Cape Karen
I'm painting our ceilings. While most people I know are enjoying their summer vacation, or just lazing around and having family picnics, I'm staying indoors, in the a/c, in order to escape the 90+ degree heat and humidity, and to avoid getting my yearly attack of itchy-bumpy sun poisoning. However, for me, staying indoors means having to find ways to keep busy and still feel as if I'm 'accomplishing' something. So, I thought, I've got a good idea: "I'll paint our dingy old ceilings a nice bright white!"
The fact that I'm 63 years old, stand only 5' 1", and that these are really tall cathedral ceilings should have been enough to make me hesitate to begin such a lofty project. But, noooooo, not me . . I started, and so now I have to finish. . . all 1,950 square feet of ceilings!
If you've never painted a high ceiling, you probably don't know that reaching way up over one's head while holding a long-handled paint roller loaded with paint, can be a dangerous thing. First, it's a really awkward position. With both arms extended and my head bent backwards, I attempt to roll the paint along the ceiling. Needless to say, it makes for an immediate stiff neck and two really sore arms, in very short order.
Secondly, earth's gravity is a bitch when in this position. The paint sprinkles and spatters down all over my head and, because these are also those dreaded popcorn-style ceilings, some of those little 'popcorn bumps' inevitably come loose and fall into my hair, where they lodge and dry until they can be painfully raked-out later with a comb. I wear glasses, of course, and it's a good thing ~ but, now I have polka-dot glasses.
Half the battle is getting ready to paint; moving the heavy furniture, laying down the protective tarp, taping around all the ceiling moldings, fans and windows and just getting set up. That done, I can then only do about five swipes with the roller, back and forth, before I need to sit down, shake-out my arms, and un-kink my neck from that inhuman position. I've discovered that about twenty 'swipes' a day is all I can do. Then, I spend another hour cleaning up, rearranging the furniture and washing-out the brushes and rollers.
At this rate, it will be way into next year before I'll ever complete all eight rooms! On second thought ~ maybe I'll just do the rooms that are connected ~ the front entry, living room, dining room, kitchen and back hallway. . . yeah, that's it. . . piece of cake!
It really does look wonderful - it's making a big difference in the 'brightness' of the house - but. . . to be honest. . . this was a very bad good idea.
Happy summer vacation everyone ~
It seems that we are always facing one sort of change or another. Some are good changes and some are not. No one likes change - we cling to the familar, even when it has proven to be less than desirable. Destructive addictions and harmful lifetime habits are very hard to break. Change usually requires some serious motivation and some sort of outside help. Rare is the person who can, or will, make big life changes alone.
Watching as my only daughter struggles to overcome her addiction to alcohol has been a recent life-giving change to observe. Spending time with her as she emerged from years of self-destruction, and seeing her blossom under the support of her 12-step program and her new AA friends, has been so heartwarming to me as her mother. There's always the possibility that it won't last, but each day that she stays sober - just over 100 days now - is a gift. That she is a happier and healthier person now goes without saying. In her words, "I'm having way too much fun to consider going back to my isolated misery."
What brings about change? A crisis usually. In this case, it was just becoming sick and tired of being sick and tired - and it didn't hurt that a loving friend encouraged her to stop and to really evaluate her life on the path she was walking. The timing must have been right, because she was willing to take the difficult steps necessary to turn around, and she's made the change. And, I guess, that's the key. Others might encourage, cajole or urge us to change our ways - but it's up to us to walk the walk. No one else can do it for us, or force us to do it.
Then there are changes in life that we don't ask for or want. The sudden change from a happy, healthy life to one of suffering and pain from a disease like cancer. I am also watching that side of change from afar. A friend's husband is ending a long and painful three-year battle with prostate cancer. He's presently in intensive care, trying to recover from surgery to stop internal bleeding, and it looks like his life is coming to a close. Oh, what he would give to change that - oh, what his family would give to have him restored to good health - but it is out of their control. They've taken all the steps they can over the last three years to change the course of the disease, all to no avail, and now his journey is ending.
So, I ask myself, when we have an opportunity to improve our lives, to make them better, to avoid an early death, to ward-off suffering and sickness - why do we hesitate or refuse to do it? Because we're addicted to booze, drugs, cigarettes or food? Because we don't believe it will happen to us? Because we think we are immortal? Because we haven't suffered enough yet?
Why are we so arrogant and stubborn, as we cling to our self-destructive ways? Why do we mock our good health and take it for granted? Why does it take extreme suffering before we truly appreciate the gift of good health?
I guess it's because we're simply human. . . and stubborn. . . and stupid.
I know this. . . because I smoked cigarettes for 48 years.
Change IS inevitable ~ so, while we can, let's choose to make changes that will enhance our lives, not limit or even destroy them.
In honor of John "Andy" Anderson ~ it's the least we can do. ( Update: As of Saturday, June 9th, Andy has returned home from the hospital and is under the care of his wife, Susan, and Hospice of Cape Cod. His grandchildren are especially thrilled to have their 'Papa' back home.)