Moving Gracefully, by Cheryl Ray

It's THAT day.

The day before the day before the move.

Little sleep. Past the point of comfort in lifestyle. Getting a clear picture of how many MORE boxes I will need to finish the job.

Here's how it goes from now until the move is done:

Explitives fall out of the mouth followed by

meditative murmuring. ("everything is fine. It always works out fine, it is ok just like this for now, etc")

crying. Tiny tears sneak out the side. Not full on bawling. That's for babies.

work

work more

smile and say everything is going fine when people dare to ask,

which they generally don't, for fear you will ask them to help.

Human nature.

AND repeat these actions over and over again, for the next 48 hours.

I think I will name this stage so I can put it in my book.

Stage 9: The Day before the Day before.

The final boxes, a car I can afford, with the NRA sticker for good luck.

The International

Daddy’s International was rotting in Grandaddy’s pasture when I wrote this for an English class at Fort Steilacoom Community College in 1985. It made me sad to see it just rot away.

His body, once dignified, lays broken down and faded. Red paint now pink in the shade of the sturdy, ageless oak tree. His steel bed that once held 5 Ray children as they rode through town is ravaged now by cancer, leaving him weak. His value, gone.  Grandkids and great grandkids cannot resist the temptation to poke at his shell, bang on his hood to hear their song. His headlights, shattered, his flashy side mirrors gone forever. The past, passed.

 I am Happy to report, while most of him is buried in the car cemetery, granddaddy made his rear end into a trailer. This International is a useful, worthy piece of farm equipment, fulfilled again.

Your Feet

If you ever find yourself feeling put upon by what other people seem to expect of you, take a moment to do this important action.

LOOK DOWN AT YOUR FEET.

Those two body parts are controlled by one person, and one person only.  You and I are %100 responsible for what those feet are doing now, and will be doing in ten minutes, and even what they were doing two years ago when you were suffering in a bad relationship. Your feet.  Nobody controls them but you.   But the key is RIGHT NOW. What are you doing with them, and what are they doing with you?  This moment is the only one that you can really affect, really change, really make a different choice. This moment, right here.

Define Yourself or Someone Else Will...

 And chances are, you won't be happy with the outcome.  

Every moment, you are defining yourself.  Whether you are aware of it, or not--notice what you are doing and add this phrase "I am a person who..." and don't sugarcoat it!  

Don't judge yourself. That's not what this is about.  EVALUATE your actions, decide if they are who you want to be, and then continue doing them, or do something differently, and move on.

We can all think of unpleasant, embarrassing ways to complete that sentence.  ( I am a person who gets up at midnight and eats a cheese sandwich)That's part of being human; however, if it is change you are looking for, then a clear look at yourself is the first  requirement. 

Define yourself, or someone else, less interested in your welfare, will define you.

Your sphere of influence

is different than mine right now.  Find out what you can influence and test your boundries. It can only happen immediately though. Now. It's the only job we have, to expand our sphere of influence purposefully.  And every transition is proof of your sphere of influence.