Pages

Saturday, March 7, 2009

If the shoe fits . . .

I hope you don't think I'm blogging right now. I'm actually still on break so I can clean my house before my mom's arrival, but she doesn't come for a week, which means I've mostly been doing sadoku puzzles instead of scrubbing toilets, so I'm dropping by to give you a message from the universe.

Accept the good.

And if the shoe fits, wear it. (Or in my case, if the pot fits, cook in it.)

You'll never believe where I got this message. From Burger King.

Am I the only one who leaves Burger King smiling and asking for a job application? Not to flip burgers, but to write food descriptions on the wrappers.

Today I started giggling at the frypod for calling me Captain Deepthoughts, but before I knew it I was in tears--real salty/sweet tears.

It was because my twelve year old son was asking everyone who they would choose to meet if they were allowed to meet one person in real life. Everyone was naming really important people like Jesus and Gandhi and Michael Jordan.

Then my son said, "I would choose to meet your dad."

Suddenly I felt a tremendous sense of loss.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I spent my Saturday night alone cleaning, grading, doing sadoku and watching The Things They Lost in the Fire. (what can I say, I'm a multi-tasker).

What a beautiful movie, except for the ending, which was really the middle.

Don't you hate it when movies end in media res?

Don't you hate it when anything ends in media res? Especially love.

When I get rich and famous I'm going to buy a chocolate haupio pie for everyone who has lost love in media res.

Surprisingly the movie The Things They Lost in the Fire isn't about a fire. It isn't even about the things they lost in the fire. There was a fire before the movie begins, and they did lose things in that fire, but things are replacable, so they make a list of what they lost and then thank God they didn't lose each other.

But then the movie starts and they lose each other.

The main character is killed while saving a battered woman, leaving his little family broken.

While his family grieves, his best friend, who is a heroin addict struggles to get sober.

It's fantastic and subtle and poignant how they inadvertantly help and support each other through the grieving process. It was so lovely that it made me think about how when we lose one thing we always gain something else (eventually).

My creative writing teacher taught me that if you want to make a point, say it three times. So this is the point I heard 3 times:

Accept the good with the bad. Reality will make you accept the bad, but you have the choice to accept the good.

Last year I lost my crockpot during an Enrichment meeting. I ended up getting half of it back. The crock part, but the pot was never recovered.

Then last week, over a year later, my twins and I went to Savers and right before my very eyes was a ceramic pot that was missing the crock.

What are the chances?

It wasn't MY ceramic pot, but I paid $7 and guess what? It FIT!

What's that saying again? If the shoe fits, wear it!

If you can't use the pot you love, use the pot the universe sends you?

And believe me, the universe will send you a new pot-- pinky promise!


LY everyone!

12 comments:

Heidi said...

I can add my testimony to this--absolutely yes, every time you lose something, you gain something--even if it is only eventually. On top of that I would add, when you choose to sacrifice something based on direction from the Lord, you will get it back with INTEREST! And it's not any old measly 2% interest either--it's more like 110% or higher.

Melanie Jacobson said...

My husband has already broken two of our crockpots, and I just buy new ones. Maybe I should have a little more faith in the universe. And also not let him carry the crock any where.

Sue said...

I think sometimes the good is harder to see. Bad things force you to see them and experience them, but good things can hide, they can often be very subtle.

We need both, without the trials we can't fully appreciate the blessings. We owe it to ourselves and those around us to keep our eyes peeled for the positive in every situation, even if it takes a while for it to show up.

It's hard having faith in the universe, but it will always pay off if you do.

TisforTonya said...

I can't believe you saved the crock for that long!

Turns out I have to join you in cleaning this week... M.I.L. shows up Thursday (although mine is a wonderful joy to have around... the house should still be clean) and my mother comes Saturday...

But I should be able to fit in a few Sudoku puzzles first...

(your son's comment had ME near tears - great kid!)

Dolly said...

What a great symbolic connection after all of that time! LIfe is so poetic.

Btw, I'm in Lubbock, Texas right now. I was suppose to leave to Saudi (as you know with that lovely aloha oe for us last Sunday), but on Monday, decided that I needed sanity more than dignity. I hit a wall with the packing and sorting duties and knew that I had to change my departure date. So I sent my boys on Wednesday as scheduled and switched my move to Monday.

Then early Thursday morning after the boys were gone and it was time to regroup and get the punch list started for the next deadline, I decided it felt better to chillax with my laptop and got on "Crash" to find out what I had been missing. It was fun to see that life goes on without me watching you and that you got to see John Locke and get a famous author commenting on your blog, but for some reason you didn't suck me into any commentary and I set my computer aside and decided to meditate/veg instead. I was having a moment to myself where I randomly and unexpectedly was visualizing my extended family from Texas that I haven't been around in ages. In my visualization, I was talking to them and asking them about their lives. In the middle of it, my sister called to interrupt my thoughts to tell me that our Uncle Gerald just died. After realizing the Spirit had been speaking to me, I postponed the move and made the necessary arrangements.

