Thursday, April 9, 2015
Best and Worst
THIS AFTERNOON a friend on Facebook posted a question: “What’s the best and worst thing about where you live?”
My answer came easy.
I had just tripped over an old loose section of tiles in my kitchen doorway, stubbing the two little toes on my left foot. ST is out doing a water run. After rolling around on the floor in agony for 10 minutes I managed to crawl to the freezer to extract some ice packs and then prop myself up in front of the laptop.
The worst thing about living where I live? Is being so far from medical help. Not that a doctor could do anything for my toes, whether they are broken or not, but those times when you do need a doctor, those times are excruciating.
The 110km emergency drive to a hospital that doesn’t even have a doctor, when someone you love is in pain, or sick, or scared… That is the worst.
But my best was an easy answer too.
And I think the best thing about living where I live beats the worst thing, even at the worst of times. Because the worst of times can happen anywhere… and they’re traumatic even if you only live minutes from the doctor. The best thing is a little more special, more privileged, more magical. And you get it every day!
The best thing is space.
Space to have pets and a garden (water permitting). Space to accommodate all your friends and family at once, even if they have to BYO swag. Space to not wake up the neighbours.
Space to buy really, really big toys and not worry about where you’re going to fit them.
Space to be your own person. Space to choose to be free of influence (if you want to be) from society.
Space to spread out and to get lost.
Space to find freedom.
Space to move around - if you’re not stuck on the floor with ice packed around your (possibly broken) toes.
Space to sit still.
Space to breathe.
Space to just be.
Combined, the three stations we run are a total area of around 800 square kilometres - which is totally and completely average for this region and absolutely teeny-tiny compared to regions further west and further inland.
But in that same space in Sydney, fit the lives of around 3 million people. And where I live, there are just four people...
Right now I kind of wish a certain one would come home and help me to the couch.
What's the best and worst thing about where you live?
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Yes, the space to just... be... To be able to walk (or in your case, hobble) outside and see all the way to the ends of the earth without the next door neighbour perving on me. (Oh wait, they do that wherever I am lol).
ReplyDeleteKeep the ice on your foot for 20 minutes and elevated. Chocolate is alos good :)
CT from Binalong Gully
Thanks CT, the ice helped! Luckily we still have plenty of Easter chocolate left over :)
DeleteYes! Space to see a vast horizon is the best!
Totally hear you re the hospital and medical side of things. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteI am sure with three kids you have had your fair share of those hairy trips Jessie!
DeleteOh surely by now someone has come home and found you to help you out..............yes the most worrying is getting medical help urgently...........but you can never enjoy the space enough.........it is just wonderful and so good...........and I never take it for granted..........it's precious...........the biggest thing people can't get over is how quiet it is.............
ReplyDeleteYes, I've been saved! Well, I was forced to save myself before ST even got home, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
DeleteAgree re the quiet! Isn't it funny how once you get used to it and tune into the sounds of nature (and electrical appliances whirring away) you realise it's not ever really totally quiet.
The distance from health care can be very scary and it is the space I miss so much.
ReplyDeleteSpace is hard to beat isn't it CountryMouse :)
DeleteLove the post Bessie! I love how you described having all that space. I miss it. I miss the open road...
ReplyDeleteThanks Ruthie! Yes, I'm not sure I could ever live without space ever again!
Delete"If I really wanted to pray I'll tell you what I'd do. I'd go out into a great big field all alone or into the deep, deep, woods, and I'd look up into the sky-up-up-up-into that lovely blue sky that looks as if there was no end to its blueness. And then I'd just FEEL a prayer." - L.M. Montgomery.
ReplyDeleteI read that quote just before I read your post and yours seemed like an affirming echo.
When we go down to Adelaide it isn't long before we feel the need to 'see out'. It's not until we are zooming northwards again, along the road up from Roseworthy and can 'see out', that we literally breathe a sigh of relief.
The best part about living here in Orroroo is the space. Our small town suburban blocks are four or five times the size of a big city one. A walk of a couple of hundred metres affords the ability to 'see out' on a soul repairing level. A drive of twenty minute enables us to do that on a mighty scale.
The worst part is that it IS suburban block in a town of five hundred people, and the kitchen window is not the place to 'see out' from.
But I can live with that...for now.
I absolutely love that LM Montgomery quote Tim, thank you so much for sharing it. Sums it all up really. I couldn't agree more.
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