Thursday, September 23, 2021

Thursday Thoughts...

"Life is easier than you'd think; all that is necessary is to accept the impossible, do without the indispensable, and bear the intolerable." 

Kathleen Norris

This quote has sat in my quote file for years.  I began Thursday Thoughts back in 2010 and this quote appears on page 18 of my file document - I am now up to page 106.

And for some reason as I ponder life this week - this quote seems apt.

The pandemic has changed us and changed our lives. Many of the changes are unwelcome; and yet many may well persist far into the future.  In Australia we are facing terrible third waves with Delta, and in our southern mainland states things are grim.  

Yesterday, for Victoria. As if months of lockdown weren't enough to face; as if protests which will no doubt delay the return to normal life as infections spread further weren't enough. Yesterday - a magnitude 5.8 earthquake with severe aftershocks!  Buildings damaged, building swaying, artworks dropping off walls...

Enough already.

And so, accepting the impossible, and being able to do without the indispensable, and bearing the intolerable seems to be pretty much the only way to go about life right now.


Christchurch 2012, re-building with shipping containers following their earthquake

6 comments:

  1. (((Fiona))) what a great quote & reflection
    namaste

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    1. It felt so right for the times Mo. Funny how it didn't feel right until now, all those years. But it seems to sum up the way things are for now...go well.

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  2. I am about to re-read Kathleen Norris' "Cloister Walk" and also read her more recent book "Acedia" for the first time ... don't remember this quote from past reading of her work, but the sardonic twist does fit these dark days

    I hadn't (yet) heard about the earthquake in Victoria ... there have been so many devastating weather events, plus volcanic and earthquake activity around the world ... as if the planet is trying to shake us off ... can't quite bring myself to blame it ... but we humans are endlessly adaptive, as your image documents so well

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    1. I haven't read her work; yet Cloister Walk caught my attention as I was looking her up. In a way I liked that she made light of it almost - you know it might all seem impossible, but it's exactly because it is, that we have to accept it. The world and earth is most definitely rupturing in oh so many different ways. A you say we humans are resourceful and can be smart and clever and caring; and I hope we work out that now is the time for us to be all of that! Go well.

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  3. F - it is going to be interesting to see what we think impossible, indispensable and intolerable are in the future - i get the impression the goals posts are already shifting. B

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    1. Wisely said B - I agree. What we thought was impossible; we now accept. There will be many more moments as we re-adjust ourselves and our thinking and our expectations...

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