This is the Hawaiian Shaka, also known as the hang loose sign. The last number of months has been fairly trying (what with surgeries, chronic illness, and automotive woes) and I finally came to the point where I realized I ought to be riding the waves as each one rolled into my life rather than fighting them. It made sense since I was powerless to hold them back. Lifeguards will also tell you that when caught in certain dangerous currents a victim should just relax and float parallel to the shore rather than try to fight the current. I was very much trying to put that into practice. I realized waiting for life to return to normal, whatever that is, before I could regain some calm was not going to serve me very well. I'd just drive myself nuts. I was just going to hang loose and take the waves as they came, just ride them into shore. I hasten to add, this is an aspiration more than a statement of having attained such a level of peace and dwelling therein.
Well, as you know, last week was another especially trying one. The weekend was riven with adolescent strife following closely on the heels of the midnight ER call and the collision with a deer and all the attendant lack of sleep....oh, and then there was even more automotive fun I won't even bother telling you about and the joy of opening a medical claim with my car insurance. I just was in no mood for cranky, demanding, entitled teenage drama. It pushed me over the edge. I was done with riding the waves. I embraced my Greek side and decided the most therapeutic activity would be to empty the recycle bucket of all glass and dash it on the floor of the garage. It felt good. I had reconciled myself to the cleanup before I began the demolition. That had its own restorative zen aspect. If you don't have a surfboard I'd highly recommend a bucket of glass jars, a cement floor, and a broom when life just won't let up.
