Saturday 10 December 2011

Some Saturday soul food: Ralph Waldo Emerson no 2

Well hello, you sweet souls! I hope you're enjoying your weekend. Today was a little summery in Hobart, giving us the foretaste of the lovely, languorous days ahead. However, this week has been a tough one on Planet Baby, filled with health problems requiring GP visits and antibiotics, a certain newly-minted 4 year old pixie's immunisations, fatigue all round (although I have turned off the computer at 10.30 pm for the past 2 nights ☺) and that inevitable end-of-year-scratchiness. Tell me, has it set in at your households, too? 

Given such a week, I thought I'd share with you another thought-provoking quotation from the influential American essayist, lecturer and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson - remember we looked at him here? He really wrote some pearlers and this one is on the money.
Source
Finish each day and be done with it.
You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.
Oh, he speaks such sense but my, actually following through with that is *challenging* at the moment for me. 

There is so much I have to *let go*. I need to show grace under pressure in order to walk around some hurdles which others have laid in my way (I loathed hurdling at school. It *could have* had something to do with my diminutive stature ☺.) - I am not going to attempt to hurdle them.

All part of trying to *go gently*, of course, with you all as my cheerleaders!

I need (and crave) the serenity embodied in this photo. Tell me, are any of you feeling the same now the silly season has arrived? And do you have the grace to just move on and start afresh the next day? Or are you a work-in-progress like me? Do share - I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Photobucket

12 comments:

  1. Oh Jane, I'm definately a work in progress. "Tomorrow is a new day". Love it.x

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  2. What a wonderful way to live.
    How much more sleep would we be getting???
    What an inspiring qoute.

    The "you have done what you could" part really stirkes me and I'm proud to say that my year has been sbout achieving that mindset.
    I do my very best to treat others as respectfully, fairly and kindly as I can.
    But I miss the mark at times. Lots of times.
    I've stopped beating myself up about those times because I know my intentions and heart are usually in the right place.
    A year ago I could never have written that - let alone believed it.

    Jane, I hope this coming week is kinder to you.
    More conducive to 'going gently' and giving you some refreshment amidst the madness.
    :-) xx

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  3. Definitely a work in progress over here Jane, always learning and changing.

    Part of that is creating a simpler life and reducing unnecessary stress. Hence the move back to nature, the current caravan adventure around Australia and slight boycotting of all Christmas craziness this year.

    I love that word 'serene', I think I'm close to feeling it at the moment and will definitely be thinking of serene when I wake in the morning, thanks to reading your lovely post tonight

    Take care Jane!

    Mel xx

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  4. I've always loved this quote....it's so true of course, albeit a challenge to achieve.

    I am really focusing this year on enjoying each day, each Christmas event, not going crazy with spending/shopping etc.....so far so good. A large poster-size list on my kitchen wall is really helping - I am only doing things that are on the list and the list has things like lunches and phone calls to friends on it too.

    I want to enjoy the journey and not arrive at Christmas penniless and exhausted - or going down with a cold!!

    I am pretty good at compartmentalising my life - too good sometimes! I can have huge stress in one area (generally family stuff ie, parents) but maintain a totally calm front in all the other areas. And yes, I can switch off, I think you have to otherwise the stress and craziness will get you in the end.

    Go gently indeed Jane....you will get there,
    Much love
    Simone X

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  5. Dear Jane, I have missed so many of your posts, right back to when you met Nicki Gemmell! I keep promising to 'catch up with you' when I have time to actually sit down for a while and read them and respond. Have you read the new book yet?
    what a meaningful life quote. i need to write that one down, thank you.
    Yes, I am feeling the end of year and silly season, and the emotion of my eldest finishing primary school. It sounds like you need a little day or even some hours to yourself. I'm sure your good husband will support you and you live in one of the most beautiful parts of our country, so go for a drive sister! by yourself. and breathe. it will restore you. You have had a HUGE year. love and hugs, Jane x

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  6. Hmm, I am very much looking forward to a fresh year. I'm just a tad over this one :)
    I think I'm pretty good at letting go, but realise I am much more harder on myself than I am other people.
    Sounds like you need to lock yourself in your room for an hour of reading or mucking around with your papers and bits. Maybe wear some earplugs so you can't hear anyone knocking on the door and have a little fun :)

