Quote today from the book When Women Were Birds: Fifty-Four Variations on Voice by Terry Tempest Williams:
The birds still remember what we have forgotten,
that the world is meant to be celebrated.
Jim always did the taxes. For decades, all I had to do was hand him any tax forms I received. He would tell me where to sign, and that was that.
Fast forward to the day he passed. When I called my friend Iris, her husband Jim, an accountant, got on the phone and told me he would do my taxes at no charge this year. It wasn't anything I was even thinking about, so I was grateful for the offer.
On March 12th I finally had everything together and sent it Priority via the Post Office. It was to arrive the 15th. On the 17th I decided to confirm it was received. No. It was delayed. There was a message on the tracking page that they were experiencing problems with the tracking.
On the 18th, it claimed my package was "in transit" and would be late. It still says that today, March 22nd.
All of this was making me super nervous. We are less than a month away from taxes being due and Jim doesn't even have my paperwork yet. He checked with their local post office, and it wasn't there.
So last night I copied everything again. I went to the Post Office this morning to send it Priority Express, which is GUARANTEED delivery (which I didn't realize I wasn't getting the first time.) The clerk tried to talk me out of spending the $31.40, saying that I should call the Fayetteville, NC post office and see if they have it. I told her I just want this off my plate. And then as she finalized things, tears erupted. I was so pissed that I have to deal with this, that a simple thing just couldn't go smoothly, and yes, I was feeling a bit of self-pity. I somehow got a grip, got my receipt, and went to my car and cried just a little.
As I was leaving the shopping center, a hawk flew in front of my car. As I came around the building, I saw he had picked a long snake off a dead tree. But two crows were chasing him, and he dropped the snake.
I smiled -- big. The levity of the situation was just what I needed in a stressful moment.
 |
| I vow to let nature entertain me. |
Believe that in stressful times
It is possible to remember joy
Rest in a smile, a laugh
Direct myself to nature and
See the world in its fullness.
No comments:
Post a Comment