The comforts of the familiar
All my life I've disliked the changing of clocks. If there is a way to grasp the illusion of time, changing to Daylight Savings Time or back to Standard Time is a great way. I guess I have always kind of felt what a bother it is to change the clocks.
When I was in South Africa, it was summertime, and there is no Daylight Savings Time there. I found that I missed having the sun shine until 9 p.m. That one hour more of daylight meant a lot to me. I like daylight savings time after all.
My future in South Africa is still pending. As soon as I know anything, I will let you know.
Meanwhile, I feel suspended in time and place. I'm not here, and I'm not there. It seems it is important to me to know where I will be living.
Of course, the great joy in being in the U.S. is seeing my daughter. It is a tribute to her that we are living together in harmony in her studio apartment along with Teeny and Bujo for a while. Thanks, Lauren.
There were two other small things that did something good for my heart.
I felt joy the first time I saw an American policeman. The uniform gave me comfort. I had not anticipated this.
And using American money was a relief. It was great to know what a dime is and what a dollar is worth. I had never really caught on to South African rands. I didn't know how to make change, what all the coins were, etc.
Ah, the little comforts of the familiar.
Comments
Familiar is also reversible.
When you know you are going to live in a country for a couple of years (if not permanently) and you do so, then the familiar starts to turn around.
When I go back to Québec each year, I enjoy speaking french. It is familiar, comfortable. Yet I realize that I have changed and that a lot of "daily" references have been replaced by references from the new country I am living in.
My best experience was really to go through the Medical System in Australia. Before that experience, I was frequently thinking about getting old and having to go through the medical system in a foreign country. We have a natural prejudice that we have more trust in our medical system and its personal in our country of origin than in our country of adoption.
Well I must tell you that going through the medical system in Western Australia revamped my trust in its medical system. I have never been to an hospital in Canada and I find myself going to a major surgery in Australia! And I am in full confidence.
I am more "familiar" here than in Canada speaking of the medical system.
But, in general, references from your country of adoption grows on you and they become more familiar to you than the ones you left in your country of origin, even the daylight-saving, the seasons and the currency...
This is so powerful what you write. What an experience you had.
Remember that line -- I believe it's from Dune. "I am a stranger in a strange land."
That's kinda how I feel.
I love that feeling of being a stranger in a strange land, because I know that only in Heaven do I feel to be a "local' in a "familiar" land, the land of always.
Changing Clocks was part of my working Life changing time zones daily being at sea. Same with currency. Never con vert in your mind what the cost would be elsewere just what people can do with their money were they are. This was briught to me quite early by and old indonesian who earned more mony now and could buy less then previously. Same here the earnings going up but cost are going up faster. Well we wait and see and be happy with what ever you have or not have. I cannot fly to America, to visit Gloria and learn Godwriting, due to lack of funds, but I enjoy life to the full here, so do I need it? God will tell in the mean time let us all count our blessings and be surpriced how rich we really are Love Jack