Sometimes even I find myself caught in the firing line of contradictory advice:
“Keep digging.”
“Stop digging. The hole won’t get any smaller.”
To be on the safe side I do keep digging until my worst fear – the hole getting bigger – is confirmed.
Holes are conundrums. On one hand, by virtue of being a hole, there is nothing. Just a hole. Which is fine as long as you are not in it. If you want to be swallowed go to Dartmoor. Or somewhere where squelching mud will suck you down. And all you did was set a foot wrong. But at least you won’t leave a hole.
I like gardening. You dig a hole – on purpose. You plant a plant. Fill hole around plant with soil till hole is full – et voila. Come spring all you have to fight are squirrels, deer, cute bunnies, your cat, a neighbour’s dog (the swine), naturally, snails and slugs – and you wonder why you ever thought gardening and its more serious cousin, farming, were a calling rather than a curse.
You know what a vocation is? When you can’t help yourself. Vocation, a calling, is usually associated with those of a true or imagined artistic bend and those who live in a monastery, defuse landmines and or do other foolish things to keep the status quo going. I tell you, and I mean it: Scrub a floor instead. At least you can eat off it and no one – not least yourself – expects you to win a noble prize.
U
Bitch on the Blog 
Live & learn. Lessons learned the hard way are lessons remembered. Scrubbing floors & such make me feel well. I’ve done a lot of it, so am good at it which is self-fulling.
Comment by bikehikebabe66 — January 12, 2015 @ 18:58 |
Yes, Cynthia, as long as we live we learn. Not least by osmosis. Unnoticed.
You make me smile: Did you mean to say “self-fueling” or “self-fulfilling”? Both I’d say.
U
Comment by bitchontheblog — January 14, 2015 @ 00:31 |
I don’t often find myself digging metaphorical holes. I’m good at steering rapidly away from a social faux pas. But some people seem to think that if they dig a deeper and deeper hole for themselves, somehow they’ll disappear into the hole and everyone will think they’ve gone.
Comment by nick — January 13, 2015 @ 13:04 |
I don’t commit “social faux pas”, Nick. And if I do they are of no consequence to me.
My holes are real. As a friend of mine (age 18) once wrote to me (she was a dab hand at maths and chess – now a renowned pathologist):”You, Ursula, have an almost self destructive urge trying to get to the bottom of everything. To the point where you can’t go any further down.”. Maybe. Who knows.
Gasping for air,
U
Comment by bitchontheblog — January 14, 2015 @ 00:17 |
Nah. Happiness as a spiritual practice trumps the kitchen floor for me. No expectations, except for enjoying the journey.
Comment by Cheerful Monk — January 13, 2015 @ 22:46 |
My dear Jean, please do stop deluding yourself: Happiness is NOT a “practice”. Spiritual or otherwise.
Happiness is a by-product of daily life, a surge, a fleeting moment, a gift. And those fleeting moments can be found in the most mundane and unremarkable tasks. Not least because that which you do on auto pilot gives you freedom to let your spirit roam. Try it. You might even “learn” something (reference your last post). If you gave me the choice between your software engineer and elbow grease I’d choose elbow grease every time.
On a practical note: Who DOES your cleaning? I won’t ask after the cooking of meals since I know you don’t like that either, presumably seeing food more of a fuel than a sensual enjoyment.
U
Comment by bitchontheblog — January 14, 2015 @ 00:03 |
As usual, different people have different experiences in life. That’s what makes blogging so much fun. Live as a shared adventure.
Comment by Cheerful Monk — January 14, 2015 @ 20:28 |
You have a sister & brother I found out recently, tho’ I’ve know you for at least 30-40 years. You’ve never mentioned them. I thought your motto was “Life as a shared adventure”.
Comment by bikehikebabe66 — January 14, 2015 @ 20:41 |
Wow! Where did my brother come from? Is he older or younger than me? 😀
Comment by Cheerful Monk — January 14, 2015 @ 21:29 |
See I don’t know the REAL you. What about that secret sister? Never mentioned in 30/40 yrs of our friendship. Forget all the 😀 They don’t fool anyone.
Comment by bikehikebabe66 — January 14, 2015 @ 21:56 |
Poof! Not a secret, as I recall I had mentioned it, but our conversations never went in that direction.
Comment by Cheerful Monk — January 14, 2015 @ 22:51 |
Yes, you don’t know a lot about me, because most of our conversations were about you. I thought I was being a good friend by listening and not getting upset that you didn’t want to know more about me. That’s why I like having a blog. I can talk about the things that interest me. I don’t have to worry about boring people with my enthusiasms because if the post doesn’t resonate, they don’t have to read it.
Comment by Cheerful Monk — January 14, 2015 @ 23:01 |
I read your blog for years out of loyalty & because I thought you needed comment-ors. I know much more about you than you do about me. Your blog is ALL about you.
Comment by bikehikebabe66 — January 16, 2015 @ 02:19 |
Oh I forgot. Your blog is also quotes, copied articles.
Comment by bikehikebabe66 — January 16, 2015 @ 02:23 |
You don’t like this blog. You know I do. I’ll not read your comments, so you may hang out here if you wish.
Comment by bikehikebabe66 — January 16, 2015 @ 02:35
Maybe a working definition of calling is, “What you can do repeatedly and feel fulfilled by”.
Comment by Evan — January 14, 2015 @ 22:26 |
In my case it was more of a feeling when I was in high school that this is the direction my life should take. It fit, and I’m grateful for it because it’s enriched my life.
Comment by Cheerful Monk — January 14, 2015 @ 22:52 |
It’s never the hole the bothers me; it’s what surrounds it. ;|
Comment by Lorna's Voice — January 14, 2015 @ 00:02 |
Trust you, Lorna, to put a slightly different perspective on my limited horizon.
U
Comment by bitchontheblog — January 14, 2015 @ 00:08 |
Your horizon isn’t limited, U; it’s just that you’re looking in a different direction! 😉
Comment by Lorna's Voice — January 16, 2015 @ 00:27 |
Did someone say I don’t like this blog? I get the impression this blog doesn’t like me. And this LOL is real. This whole thing cracks me up.
Comment by Cheerful Monk — January 16, 2015 @ 04:56 |
When you find yourself in a hole, quit digging.
~ Will Rogers.
There, I have annoyed you with another quote. Laugh.
Comment by Rummuser — February 15, 2015 @ 11:44 |