Back in the Saddle

For the last several months I have been using a very convoluted process to make my blog posts, involving emailing my photos to Chris, accessing them on his old laptop, and uploading the photos and my blog copy to WordPress by logging in with this old laptop of his. This is because the operating system on my laptop was unable to be updated further, and the entire online world had moved beyond the capabilities of the old operating system, including WordPress.

As of last weekend, this has changed. I have a new laptop (MacBook Air 15) that does everything I need it to do with the greatest of ease, and then some. I am so thrilled with this new purchase.

We are in a state of flux here – Sam has plans to move to the East Coast. Chris and I are working on our own future plans. There’s a lot that needs to happen before any of us can proceed with our plans, and we are making baby steps in the right direction. The danger in times like these is to ignore or discount all that is good and important in the present situation, and to idealize the future situation. I’m reminded of the old saying, “Wherever you go, there you are.” Most of our problems are in our own heads, and we bring those problems with us on vacation, to a new job, to a new home.

I’m also reminded of a children’s book I used to read to my third graders, “The Three Questions” by Jon J. Muth, based on a short story by Leo Tolstoy. In the story, a young boy searches for the answers to three questions:

“When is the best time to do things?”

“Who is the most important one?”

“What is the right thing to do?”

Along the way he meets characters who need his help, and situations that need to be dealt with immediately. A wise turtle helps him learn the lessons of these experiences, “Remember then, that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side.”

The one standing by my side at this moment (actually, sitting in my lap) is a 15-pound chihuahua terrier mix named Pokey. I think I’ll end this post now and scratch him behind the ear. 🙂

If you are reading this in the US, I hope you are having a wonderful 4th of July.

Love,

Michelle xoxo