housing?
You can think about the economy like the ocean. It is vast and seemingly endless from the shoreline. The tides come and go and sometimes the big waves knock you over or take you for a ride. Either way you are still able to access the material goods and services that are really necessary to sustain life in our country. I trust that will continue beyond this current crashing of the waves.
Diana Hunt of Lewisburg is an artist, yoga teacher, & fitness instructor. For more information, visit graceunderfiresite.com.
