A View From Mel

Often times when I sit and try to put my thoughts together, I remember a phrase by one of my favorite authoresses. Gladys Taber was a well known and loved authoress. She wrote many essays on her beloved farm, Still Meadow. She shared her home with her best friend, Jill. They shared it also with a wonderful assortment of cocker spaniels, an Irish setter, a Siamese cat, and a Manx. The two women lived together, working and fixing up Still Meadow as a family retreat. That task, from Mrs. Taber’s writings was no easy feat!

The phrase of hers that repeats in my head on many occasions is this, “If I were a wise woman”. I imagine Mrs. Taber letting her mind wander, getting fanciful thoughts and letting them run wild. For one who claims not to be wise, her essays are full of wit, wisdom and whimsy. She herself claims to not understand the idea of whimsy in the magazines. Much too often whimsy to me is simply clutter, too much stuff in too small a space.

I look about my house sometimes and wonder if I ought to… fancy it up a bit. I always come back to the feel of the open places though. I prefer meadow to woodland. I am a utilitarian woman to the bone. I have not much use for things whose sole function is to sit and look pretty. This attitude tends to carry over to people as well. I think of the pioneers, those hardy souls who left the fuss and fancy of city life for the rigors of empty space. Most every thing they took with them was some how a necessity. The trail was littered with the items which in the beginning seemed so important, but as the long, harsh journey went on, seemingly with no end, the things once so important were discovered to be just so much extra fluff, and left behind. I look back over my own life and think of the things, both physical and spiritual that I have given up as the journey goes on.

For the physical, there were items sold in need to feed my young sons. There was the houseful of furniture that was left behind, because there simply was no way to move it from one state to the next. (We left California with a Honda civic wagon and a Ford Escort). The things themselves meant little to me, but OH! To lose the memories they held. Memories are tricky things. Some can come with a scent, or sight that is not often common. Some memories, like the houseful of furniture can be left with out being truly missed.

As far as the spiritual goes, mostly I have left behind many unfruitful feelings. I have learned how not to worry, since worry accomplishes nothing. I have left behind thinking about how others see me so much. I am who I am; I have not changed much over the last forty years, other than to gain a sense of confidence in my faith and my choices. Yes there are things I wish I could redo, but they are minor, the major stuff though it may have made things a bit more difficult, has taught me much.

I have learned the truth of the verse in Phil. 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content”. Contentment pervades my day. Yes money is tight, and some folks think we are crazy for having me not work, but we have found that when we have much stuff, we concentrate too hard on our stuff, how to keep it, how to get more and such. We have found that simple is better. Making do and finding new uses for old things are growing experiences. They are things I have decided I would not do with out, even if I had the chance!

I may not be a wise woman, but I am a contented, happy one. I have found the secret to removing bitterness and worry from my life, and it is simple. Find a way to let go of the need for more, learn to be less concerned with others opinions, and realize the glory of ENOUGH.

And that’s my view.

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