New Age of Austerity: I have to. I want to. I will.

One of Wednesday's posts began with a stubborn-minded credo:

“I don’t have to. I don’t want to. I won’t.”

It came to mind on Monday while I stirred a large pot of oatmeal (and fixin’s).

So did thoughts of a person who saw things in a different light.

My mother, a parent of quiet grace to five children, had to do many things she probably didn’t love doing - but she did them anyway.

For example: She stirred pots of porridge (and large pots of soup) so many times to feed her brood that I can’t stand at the stove now without seeing her hand on a wooden spoon, like the one I use to stir my own porridge.


(She’s no apparition; our hands are similar, our index fingers turn inward).

Due to the influence of both parents I grew up to appreciate writing, drawing, painting, attempts at gardening, living with less, creating my own fun, being self-reliant (in a few enjoyable ways) and cutting an acre of grass with a heavy push mower.

Sorry, I lied. That last one is dead wrong. Push mowers were murder.

If our new age of austerity lasts for 10 - 20 years, I think people who say “I don’t have to. I don’t want to. I won’t” won’t last too long.

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I hope you'll last a long time - while whistling a happy tune.

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