Zen Gary

I’m not particularly proud of it,  but at the beginning of every trip,  such as what we’re on, I go through a period of internal chaos with the predominant characteristic being that of losing things and spending an inordinate amount of time looking for things.  It’s a pattern.   Sad to say.  Darn it.   

We left home over a month ago with our pick-up,  our little trailer,  2 bikes and a relatively small amount of stuff for a trip of this length.   That said,  the degree in which I have lost (which is unusual) or misplaced (the usual) my stuff….  just saying… has been OVER THE TOP!!!  In the first week alone I Iost, not misplaced, a favorite sweater on a short hike in Terlingua.  Gone.   I left my Rx sunglasses at a pizza place,  but they were returned to me the next day.  Fetching angels at work once again.  Natch.  And I left our camera on the counter of the Big Bend Visitors Center for which we had to drive an extra 25 miles there and back to get.   Double natch.  These and numerous daily misplacements of normal,  everyday things was driving me, not so quietly,  nuts.

In an uncommon,  but highly productive move I asked Gary for advice on how to overcome this as by now,  it’s obvious,  I have a problem.  Instead of being defensive and in denial which has been my usual MO, I asked him to watch me and give advice.   Risky move on my part…. could have opened the proverbial can of worms.   Not so.   Gary simply said,  “put everything back where it belongs”.    BINGO!!!!   Dah.  It works.

It’s been a little like a 12 step program….  First you admit that you have a problem, right? …. then ask for help from someone you trust.   Really?   It’s taken me this long?  Sunglasses go back in the the case,  not on any convenient surface at hand.   Wallet goes into the glove compartment, not in some nameless bag in the back of the pick-up. Toothbrush, back in the travel bag which goes back in the closet,  not in a pocket.  It’s for things such as these that brings me to the real reason for which I’m outing myself and my “problem” to the blogging world …..

…….. It’s to say thank you to a very important person in my life.  Sri Gary.

After 23 years of being with someone you’d think there’s not much left to learn,  not so sahib.   I’ve been watching Gary closely lately,  trying to emulate his highly organized and efficient ways and have come to truly appreciate him in a new light.   Gary has a built-in,  state of the art Zen unit,  straight from the factory,  no rebuilt unit here.   He is present at all times.   He knows where everything is. His movements are gentle and slow and he never forces or breaks anything.  He gives thought as to how and why things work…. no guessing game.  When he’s putting a spoon back in the drawer,  he’s actually one with it… no doing things on automatic.  He talks when he has something to say.  He is quietly,  happily,  centered.  He is organized.  Go figure. 

So on this day (OK , so it’s Valentine’s Day), for these traits, for this man, I give thanks…. 

Xo Patti

PS : and he’s a really good speller 🙂