I am not Catholic, or even all that religious in the “organized religion” sense of the word, but this little mantra comes to mind this morning as I sit down at my computer to write a post after such a long time away: “Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been 30 days since my last confession”. It has indeed been more than a month since my last post and I have missed writing, the animals and all of my faithful readers. I have found a little corner in my as yet, unfinished home, to set up my computer and to get back to doing one of the things that I love doing best. It is my eternal wish and hope that my contribution makes a small difference to the lives of abused beings the world over-tall order, but what can you do? This is how I feel.
As you may know, we have been moving for the last four months. Moving day was on May 6th. Selling our house, buying a new house, giving away and selling stuff, packing, preparing for the new house, renovating, unpacking and dealing with any problems that arise when such a big change is happening in one’s life, can be all consuming. And this time is no different. So, with a heavy heart, I made the decision to concentrate solely on this endeavor in order to be up and running again as soon as possible.
What the heck does my move have to do with my website, veganism, abused beings, advocacy and so on?…..Well, I guess it would have to be in the way I am approaching this somewhat big life event. I was raised with a “the sky is falling” view of things and even though I feel that I try to see the positive in mishaps and mayhem, it would be shortsighted and untrue to say that I am not affected by the attitude that stuff going wrong reeks of catastrophe.
The vendors of our new home were difficult to deal with. They kept keys that didn’t belong to them, left many belongings in the house that did not belong to us, came into the house at night when we were not there, using keys and remotes and hocus pocus which they did not have a right to have or use.
The movers, who did a great job, left a trail of oil from their laboring truck on the driveways and sidewalks of both houses. Then the sump pump broke, a tree in our wooded yard split right down the middle, while another leaned dangerously toward the house and several others were severely compromised by the woodpeckers with whom we share nature in our new neck of the woods. The heat pump frosted up and refused to work.
The contractors who are doing some work in our home and I had a mix up about the house and how long it was going to be empty before we moved in. We showed earlier than than they expected, with our belongings, our kitty cats and our jammies in tow. But they are great guys, they are doing a wonderful job and we worked it all out.
Suffice it to say, we have dealt with most of the problems after much research, work, shopping, procuring of permits, negotiation with the contractors as well as tough love for the former owners. In the past, all of this, along with the fatigue and body aches I am feeling at the moment, would have left me blubbering in a chair for protracted periods of time, bemoaning the various calamities that are visiting my life at the moment.
But for the most part, becoming vegan, learning about the all of our various death for profit animal industries, connecting with others who feel as I do has changed all of that. I have looked into the souls of those suffering incalculably for our wants, not needs and I now understand the true meaning of the words calamity, nightmare, catastrophe. I no longer use these words to describe the inconvenient and albeit frustrating problems that visit my extremely privileged life from time to time. These problems I now call challenges and opportunities. Challenges are problems to solve and opportunities are there for learning something new, for gaining valuable perspective.
All this to say that I am back with a new, more peaceful and aligned perspective. I am rusty, but ready to rumble, although I do apologize to all those beings for whom I did not actively advocate while I worked away at setting up my abode. I will have to forgive myself for that, I guess, because I am not sure that there was any suitable way around it.
Annie’s Vegan View
Perspective based on learning from the sometimes negative experiences in life is a gift.
Understanding the difference between a challenge and a nightmare is a gift.
Understanding that with privilege comes a responsibility to help others who are suffering is a gift.
Understanding that forgiving ourselves for temporarily and unavoidably veering off our path to help is key to staying the course in the long run.
May all beings be happy and free.
It is good summary of what happened in the last few weeks.
Something to laugh about for a long time.
I think however that this is for the best.
Sorry for your aches and pains.
Hi Serge,
Yes, it is good to laugh whenever possible. The aches and pains are temporary. Take care. Anne
It sounds like veganism has led to many changes for you – not just for the animals. I know that’s not your goal, but what a lovely by-product. This has been a hard road – hopefully the next bits of moving/settling in will go a bit more smoothly!
Hi Allison,
You know the old adage; “Be careful what you ask for”. I have wanted to move for a while and the tough bits are temporary. I think that the key to accepting change in perspective is to be open to it, to know that new and different can be good.
Take care.
Mom
Well, you’re a stronger vegan than I am, snort. I think I WOULD have been blubbering in a chair, and most definitely railing against human incompetence, a trait that drives me right around the bend. Hopefully you’re enjoying the long weekend! 🙂
Hi Friend,
At the moment we are enjoying working 24/7-something that drives me around the bend. But it is temporary and all for a good cause. But my daughter and family did come for a visit and helped out quite a bit. That was fun. My son did a lot of lugging and some packing and my daughter in law helped out with choosing paint colours I doubt that I am a stronger vegan than you. We are all, as they say, in it together.
Take care.
Anne
So glad to see you back! This post resonates with me as all your posts do. I can sympathize with all the stress you’ve just been through having moved overseas myself years ago and 5 times in the past 7 years. Also, I too was raised with a “the sky is falling” attitude and it’s a daily challenge for me, but this: “I have looked into the souls of those suffering incalculably for our wants, not needs and I now understand the true meaning of the words calamity, nightmare, catastrophe.” ; sure says it all. That’s something that’s always with me, too….the horrible suffering that our fellow beings go through and have no chance whatsoever to escape and how much worse it is than what most of us humans go through….
Happy new home! It will be nice to read more of your posts after you’ve been able to get really settled in. 🙂
Hi Krissa,
I am so glad that you enjoyed my post and that it resonates with you. Moving can be stressful, but I am trying to take it one challenge at a time. It is personally destructive for me to let the truth of our death for profit industries paralyze me. I try to concentrate on what I am doing to try to effect change and save lives rather than on what I cannot control. The ongoing suffering is unconscionable-no question. We just have to keep fighting the good fight.
Take care.
Anne
Hey Anne
I could relate to a lot of that article. We moved a couple of years ago and there certainly is a lot do deal with. I like the picture of Rosie with the rose. It looks like she made herself at home pretty quick.
You are right when you say what we go through is nothing compared to the nightmare that animals go through. I will have to remind myself of this next time things go wrong, which is quite often. I guess there is always light at the end of the tunnel for me and a way out. The animals have no way out because of what humans do to them. You have taught me a valuable lesson here.
Hope you are well and truly settled in your new home now
Thank you
Rachel
Hi Rachel,
Hi Rachel,
I guess settled can be interpreted in a lot of ways. We are moved in, got all our stuff up and love it here, but there have been a lot of improvements needed, many of which we were not aware when we bought the house. Contractors here finishing up a reno and hopefully that will be it for a while.
Perspective is important in all things, but I guess it is always important to at least knowledge some of the tough non life threatening stuff we go through.
Take care.
Anne