A mundane hole on Monday

Posted on by Miriam

In my last post I wrote about looking up.  But sometimes we have to look down if we want to avoid tripping into holes.

In the past month a hole in the asphalt in our carport has gradually got bigger. So much so that whenever I stepped out of my car I was worried I’d break a leg.

On the weekend hubbs got out with a wheelbarrow and shoveled two bags of cement into the hole. It’s now fixed. However, when he was shoveling we noticed that underneath it the boards were rotting.  I asked him whether our carport would one day collapse. He answered, most probably. It wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

He thinks the whole carport needs new supports and structures underneath.  We’re talking thousands of dollars we can’t afford right now, so the temporary fix has to do.

Now, whenever I walk outside, I have visions of finding my car and our camper gone.

going down a hill

Call me melodramatic but sometimes it all feels a bit symbolic.

Like my worries are compounding. Some days I feel like I’m coping, other days I feel like things are falling apart around me.  And I’m not just talking concrete issues.

For now the hole is filled, and I’m grateful. Still, there’s this underlying thought that at some point things may disintegrate again. I know it’s pointless.

We deal with things as they happen.

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This whole scenario reminded me of a recent post I read by Hayley, a fellow Melbournian. This poem she included particularly resonated with me:

There’s A Hole In My Sidewalk

Chapter One
I walk down the street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk,
I fall in.
I am lost … I am helpless,
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find my way out.

Chapter Two
I walk down the street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk,
I pretend that I don’t see it.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three
I walk down the same street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in … it’s a habit …but,
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter Four
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter Five
I walk down another street.

by Portia Nelson.

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So I catch myself and shift my focus. We can choose the paths we walk.  We can choose to focus on the brightness in front of us instead of the obstacles. We can keep our eyes on the path and meet our challenges head on.

Worrying about the future serves no purpose so I’ll simply focus on today. On making the most of each and every moment as it comes.

tigger

As a new week begins may we let the worries wash over us and not overwhelm.

May we find beauty in the ordinary and seek out moments that give us joy and happiness. Where the mundane becomes mindful.

This is in response to Jithin’s Mundane Monday Challenge – a challenge to find beauty in the ordinary.  It doesn’t get more ordinary than concrete and a hole in the asphalt!

stumble

Stay safe and enjoy the journey – holes, obstacles and all.

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85 thoughts on “A mundane hole on Monday”

  2. Blimey – that’s one large hole. Glad it’s safe for now – may the repairs in your own life be long lasting and the holes you face up to fixing/jumping over/walking around. Lovely post, Miriam and thank you for sharing the poem too. Loved it, walking down another street is always an option!😀

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  5. Best poem EVER. PS love your choice to accept the journey, potholes and all. Worrying about the future is so exhausting.

    That picture with the car and camper near the hole was quite fitting. Maybe your carport will be kind and spare your means of travel! 😊

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  8. Just as I’m going to offer some consoling words about holes and rotting boards (a thing I’m very familiar with) -I realise that we’ve moved on to more philosophical concerns! And it’s me that’s feeling consoled by your wise words!

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  14. I love this. You really know how to use symbols to paint a lovely picture and deepen understanding. I agree that recognizing a problem is important to fixiing the problem but you shouldn’t let the problem divert your focus.

    I look forward to more of your posts. Following you now.

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  15. We certainly do choose our focus, each and every day. I am also a worry wart–even when others tell me things are stable/good/fine regarding certain issues–and continue to fret, so it’s hard to not fret at times. I think trying to stay in the present is key (hard as that may be, too). 🙂 Great photos once again, Miriam. ❤

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    1. Yeah, I think that ‘worry-wart’ is my second name. But like you said, the key really is trying to stay in the moment. Hope you’re having a nice start to the week Karen. xo

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  16. Oh, yes, we’ve been in a state of doing the best we can as things are thrown at us. We cannot afford many of the repairs and issues in our life right now… so we have to pick and choose what’s most important. Like our stove — it wasn’t a huge rush… until the oven went all crazy. I have to be able to bake! That’s pretty damn important now! (And not just for, you know, baked goods… also for some dinners!) But yeah… it’s hard knowing repairs are needed but can’t all be taken care of immediately… We must just watch our steps, I suppose!

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    1. Too true Sandra, picking and choosing what’s most important to fix and maintain is the case here too. Funny cos my oven went funny a while ago too, something electrical went wrong and it wouldn’t work for awhile but then it righted itself. It’s still kicking on …

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      1. Our oven is so old… I swear it’s been here since the house was built in the 1930s. Okay, maybe not that long ago… but a long time ago. I’ve wanted to replace it since we moved in. I’m glad it’s finally died, really, because I will finally get a new one! I’ve been threatening to go at it with a sledgehammer for years… Haha 😀

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        1. Haha You made me laugh, I can just picture the headlines. “Vicious house wife bludgeons stove to its death, for want of newer model and better cookies and dinners …” 🙂

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        2. 😀 The last time I baked cupcakes, I walked away while the oven was at 325F… and when I went to see if they were done, the oven was at 450F! Oh, and we have a gas oven… so that’s a little scary!! I haven’t used the oven since… 😦

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  22. Miriam,
    The holes give us the opportunity to appreciate a different view of the world. It can be a challenge to feel whole in the presence of holes. I can certainly relate to your journey again today. Sending love and hugs! ❤️Tiffany

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  24. That’s a great way to look at things, Miriam! I’m so sorry that your worries are multiplying, and know that can sometimes seem just overwhelming. I hope that you are able to keep your focus on the good things around you, and also that you realize that through your blog and the encouraging word you routinely leave on other people’s blogs, that you are also contributing to the goodness that is in the world. You often help “light the way” for other people, and you should be proud of that, I think!

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    1. Oh, thank you so much Ann, that really means a lot. You’re always so kind and supportive yourself and I really appreciate that. Why do I have a strong feeling that we would be such great friends in real life! 🙂

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  25. I understand what you mean. Sometimes it seems like every crappy thing that could happen comes along at the same time. How we choose to look at it does make all the difference. I hope your car port last for a good long time!

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  28. Ok, here’s my take on your post: lay on the footpath photograph the hole making sure your angle is a good perspective. Dust yourself off and walk down the other street cos it might have some gorgeous old houses worthy of a shot, that someday could be used in the blog! Have a great day 😉

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