The three little pigs had nice homes.
One made of straw, the other sticks, the other bricks.
Now the fairy tale has printings dated back to the 1840s,
but it's thought to be older.
In the watered down version the pigs all make it out alive,
because the wolf just blows down their houses.
But in the original telling
the wolf eats the straw and the stick pig
after he's done huffing and puffing.
I think the modern version would be three people,
each one of them with their own authentic houses
and living within their means,
but then something happens.
A wolf comes.
Start Quote
Having money in the bank isn't necessarily insurance
against huffing and puffing...
The wolf's arrival [may be] less dramatic
[than when he came to visit the pigs in the fairytale]
but just as traumatic...
Our wolf tales never even get mentioned in the newspapers:
a sudden loss of job that puts a mortgage in jeopardy;
a family business that goes under;
an elderly parent forced to turn over his house
to Medicaid to pay for long-term care;
the unexpected expense of infertility and adoption;
the bill -payable when services are rendered-
that proves veterinary medicine is now state of the art;
the roof that needs to be repaired;
the termites in the basement;
the eight-year-old car that finally can't be resuscitated...
M. F. K. Fisher...knew all about lean times.
In fact, one of her early books was
which she published in 1942 during the worst
of the wartime food shortages...
[She] knew how to live well despite her bank account.
She never reduced herself to mere existing,
whatever her circumstances.
Poverty is always experienced in the soul
before it is felt in the pocket book...
For those of us who would like to follow in her footsteps,
she recommends weeding out desires,
leaving only the holy hungers,
"so that you can live most agreeably
in a world full of an increasing number
of disagreeable surprises."
How did she do it?
By not running scared when the wolf arrived,
by not giving in to her fears
that he would blow her house down.
She knew that the twists and turns of fate are usually just hot air.
Instead, she learned to outsmart, catch, and cook the wolf.
By concentrating on the good at hand
-a good glass of wine, a good tomato, a good loaf of bread.
A beautiful sunset, a lively conversation, a loving relationship.
She knew that the good life does not depend
on extravagant indulgences.
The good life does not deprive.
It exults.
"You can still live with grace and wisdom,"
she encourages us - if you rely on
"your own innate sense of what you must do
with the resources you have
to keep the wolf from sniffing too hungrily
through the keyhole."
End Quote
Like learning to bless our trials,
and having an attitude of gratitude.
It's all about your perspective,
and how you deal with what happens to you
and what wolves come your way.
Because the wolves always come.
Don't let them devour you.
***
Gratitude Journal
***
1) A day to do nothing. Homebound. Cuddling and playing with the kids, watching some good TV, getting my blog done early, some laundry and music...It's good to just be.
2) My home.
3) Watching the kids play. They are actually playing nicely today. We played cars together. Playing is so magical, sometimes.
4) Kisses. All day Riley has been taking my face in her hands and kissing me. Then the boys come over and we get tons of kisses. It's pretty awesome.
5) The day isn't even half way over. Maybe I'll make that cake after all...or maybe I'll just make lasagna.
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