Camping P.S. -- Heartaches like Fireflies
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Another highlight I forgot to mention (It might help to read post Camping Highlights first): Rich and I enjoyed putting the kids to bed in their tent, and sitting by the fire at night. It was quiet! The only sounds were crickets, pond frogs, and the crackling of burning logs. So peaceful. As we sat there, I asked Rich what he was thinking about. He said, "Right now, in this moment, watching this fire, I'm not worrying about money."
I didn't tell him what I was thinking. For me, the same fire presented a temptation to worry. Financial fears were flicking on and off in my head like the tiny fireflies in the brush around our campsite.
Why worry at a time like this?
For me, all it takes is one thing. . . Just before nightfall, Rich bought three extra bundles of firewood. We'd underestimated how quickly the logs would burn, and we were doing all of our cooking over an open flame! It was $16.00 for which we hadn't planned. Sixteen dollars might not seem like a big deal, but for the fact that I was also called off work on Friday.
The unexpected change to my schedule enabled us to leave a day early, but a dollar short. Well, A LOT of dollars short. I'd already taken two days off in order to to make the trip, and now the third night off would mean a huge ding to our plan. I had worked extra shifts to make up for the expense of our mini-vacation. But even so, we really needed my Friday night tips to get through the kids' first week of school.
It's just part of the whole gamble when working with a budget as limited as ours; life rarely abides by plans.
The fire was flickering. Rich was peaceful. And here I was wasting the moment, worrying. A poem Sally wrote for Play With Me came to mind. The fireflies in the brush made me think of it:
Dirge or Dance
Plodding, heavy soled through
Grocery line, deadline, death row?
Heartaches like fireflies in a pickle jar
Shoulders loaded with need and worry weights
Straightjacket of mind and flesh
Removed by song of
Blanket clemency
I've got a robe, you've got a robe
All God's children have a robe
The kingdom of heaven donned in
Games of endless hopscotch
Hugs for the moon
Licks of everlasting lollipops
Searches for pots of gold at rainbow's end
Knee-deep crunches in snow and leaves
Wishes on twinkling morning star
A dance with God
I didn't tell him what I was thinking. For me, the same fire presented a temptation to worry. Financial fears were flicking on and off in my head like the tiny fireflies in the brush around our campsite.
Why worry at a time like this?
For me, all it takes is one thing. . . Just before nightfall, Rich bought three extra bundles of firewood. We'd underestimated how quickly the logs would burn, and we were doing all of our cooking over an open flame! It was $16.00 for which we hadn't planned. Sixteen dollars might not seem like a big deal, but for the fact that I was also called off work on Friday.
The unexpected change to my schedule enabled us to leave a day early, but a dollar short. Well, A LOT of dollars short. I'd already taken two days off in order to to make the trip, and now the third night off would mean a huge ding to our plan. I had worked extra shifts to make up for the expense of our mini-vacation. But even so, we really needed my Friday night tips to get through the kids' first week of school.
It's just part of the whole gamble when working with a budget as limited as ours; life rarely abides by plans.
The fire was flickering. Rich was peaceful. And here I was wasting the moment, worrying. A poem Sally wrote for Play With Me came to mind. The fireflies in the brush made me think of it:
Dirge or Dance
Plodding, heavy soled through
Grocery line, deadline, death row?
Heartaches like fireflies in a pickle jar
Shoulders loaded with need and worry weights
Straightjacket of mind and flesh
Removed by song of
Blanket clemency
I've got a robe, you've got a robe
All God's children have a robe
The kingdom of heaven donned in
Games of endless hopscotch
Hugs for the moon
Licks of everlasting lollipops
Searches for pots of gold at rainbow's end
Knee-deep crunches in snow and leaves
Wishes on twinkling morning star
A dance with God
