Old Mother Hubbard Mode

Like many young children "back in the day," I learned a plethora of nursery rhymes while in my formative years. I often pondered the significance of "Old Mother Hubbard." For those not familiar with this particular tiny poem, it is as follows:

"Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard
To get her poor doggie a bone,
But when she got there, the cupboard was bare
And so the poor little doggie got none."

I always felt sorry for the poor little doggie. As such, I made sure our own family doggies had plenty to eat. ;)

In later years I learned that this simply rhyme had a hidden meaning. It was actually a political statement from the 16th century. (Click here for more information on that.)

I have also come to understand that this poem can also be a voice of warning for those of us who tend to run ourselves into the dirt. That is the angle I wanted to touch on today--the importance of keeping our own personal cupboards stocked.

Lately, it seems like all I do is run in crazy circles and operate Hotel Crane. ;) We have had a lot of family adventures in recent weeks. This past week alone, we have moved my mother to Bear Lake, and later this weekend, my youngest sister will be getting married. It is a crazy time. I have done my best to keep up with everything taking place. I have ignored something very important as a result.

Last night my oldest son commented on my current state of exhaustion. When I pointed out the obvious reasons for this condition, he merely shook his head and asked me when it was I had last done something for myself.

I have always believed in the importance of helping others, especially family and friends who are in need. It's part of my nature to attempt to lift up the hands that hang down . . . except when it comes to myself. Then I tend to shy away, figuring that is inherent to being selfish, which we all know is a bad thing. However . . . for us to be in a position to help others, we do need to keep our own cupboards stocked. It is crucial for us to be whole spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

My son made me promise that I will do something today that I enjoy. He also pointed out that this is something that I need to do every day to be a "whole" person. I'm beginning to believe he is on the mark with this suggestion. For me to be my best self, the self that can help others, I have to be strong in all aspects of my life. If I'm dragging bottom (don't make fun, it happens when you get to be my age) I'm less likely to be in a position to help others.

So . . . today as I drive to Utah with my mother for the impending nuptials, I will do my best to enjoy myself. I plan to do the following to restock my waning cupboards:

1.) I will appreciate the beauty of nature as we head down to Utah land. This shouldn't be too hard as I have to drive through a couple of canyons along the way.

2.) I will thoroughly enjoy the lunch we are planning to consume with my youngest sister upon our arrival. We're planning to go to a fun little restaurant for this adventure.

3.) I will play with my little granddaughter when we reach my son's abode. And since Aari and I both love to blow bubbles, I predict we'll have a right good time.

4.) I will spend a certain amount of time shopping!!! Always a fun thing . . . even if I'm buying things for other people, like wedding gifts.

Things I have already done: I always start my day with a private moment of prayer, meditation, and scripture study. That stocks my spiritual cupboard for the day. I also enjoy a nice, relaxing bath, which my body loves. This helps me physically. Now normally, I also walk with a friend in the early morning hours before it gets too hot. This helps my physical self get into better shape. ;) I won't get to work in a walk this morning, because of conflicting time schedules, but I will be doing a bit of walking while in shopping mode, so it all works out.

And to fill my mental cupboard, I wrote this blog. ;) I figure anything that makes me use my gray cells is a cool thing. And all of those things I listed above will help me emotionally since they're all items I enjoy. So by the end of today, I should be in fantastic shape for the week ahead. ;)

Take some time for yourself today. Do something you enjoy, whether it's reading a good book, painting a beautiful masterpiece, exercise, or even something as simple as watching the sun rise or set. Then draw in a deep breath and savor the peace. I suspect that's part of how we're all going to survive the crazy days ahead. ;)

High Speed

Today I'm going to discuss an oddity in our culture, the term "high speed." I suspect this came to mind because my husband and I finally joined the human race (pun intended) a couple of weeks ago and switched to a high-speed connection with regard to our computer. It has been a fascinating adventure. Before we made this change, our computer was reminiscent of a mule stubbornly trudging up a muddy hill against the wind; downloading anything took hours. Now it surfs the web at breakneck speeds, bringing to mind a chaotic internet freeway where things happen instantly.

