“At some point, you gotta let go, and sit still, and allow contentment to come to you.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

While I miss my daily view of the mountains, I so enjoy coming to the Missouri home to relax for a few days. The “Covid-19 pandemic” made it almost impossible to do for a few weeks, but we’ve moved past that and are back to our regularly scheduled jaunts.

The kids have spent time with friends and visited family, having overnight visits. We’ve done chores, and yardwork, and relaxed and done some binge-watching of “Space Force” as well as grocery shopping (which is quite hilarious when done with someone who usually does single-self shopping.)

As I sit here on the deck, typing, I’m listening to the sounds of contentment.

• bird song
• the putt-putt-putter of the lawnmower
• the buzz of the weed eater
• the drone of carpenter bees
• the occasional burst of water coming from the sump pump
• the underlying hum of the hot tub
• the “smack” of the screen door shutting as the kids go in-and-out
• “Mom? . . . I love you!” coming repeatedly from our youngest

I must digress for a moment to the carpenter bees. I have to admit I am jealous of their ability to hover in one spot. I am scarcely able to keep my balance standing on one leg while donning my underwear. These bees are HUGE, bigger than the average bumble bee. In fact, Mary Kay Ash, when choosing the “mascot” for her company, Mary Kay Cosmetics, chose the bumblebee. Aerodynamically, the body weight of the bee is too large for it’s wings and it should be unable to fly. However, God, in His infinite wisdom defies aerodynamics (and a great many other things) and so . . . the bumblebee, and all other bees, flies quite nicely. And hovers. *sigh*

It seems to be the American way to want-want-want instead of appreciating what one has. And on that note, I leave you with the thoughts of Leo Tolstoy:

“A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one’s neighbor — such is my idea of happiness.”