Deliberation

In my HUGE four hours a week of childfree time, this week I am going to take stock and deliberate. My overlocker is broken and all my projects seem just too difficult without it….what was life like before I had machines? Lots of slow hand stitching and spinning…..deliberation while I sewed. Deliberation has become somewhat of a lost art in my household since I have had children. I can’t seem to wake up early enough to beat the rush of weetbix and yoghurt, I can’t seem to settle long enough amidst the endless endless questions of the day, and I can’t seem to raise my eyelids without my eyes crossing after 9pm. (deliberation with my eyes closed?  Heh heh deep meditatve slumber more like) So today, I am focusing on arriving home. I landed, unpacked and washed over two weeks ago. I have been snuggling with my husband and children for a fortnight, and yet only yesterday did I begin to feel like I was actually home. I have settled a little, my feet are beginning to reattach to the roots under the floorboards. I had a wonderful journey in China. It was amazing to visit a country with such a rich and vast history of people. Chengdu is beautiful and ravaged and sad and hopeful all at once. It is in reflecting that I guess the full impact of this incredible place will begin to seep into my being and settle with me at home. Ah, to journey and come home again. To let the land pass through me and leave me richer and more blessed where I am. I loved China. I love China. I love its people. Going there has reminded me of how precious we all are. Underneath the surface- without the distractions of language and culture- we all long for the same things, even if we can’t put a name to them.                Ellen

The GREAT Wall