My son and his wife send us pictures and tiny movies of our new granddaughter and within seconds, we can access these treasures. I can now watch all of those You-Tube clips friends and family members have sent, and I have enjoyed watching clips of some of my favorite bands performing. High-speed does have its advantages. That said, I am going to raise a yellow flag of caution.

Back in the early days of the world, or when I used to attend elementary school, we learned that two terms were direct opposites: slow meant one moved gradually or leisurely. Speed indicated that things were hurrying along at an accelerated pace, or according to my good friend the dictionary: "Speed is the rapidity of movement; the rate or swiftness of motion or action."

At a young age I read a story about a slow-moving, patient turtle who literally beat the stockings off his nemesis, a rabbit who moved like the wind, but was evidently not the sharpest knife in the drawer. The speeding rabbit raced about the turtle, mocking his slow movement, dashing off ahead to take a nap to prove how much faster he was than his opponent. As we all know, the turtle went on to win the race, and we were taught the adage: "Slow and steady wins the race." Hmmmm.

Another image was planted inside my young mind. At the early age of seven, I began reading Greek mythology. It was part of the programmed reading curriculum at our grade school. I devoured the stories that were intriguing to me at the time. One of my heroes was Mercury, the Greek God associated with speed. If you read the definition (the link you see available in that last sentence) from Wikipedia, you'll see the following phrase: "The word mercurial is commonly used to refer to something or someone erratic, volatile, or unstable, derived from Mercury's swift flights from place to place." Interesting. Also interesting is that a popular floral delivery service uses Mercury as its symbol. I wonder if they've read the definition of their mascot?

In today's society, we want things to happen instantaneously, forgetting that good things come to those who wait, yet another axiom of a by-gone era. We want our food fast, (And isn't it mind-boggling to put those two words together---they are direct opposites. Food indicates eating, and fast means that we abstain from consuming meals.) Even when we choose to eat at a nice restaurant where the food isn't cooked until we order, we still expect our food to be placed in front of us in less than five minutes. When it isn't, we pout . . . a lot, and take it out on the poor waiters or waitresses who have the delightful task of keeping irate customers happy.

We find ourselves growing impatient whenever we stand in line, regardless of the reason. We may be in a grocery store, at an all-purpose super center, at a drug store, at the bank, or in line to watch a movie, play, sporting event, etc. This common pastime annoys us greatly. We want things "NOW!" We've come to expect instant gratification in all aspects of our lives. That may not necessarily be a good thing.

I realize I'm probably a throwback to days of yore (incidentally, I'm only 47, not quite ready to be put out to pasture) but I enjoy the days when I don't have to run quite so fast. I like taking the time to read a good book, and to possibly write such a thing. I savor listening to good music, and I love playing games that take forever like Risk or Monopoly. And as wonderful as I understand the instant exercise programs like the famed Wii are, I still prefer going for a leisurely walk outside, enjoying nature.

Slowing things down in a world that is constantly finding new and improved ways to increase speed is a challenge. I often find that I am running faster than I have strength, and as memory serves, we are cautioned about that item. (See D. & C. 10:4) In fact, we're encouraged to spend some time every day pondering what is really important.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I spend time each day studying the scriptures. I also prayerfully ask for guidance each day---usually several times in a given day depending on the circumstances. There is no way to improve or hasten this important item, aside from being sincere and not rushing through our daily chats with our Father in heaven.

To my way of thinking, it is crucial to walk away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and reflect on where we're really going. Perhaps this new favorite thought of mine: "Life is what's happening when you're too busy to notice." (Wayne Muller) is really onto something.

My favorite way to relax is to soak in a nice bubble bath and read a good book. That's how I start most of my days. I endure a form of rheumatoid arthritis and I've discovered that when I take the time to relax in the tub, I'm in less pain the rest of the day, and I can move about in a better fashion. This is good. =) I tend to pay for the days when I jump in the shower for 3 minutes before hurrying on my way. This lovely body that I've been blessed with, has been teaching me for years the wisdom of taking time out each day for important things. ;)

What are some of your favorite ways to relax and unwind? (This is a hint.) Regardless, I think it's crucial to spend time every day doing just that. Take an exit from the high-speed freeway our lives have become, and learn to enjoy life all over again.

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