For the long weekend I went out to our family cabin at Arlington Beach Camp. There were tons of people out and many of them I probably could have visited with and had a grand ol' time with. But I did not do that. On Saturday other than talking to my dad who was also at the cabin, I only talked to one person, Carol, she was working in the Tuck-N-Put and I went mid afternoon to get myself an ice cap. So then what on earth could I have been doing all day, one might think to themselves. Well, I was doing something completely not natural to Annie Archer. I was reading. Weird, right?!
Well, a few days ago I picked up a book, The Glass Castle, and begin to read it as I waited for my mum to finish work so that we could go shopping. I had only picked it up a few times when at home, so on Saturday when I grabbed it again I was only on page like 50. I still had a very long way to get to the end and still wasn't sure if I would make it or if I would just stop like I normally did when attempting to become someone who likes reading. I finished the book by early afternoon. I just couldn't put it down, Jeannette's life was completely the opposite of the kind I have had. In one way it was exciting and in another way I found myself thanking the Lord for giving the life I have. I found myself laughing at the adventures her family went on and then crying for how she had to grow up so fast.
I had always kind of seen my family as being poor, we most definitely weren't well to do, but comparing Jeanette's life to mine I am for sure not poor either. Her father played dirty treats on people for money and then normally spent it on booze, while her mom didn't want to do anything but paint (and from what I read she wasn't overly good at it). Her and her two sisters and be brother were mainly having to fend for themselves, wear the same thing over again and be parents to their parents. They lived in a car a lot, went from town to town causing trouble and never knew when or where their next meal would come from. Now when I thought I were poor, I realize we went. At one time we had seven vehicles, a nice house in a more expensive neighbourhood, always had food (I didn't always like the food, but it was always there), had a cabin, a camping trailer and I went to a private school. That doesn't scream poor at all. Yes we looked like a used car lot for a while since most of our vehicles were brought off Kijiji, our cabin is about 100 years old and looks the part, we didn't have the money to buy brand me things but we still have money to buy things.
So, from that book, first came the realization that if Jeannette can come from mainly being a nobody, the lowest of the low class, to a journalist in New York City, I can come from being a small somebody, with many people supporting me, to anything I want as well. The second thing, was that I have never been poor, and all the times I thought is was, I was very wrong and need to be way way more thankful for everything I do have since compared to Jeannette being allowed to take one thing every time they move I have a ton of stuff.
The next book I read was on the iPad, one mum had been telling me all about and how she felt so inspired from what this lady did. Since I hadn't brought out any other books with me and had to wait until Mum came out on Sunday, I thought I would at least start reading it and see what she was going on about.
Well, let me tell you, after only eating rice for a month in grade 12 to see what it would be like to not have another choice for food, Jen Hatmaker's book, 7 : an experimental mutiny against excess, about the seven areas of her life she was going to change/work on, one each month, really hit me in her first chapter. It was about food of course and then I was sucked into her book and had to know what happened in the rest of her months. The seven things she wanted to work on were food, clothing, possessions, media, waste, spending and finally, stress. Honestly, all of those thing I am pretty sure, if i wanted to admit it I struggle with. I love food way too much, I have enough clothing to not have to re-wear anything for about a month and still I say I cant find anything to wear, I own things I haven't touched in years and probably don't even know I have, I like reality TV and my magazines, I don't recycle - everything goes in black bag and to the dump, I like to think I am good with money but I do tend to save save save and then spend spend spend and finally, I stress about like everything.
In the second month of her project while she is dealing with clothing and how for the month of February she only has seven items to wear, she says something that I think all the time but then have that little voice in the back of my mind telling me that will never happen. Here is what she says: "I hope one day clothes and appearance and everyone else assessment doesn't occur to me. I would like to be so focused on the valuable that what I'm wearing doesn't even warrant mental space. Not the fussy, concerned, indulged obsession with clothes; not the conspicuous, public, distracting reduction where I am now...but the zero balance of priority is where I hope to land." There isn't much more for me to say about that, since she says it pretty well. Almost like she and I were thinking the same thing.
I finished reading about Jen's experience on Sunday morning so that afternoon I was able to begin the book which my mum brought out to the cabin for me. Even though there were more books on the iPad for me to read, it's just not the same holding the book, thumbing through the pages and actually being able to turn the pages. I do truly think it is working this time, I am becoming an avid reader.
The third book I read over the weekend was called Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom. I have read a lot of books by Mitch and have loved them all. They all have made me think and strength my faith for sure. Anything by him I would tell others to read, for one its always a good story, if that's what your wanting and then they've got some great themes too.
I'm not sure what I'm going to be taking away from this one. There are lots of great things, like the importance of spending times with our elders and hearing their stories and hearing their wisdom on life. I know that there are of people's could be taking the time to talk to hear their stories and getting their life wisdom.
Love,
a.m