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  7. A wonderful quote Jane.
    I am learning to let go and just be more this Christmas season.
    Last year I had to rush home to Burnie for my Nan's funeral on 21st Dec, then back here to have the whole extended family for Chrissy. (4 months before that my Sis and I with our little ones did a road trip to Burnie for my Grandpop's funeral, so it was a draining time.)
    The year before that I was in the mother baby unit with Ruby for 10 days and only got out 2 days before Christmas. Having to be organised yet again for Christmas day at our house.
    Year before that I had a newborn and three other little ones and yep you guessed it the whole family here at our house for Christmas lunch.
    This year it seems relatively stress free by comparison.
    Yes we have to pack up and travel to Burnie and try and hide presents, but it seems a lot easier than the added stresses of previous years.
    Bit long winded but just wanted to say that I know how you feel and have been there before.
    I therefore try to start each day afresh and *be* in the moment with my little ones, who are not so little as those other crazy, sleep deprived years.
    I am all too good at being hard on myself and over thinking everything, so am trying to do less of that. (I know it is not easy when it is deeply engrained in you.)
    Ps I think you need to aim for 10pm bedtime this week and I will try to do the same!!
    What are you going to do to nurture yourself this week? (Could be a good blog post. *Nurturing the Mother.*)

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  8. Feel like I should stick this saying onto our fridge! There has been quite a lot of blundering about trying to adjust to our "new life" in the last few weeks. Think all of us could do with a no-nonsense approach to beginning each day a-new and a-fresh, especially with the silly-season upon us. But these things are always easier said than done, aren't they?

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  9. Wow! Loving the comments, ladies ☺. I so appreciate all the care and thought you put into writing them. And I'm also glad to know I'm not the only WIP here!

    @Shar Yes I agree - if only life were so simple and problems so soluble. I daren't think of all the sleepless hours I've had in my 41 years, either. I'm so delighted you have stopped beating yourself up about such things. I know only too well where you're coming from. Bravo for working on it and seeing how much easier you can make life for yourself!

    @Mel I am just fascinated to watch your trip unfold - a journey on so many levels. And I'm delighted to know where it will end (well, the physical part if it, anyway!).

    @Simone I'm thrilled that your list is keeping you feeling more organised and calmer and that it also includes some fun. You're a wise woman, my friend. I wish I could compartmentalise a little more - I'm working on it, trying to harness the finite energy reserves I have the best I can.

    @Jane It's so lovely to hear from you again. No, I haven't even read the first page of the book - that's how frazzled I am. Thanks for the suggestion - a drive alone sounds the perfect tonic to clear my head.

    @Sarah Yes, here's to a brighter 2012 for us both. As for the earplugs, I wear them to bed - maybe I should bring them out in daytime!

    @Kat Thanks so much for this brilliant comment - I felt tired reading it ☺. It's a relief not to feel so alone! I took your advice and went to bed at 10 pm last night - I had a little extra energy today so thankyou for that. As for nurturing myself, I am waiting for the monthly pay to arrive on Thursday and then I have some plans!

    And @Clare I really feel for you as you grapple with Emilia adapting to life on the other side of the world where everything is so unfamiliar and you are trying to find your feet again. Hang in there, Sweetheart - in a few months' time, life will become a lot more settled. That first year of life is truly the hardest on the parents, I think - especially first time around!

    J x

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  10. Oh Jane, just catching up... as I do! Loving this quote and as always you have provided a timely one for this fast paced, crazy festive season. It is such a difficult thing to let go of bad days, or weeks, or months. I work very hard on not being a 'dweller', as I descend from a long line of them... so it's important for me to recognise it and stamp it out when it occurs. At this time of year, I find myself whizzing around like a mad thing most days. Not knowing exactly where to start or what to start on next. I never like to wish the days away, but I am looking forward to reaching the end of the silly season and putting it all to bed for another year. Sometimes I find it frustrating that I become swept up in other people's drama's too. Be it strangers on the road or at the shops who just don't know how to relax and enjoy... or people alot closer to home who also need to take a step back once in a while. Thanks for sharing this fab piece of advice Jane.
    And well done on the bloggy rehab, I need to inject a bit of that around here I think xo

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  11. I agree you have to take each day as it comes & let them go don't hold on to the past (easy to say though) just have to keep moving on :))
    I could do with sitting on that rock & relaxing in some cool water though :)

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  12. Julie, I never cease to be amazed at how much we have in common. You're a beautiful soul for sharing your struggles here so openly. I relate to all of them! I'm going to write a bloggy rehab update this week.

    Yes, Lainey, that woman does look very contented, doesn't she?! J x

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Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, you gorgeous soul. You've just made my day! J x

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