Yesterday morning–it was such a beautiful day–I couldn’t pass up the chance to do some yard work. While finishing the mowing just before sundown the evening before, I invested several final rounds to blow the cut grass into piles for easier raking. Heading out yesterday morning, I grabbed the rake and wheelbarrow, but the roughness of the handles reminded me I needed my work gloves. Running back to the house, I reached for the doorknob to find that it was locked. I distinctly remember checking this before shutting the door on the way out. However, another try proved that it really was locked. That lock had been having some trouble lately and was finally declared “untrustworthy”. Well, I was planning to work an hour or two anyway, so I figured I would get a lot done outside while waiting from 11:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. when the kids would arrive home on the bus with a house key to let me in!
A couple disturbing thoughts about my situation: I hadn’t eaten any breakfast (which is normal for me to wait until noon-ish and eat a “real meal”), and would be doing physical work requiring a small bite of something shortly; I hadn’t showered and wasn’t prepared to be seen by anyone.
Since I was out there to work, that’s what I did. I raked all the grass, using it to mulch around the baby fruit trees and grapevines, and under the pool deck; carried branches to the burn pile; emptied the ashes from the grill; checked every door and window for a way back into the house. I was definitely hungry and ready for a little rest.
It was around 1:00 p.m. now and I was looking for a way to handle my homelessness. I could walk or ride my bike to the school to get a key from the kids, but like I said, I hadn’t showered and had been working in the yard. Too embarrassing. So my options were to wait patiently on the deck for 2 1/2 hours or think of someone to call for help.
The two friends I thought of were both at work, but one would be off at 2:00. I called her to see if she had plans for right after work and she said she could help me. Fantastic! So I only had about an hour to kill. I gave in to the situation, laid out some deck chair cushions, and settled in to attempt to take a nap. Everyone knows I don’t like naps, but I had been up too late the night before, due to drinking coffee beyond my limit the day before. A nap sure wouldn’t hurt me. It took me 50 minutes to fall asleep (probably the reason I don’t like naps) and I woke to the sound of my cell phone. She was on her way and I was free from my homelessness!
From now on I’ll unlock a couple doors AND take a key with me! A better plan would be to spend more time in quiet and restfulness, because it was kind of nice to sit and listen to the sounds, and have absolutely nothing else I needed to do instead. This makes me want to start working all the more on a flower garden with a bench for those often unwelcome–but necessary–moments of solitude, rest, quiet, contemplation, prayer.
Filed under: Daily Update, Deep Thoughts, Friends, Pam | Tagged: flowers, garden, homeless, landscaping, meditation, nature, peace, prayer, quiet, rest, retreat, solitude, yard work
lol. that was funny. i couldn’t get my key off the key chain so i just gave you the whole key ring. it was covered in sun screen. bc it leaked. lol.