What, me worry?

At the fresh water pond in the forest. Assateague Island. (Photo enhanced and edited in PicMonkey.)

If your eyes are blinded with your worries, you cannot see the beauty of the sunset.

~ Jiddu Krishnamurti

Another view of the tree at sunset.

Are you a worrier?  I am.  I try not to be, and sometimes I’m even successful at it.  The best way to not worry, I’ve found, is to be present in the moment.  When I’m here, in the now, I don’t worry about what has happened or what might happen.  For the most part, things are usually okay in the present moment.  Take this moment (which has already disappeared, but never mind, we can move on to the next or the next).  Everything IS okay in this moment.  It’s Monday evening, and I’m getting a head start on tomorrow’s blog post.  I’ve been sorting through photos from Saturday’s trip to Assateague.  It may sound like I’m not in the present moment (working on the future post and pictures from the past), but I’m very aware of the feel of my feet on the foot stool I keep under the desk (I’m short and can sit more comfortably with my feet up a little), the air from the heat duct pouring out beside me, the hum of the computer, and the sound of my fingers working the keyboard.  M is in the kitchen working on reinstalling the baseboards (that I painted last week).  Izzy is purring at my feet, and I can hear Bella clicking around the house.  Her claws need trimmed and when she walks on the vinyl flooring, you can hear the click-click-click of her little cat feet.

One of the fresh water ponds on Assateague Island where the horses come to drink.

I think I have always been a worrier (as some eldest children tend to be), but it got worse with age.  I am hoping that one day I will wake up and realize there is nothing to worry about and I’ll never worry again.  In the meantime, I’m getting better at not worrying by bringing my mind back around to the present, and letting go of thoughts of what might be (or, in most cases, might never be).  I breathe into the worries, and breathe them out.  I watch them fade as they leave, and wave goodbye.

On the Life of the Dunes Trail.

Tonight I am not worrying about the Winter Weather Advisory, or the threat of ice for tomorrow morning.  There is no reason to worry.  But I am getting ready for it, and that’s an entirely different thing than worrying.   In fact, being prepared helps the worries fade away.

Dunes

One thing the Winter Weather Advisory will probably delay is getting our new sink and reverse osmosis filter fixed.  The plumber that was here last week did not install the sink or the filter tap correctly.  Last I heard (on Friday), the plumber’s boss is supposed to come by to take a look and fix it.  We have also discovered a leak under the sink.  That will have to be fixed as well.  The counter tops will have to be cleaned.  The plumber left smears of plumber’s putty all over the counter, and now the counter looks dull and smudgy.  I’ve tried scrubbing it off, but it won’t come off.  Someone from the kitchen design company said he’ll come by with something to clean it.  I suspect it will be acetone.  That’s how the guys who installed the counters cleaned them after they were in place.

More dunes

I’m not worried about it, mind you.  In a way, it’s not my problem.  Someone else will have to take care of this stuff.  As long as I have assurance that they will take care of it, I’m not going to worry about it.

Sun dog and silhouettes

Now it’s Tuesday morning, and it’s raining.  Looks like the ice will be here in a few hours, then it will change over to snow.  I’m looking forward to the magic rather than worrying about what I can’t control.  (That’s what worry is, you know.  A wish to control everything in life.)

Changing colors

If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry.  If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying.  There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.

~ Dalai Lama XIV

Colors in the grass

That’s it from the Wabi-Sabi Ranch for today.  If weather and internet connection permit, I’ll come back and update this post before its scheduled time to go out.  I hope Tuesday has been treating you well, and that there are no worries on your mind.  If there are, drop them in the comments and let them go.

Wispy

Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂

Update:  It’s 3:00 pm, and the sun is shining.  No ice, no snow.  It rained for a good part of the day, and it’s pretty soggy outside.  The raindrops are sparkling in the sunlight.  I’m a little disappointed about the snow, but can live without the ice.