Under renovation
Living in impermanence with gratitude
My house is giving me a lesson in impermanence and gratitude.
I arrived back from Costa Rica to a house still in the midst of a renovation. I am so grateful to be able to make these changes—I recognize the privilege.
I spent the first couple of weeks roaming among various family members which was a great way to spend time with people I missed while away, but it meant living out of a suitcase and moving every days—a lot of impermanence and gratitude.
Once it was safe to be home again (a handrail on the stairs for example) I moved back in. It’s noisy and dusty and there is a parade of people in and out my door—sometimes I know they are coming and sometimes not’s (no hanging around in my PJ’s for me). Lots of impermanence!
But the house is different every day. There is progress and I get to see it. I get to adapt differently every day depending on what is going on. I can make do, I can be patient, I can appreciate how hard everyone is working and how skilled and knowledgeable they are--I have learned a lot about brickwork, painting, cabinetry and construction. I am so grateful.
For me gratitude makes everything easier. When you start with a foundation of gratitude, impermanence is just something to deal with—and I can do that.
