Noloholo, Day 50: Quiet Spaces
I’ve been waking up exactly 1 minute before my alarm goes off every morning, crawling gladly out of my sleeping bag toward coffee and life. I often consider how much I love my tent, and its mesh ceiling that allows me to slip into sleep with the companionship of glimmering stars, and in the morning shows me dark branches tangling overhead.
I read a recent NYTimes article about creating effusive gardens in small apartment spaces in the city. It ended with a delightful quote, “the idea is to take pleasure in life, and to be willing to be pleased” (emphasis mine). I’ve decided as of this morning: that for which I am most willing to be pleased is the thing I should devote my life to. If I have no willingness for it, I shall never be happy, and I ought to find something else to occupy my time. That is, if happiness is life’s ultimate goal.
Things are calm here at the moment, although we are busy. Buddy’s dad is in town visiting, there’s a dusty breeze blowing across the steppe, and a big sharehe at an important boma. Andrew and Kelly left early this morning to get to wildlife clubs, and potentially will stay all afternoon in the village to get to a women’s group meeting as well. Christy is busy making maps, and I am adjusting my models. Ben finally came back into civilization from the Gabonese forests, having successfully wielded a chainsaw and lost no limbs (or digits, even). I did my pilates yesterday and plan to run today. The scarf is coming along nicely. Shayo heads home to Ngorongoro (a 3-day journey) tomorrow; I probably won’t see him again, but Facebook will ensure we remain acquainted. He has been missing home, and I am happy to see him depart for that end. Kelly has also left to visit Arusha for a few days, before heading to Eyasi to see the home of the Hadzabe. With Neo, Kelly and Shayo gone, things will be quiet indeed.
I read a recent NYTimes article about creating effusive gardens in small apartment spaces in the city. It ended with a delightful quote, “the idea is to take pleasure in life, and to be willing to be pleased” (emphasis mine). I’ve decided as of this morning: that for which I am most willing to be pleased is the thing I should devote my life to. If I have no willingness for it, I shall never be happy, and I ought to find something else to occupy my time. That is, if happiness is life’s ultimate goal.
Things are calm here at the moment, although we are busy. Buddy’s dad is in town visiting, there’s a dusty breeze blowing across the steppe, and a big sharehe at an important boma. Andrew and Kelly left early this morning to get to wildlife clubs, and potentially will stay all afternoon in the village to get to a women’s group meeting as well. Christy is busy making maps, and I am adjusting my models. Ben finally came back into civilization from the Gabonese forests, having successfully wielded a chainsaw and lost no limbs (or digits, even). I did my pilates yesterday and plan to run today. The scarf is coming along nicely. Shayo heads home to Ngorongoro (a 3-day journey) tomorrow; I probably won’t see him again, but Facebook will ensure we remain acquainted. He has been missing home, and I am happy to see him depart for that end. Kelly has also left to visit Arusha for a few days, before heading to Eyasi to see the home of the Hadzabe. With Neo, Kelly and Shayo gone, things will be quiet indeed.