Friday, December 22, 2006

Perspective and homesickness

Went for a walk with the folks this morning, and came upon a monument in the woods near here. On that spot, on May 24, 1942, the Nazis brought 248 people out and murdered them all. They are now buried in the local cemetary, most as unknown.

This just brought into perspective how important and wonderful it is that we CAN get together with family, and we CAN buy whatever we want to make for dinner, and that we do live in a basically peaceful part of the world. Life is good.

Simultaneously I've been hearing a lot from fellow cruisers at this time of year, and between the husband being elsewhere and the fact that I am writing at 1:30 in the morning, and hearing about where we were last time we met/last year at Christmas/now I am also missing my boat and boat life pretty badly. It was so straight forward, and simple. I lived with the people I love most, and blessedly surrounded by an ever varying group of friendly like-minded people in beautiful places, doing a sport I love...It was great. I miss it hugely.



That said, life is good. Sure there are crappy days and petty irritants, but I can tell you, it happens when you are living your dream too.

Sitting here convincing myself that I am one of the luckiest people on the planet. Indeed, if you have a pot for change at home you are in the wealthiest 5% of the global population.

I am lucky. A wonderful family, an interesting life, the health, drive and wherewithall to live my life how I like, two wonderful healthy children and a fantastic husband. And we get to live in a society that is essentially safe and peaceful. So peace, love and happiness to you all. Blessings counted.

4 comments:

Beth said...

You've got it - the spirit of Christmas! Despite my rants (and the stress that inevitably happens at this time of year) I too know how blessed I am.
Sorry to hear you're homesick and that your husband isn't with you this Christmas. But you sound as though you're coping well.
Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings and all that jazz!

Angel said...

Now that is a beautiful boat!

Merry Christmas Oreneta! I'm so blessed to have "met" you and to read about your life. I'm a richer person for it.

Nomad said...

Hey,

I hear you, sorry you are aching, but you are so right about counting the blessings.

We ARE truly blessed.

I have always admired the way you have always made conscious choices in sometimes what can be a pretty unconscious world.

An yeah, somedays it is tough to live the dream. There are days in the dream that really suck too.

You are an inspiration to me, have been and will be so keep up the amazingness girl!!!

Merry Christmas !!

Love Nomad

oreneta said...

You are all so wonderful...thank you so very much. It is 1am, and I am eating chocolate on Christmas eve after hanging out with my sister for ages.

Beth: I agree with you, sometimes it takes an unusal event to make us step back and see what is going on, the important parts.. I am actually having quite a good time, just now and then it hits me and it's hard. Sort of like a toddler, I am easily distracted....

HDD: Thank you, and your right I think, so many of us are so blessed.

Beth: I love my boat an awful lot, it is like complimenting someone's kids, they just glow all over. I think she is pretty too. It is neat 'meeting' all these new people, I do feel richer too. Am I the only one who does this? I find myself talking about people from their blogs, not just the jokes. I still don't get what cosmo in a box is though..

Nomad: Your a dream, and I miss you as well, you've inspired me all over the place in all sorts of different ways... your delight in your kids, your willingness to go so far to honour guests and friends so gracefully, your ability to produce the most amazing meals, apparently with no effort, even when you have just looked in the fringe, and honestly most of all, you are endlessly both curious and thoughtful about the world. It is wonderful.