Yesterday was spent in Lamesa, Texas where I haven't been for 25 years. After the funeral we all caught up for hours and hours and hours. The first baptist church ladies provided us with lots of food and dessert to make sure of it.

To tryyy to keep this brief..... my point is that I didn't even know I was missing the crock from my pot until this weekend. Life is surreal and I wish you would teach me how to write about it. After reconnecting with my cousins and meeting grown second cousins and new baby third cousins, I am so in awe of life's many ways to find joy.

I love how you inspire me to write my autobiographical responses on Crash so at least I have a scattered memoir here and there. (You are definitely no dummy.) So when you see me back in Hawaii next week, you'll know why. I'm not hopping right back on the jets right away and I still need to finish the rest of my move since I just changed all of my schedule and left everything behind quickly. I think I will end up calling you for some last minute help after all. ; ) LY!!!!!

Dolly

The Songer said...

Oh, dont kids say the best unexpected things!

So Right now Im singing Bob marley.. who the cap fits.. funny ...I saw your title ...started singing it and then while reading your blog the lyrics reconfirmed the message from the universe!

So the 315 teacher that punked me was .. Sis P.. She thought I was studying another subject during her class discussion and tried to embarrass me by calling on me to answer a question.. i answered the question and then she told me that she was sure that i would have given a much better answer if I had the right book out... OUCH! but then i tried to explain to her I did.. it was just a different version (i had a Jane Austen compilation and not the one that everyone else bought from the bookstore!) but then she kept apologizing and then my cheeks turned bright red and then continued to turn more red the more she brought it up! it was terrible! i felt like i was 3!

I need to find some good crock pot recipes.. I spent a pretty penny on mine and i've only warmed up Nacho Cheese in it! heehee!

Shelle-BlokThoughts said...

Are we talking about Pot you can smoke? Because if the shoe fits...

Oh wait, no you weren't talking about that...you were talking about a POT I love even more than medicinal pot...and that is CROCK POTS!!! Which are just as medicinal...if you know what I mean...

FOOD always loves you...and what better medicine is there than that?

Hey...if you need another book to read...Annette's letting me give one of her newly released one's away...some jump over to my blog...TWIN OF MINE!

I am LoW said...

What crock pot faith you have, sweet Crash. To hang on, having faith that it will be full again. haha

The Crash Test Dummy said...

Oh Miss Heidi, that is so true. What a lovely addition to my ponderings.

Melanie J. ha ha I love that your husband breaks crock pots. And I love that you have no faith in the universe. My faith in crock pot reunions is a four letter word --L.A.Z.Y

Sue, you are so wise. I love your Wesley's mom brand of wisdom! Thanks for making me smile.

T, how fun that your moms are coming and that you're going to squeeze in a sadoku puzzle before you clean. You must have ADDD too. Have a good time with your moms!

Dolly E I can't believe you're in Texas. You are so in tune with you inner compass. Your cute son just joined FAcebook and now we're friends. YES, call me when you need help with the packing.

Iwa, I can't think who sis P is? I'm wracking my brain. How could she accuse you of such a thing? Doesn't she know you never get distracted during class. It's a good thing your lap top wasn't open. hee hee and Danny Boy wasn't sitting next to you. How is Danny Boy anyway?

Shelle, ha ha. I'm going to come over and try to win Annett's book. I just barely found out she's an author. How very cool.

HiLOW!!! That's more fun then saying HelLOW! See the above four letter word which describes my faith in crock pots.

Just SO said...

Who your son wants to meet made me cry. How awesome is that.

And the truths we find in the universe are many. And they are out there if we keep our eyes open. You can even find them at Savers. I love Savers.

April said...

Ok, I know I am a post behind, but oh my gosh! This just smacked me in the face and almost poked my eye out! I have been absent not present so I can work out some things and they are blowing my mind. But this morning I had to check up on my blog friends cause I miss them and this is why! Thanks Crash! LY!!!

The Crash Test Dummy said...

April, I am so happy to see you here again. And thanks for letting this post smack you in the face. It means a lot to me. I kinda thought this post crashed and burned so thanks. Maybe the universe wanted me to give that message to YOU! ;)

I have missed you so much, but I'm glad you're working through your stuff so you can be healthy AND happy. Not just funny happy, because you ARE that. I feel for ya, girlfriend.

God Bless! And love ya!

And SO, you are SO darn cool. And not just because of those So cool eyes. Enchanting.