I'm off on holiday. The East Neuk again. The beautiful village of Crail. Most of the important things already packed. Two novels, one serious and one espionage, a thin theology book, a wee gem called Gift from the Sea, and my slowly being worked through Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling. Some white canvas to sketch out a small tapestry project for a friend. The walking boots, suitably refreshed with dubbin and new laces. A sun hat for obvious reasons and likewise Factor 30. A notebook for thoughts I might think, and might think worth hanging on to. A dongle, in the hope that I'll be able to post a few times while away. Probably some clothes as well - and some food - and two or three to be listened to at leisure CD's. The address book cos I still think it's fun to get postcards as long as the writer doesn't gloat about being on holiday. Everything else is negotiable, optional and non-essential. Till the eruption of that subversive thought, "Oh, I might need that".
The title of the post is a way of demonstrating my self-awareness :) Been a time of re-adjustment and uncharacterictic grumpiness - need time to assimilate, to understand myself in the sense of showing myself some understanding. Unassimilated experience becomes a relentless conveyor belt of what is happening to us, and sometimes we need time to see again, and love again, the human person on the receiving end of it all. Maybe a holiday helps us decide what to do with what happens to us, gives space to examine our choices, stimulates those inner processes that enable us to find again a degree of contentment with the life that is ours. Is that what de-grumping might mean? However, I'd like to explore contentment as a disposition. Not sure it's always a virtue - could be willingness to settle for status quo.....hmmmm?
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