Pi / Normal is Never Extraordinary

It's late on Thursday - just got in from a date with Kirk (aka Luke). We went to see Life of Pi. Verdict? Really, really good and true to the book which we both loved. Really curious as to what my friend Carol will think of it - she is almost a scholar of the book having attended a thought provoking lecture by the author. The story was touching and the effects stunning. Saw it in 3D.

The date? Not so much a date as a play date (think kids). We nudged and poked each other throughout the movie, whispered too loudly (luckily there were only a handful of people in the theater) and then we slipped into World Market just as it was about to close. Kirk was literally like a kid in a candy store (World Market is among other things really a candy store). He raced up and down the aisles and even though I was on the other side of the store I could hear his exclamations as he discovered something. Then he appeared with a strangled face coughing uncontrollably, eyes popping. Atypically speechless he shoved something in my hand. I looked at an opened package (he hadn't even paid for it!). Wasabi edamame - apparently he grabbed a huge fist of them without realizing how strong they are. Goofy, that one.

Early meeting in the morning so I'm going to pad this blog post by including something I wrote two years ago. I just found it - was thumbing through some of my old notebooks. Reread it and it touched me. I think it's easy to be tender with your yesterday self and even your future self - we reserve our harsh criticism for our today self.

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I am learning to be grateful for everything, even the difficult things. Read an essay today by Mary Schmidt, a columnist for the Trib. She explained that her mother, at the very end of her life, said it was ALL beautiful - even the horrible times. And so, when I awake with worries, stiff joints, and wonder why I should bother to put one foot in front of the other, I take stock.

I sit on the edge of my comfy bed in my beautiful bedroom and look out onto the generous elm tree that graces my window view.  I see squirrels skittering, already at play. I wiggle my toes and circle my ankles - crack, crack, crack. I am alive. I have made it this far. The gurgle of the automatic coffee pot announces that coffee is ready and waiting for me.

And yes, I am alone but life is good even when its bad. There will be snippets of joy in the day - things to smile about. I will continue to put one foot in front of the other. We don't know enough about the future to be pessimistic or, to put it another way, why not be optimistic?

• Does the thought of death make you weep?
• Are you, like me, frantic to pack living into the last chapters?
• Does it make you angry that the years are accelerating even though your foot is on the brakes?
• And why are the good times so fleeting and vanishing, zipping by the window while the drudgery is always present, trudging along?
• What if all we think of daily, worry about incessantly, what if none of it really matters - not worthy of our attention??
• Then... freedom to live unfettered to just enjoy each day...the things that happen, the weather, the food we eat, the things we see and hear.
• To be attached and unattached - now that is an art. I want to love deeply but freely in the moment, despite not knowing what may happen next.
• I want to live the rest of my life curiously and fearlessly, trusting in the future, trusting that the ride will be interesting and worthy.
• I want to die in my sleep on my 90th birthday and I want my possessions buried with me or destroyed. It's not fair they should outlive me.
• Immortality would be nice. Maybe I could have a sandwich named after me!

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Lot has happened since I wrote that (it was pre-Patrick). Tonight Kirk commented that so many of our Landmark classmates are acting in predictably unextraordinary ways - not following through on promises and initiatives  not keeping in touch, not taking risks, not trying new stuff. I said, "I think I'm living an extraordinary life." He said, "I think you are too."

Challenge today - don't mean to beat a drum but are you pushing yourself to be extraordinary? Are you honing your communication skills, are you holding yourself accountable, are you living in the present while still   keeping your plates in the air? 

Funny car ad in the trailers before the movie started. It said, in huge letters. "Who would want to be normal? Nothing normal is ever extraordinary.

Peace,

Sarah

Picture is of me at Petterino's in September, sitting next to the local legend Nan Mason. The other people in the picture are regular singers as well as the emcee and the wonderful pianist, Becky Menzie.