The view is from my family room, over the garden powdered with a rare dusting of snow on this day, over Garrison Lake, over the dunes and the Pacific roiling in the background.
Yes, you think, Rosaria starts her conversations by referring to this view, from her cottage in the Northwest.And if I were to orate my story today, it would be full of connections to this place. We are, after all, part of our environment. We live and breathe and eat the foods that grow here.
My daughter notices when I use the phrase, "I'm glad it worked out!"
She says I use that phrase to signify that regardless of the cost, the effort, the time involved in any action, I want to emphasize my humble efforts in making something happen.
I remember the horns of this dilemma from what my mother used to say:
"If you boast, if you say you planned it that way, you will incur the envy of people and evil spirits. Boasting brought down important people, people with more talent, more grace, more connections than you will ever have."
For all we do, all we acquire, all the connections we have with the modern world, we are who we are, a collection of stories passed down and absorbed in our DNA, even though it has been shaken up and re-positioned for a new environment.
So much that is us, is not of our doing.
21 comments:
yes so much is not our doing, and i love that we are part of the stories passed down, as we determine what is important to pass down to the next...
Love your daughter's take on 'your expression' ... looks like a long line of wise women in your family. Finally we have blue skies and a hint of warmth here. No buds on trees yet though.
This is how a chain is wrougth, one link at a time.
Paul C.
One loop after another.....lovely. Thanks for sharing.
It is a magnificent view. Really tranquil.
The things that are passed down...... all help to make us the people that we are. Part of the bigger picture.
Maggie X
Nuts in May
We are all our histories! Beautiful photo.
like you said "I'm glad it worked out!"
I think that's what makes genealogy so fun and addicting..we want to connect with those who gave us traits and quirks and who helped make us who we are..plus it's great to pass the buck and blame others for our traits and quirks!
Interesting reading wise words from your family (you, your mom and daughter).
"So much that is us is not of our doing." True and wise, Rosaria. Mere patches on the family quilt.
I work as a fundraiser for a charity that specialises in supporting those who are experiencing hard times. So often I hear people criticise those "at the bottom of the pile", suggesting that they made the choices which put them in whatever predicament they are in, therefore they shouldn't expect others to "bail them out". Your post, Rosaria, highlights how fortunate some of us are to have been shaped by predominantly positive life experiences.
G'day Rosaria. Lovely post. "We are who we are" How very true. Great words. Take care Liz...
A striking photo, one that could be poster size and frames and one that you enjoy through your window. Your mother's caution reminds me of so many of the sayings of my grandmother, meant to acknowledge something greater than ourselves, meant to keep us grounded, not get big heads and yet to be thankful. An inspiring post today.
"So much that is us is not of our doing." Beautifully said. To spin that a bit, I believe that a lot of what we do comes from a depth that we can never know or describe. We may think we know why we act, but we don't know the whole story. My husband and I were talking about this yesterday. He says that there is research showing that we begin to respond before we know what our response will be.
Your post today caused me to think and write myself. thanks for the prompt!
I tend to say 'I'm glad it worked out' as well. Plus 'I am sure everything will work out, it always does one way or another' - that is a well used phrase of mine as well.
A positive phrase, "I'm glad it worked out!" Gratitude. Like saying "thank you" to the universe.
I have never been more aware of the "I'm glad it worked out" than this past month.
Needless to say, it is still in the process of being worked out.
Hugs :)
...until you see the parts of your inherited DNA that are useless and not worth keeping.
If we are a part of our environment and things are not going as we would like don't we either move or work to change that environment to fit our likes and needs?
I often wonder who will pass my links along since I have no children, but many circles of friends and relatives. And then what will it be that is regaled? I never spend time on my legacy as it is not mine, but culmination of all the persons with which I interacted.
I think of this often when I contemplate our wee James, and all the factors that will shape his life. So much is out of our control.
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