It astonishes me how many people I encounter that cannot even fathom living without running water. Or living in Alaska at all, even.
“Do you, like, go outside during the winter? How do you get groceries?”
Well, I get into my car and drive to the grocery store. I usually wear a coat. It reminds me of a quote I read from an interview with a diabetic a long time ago; she said that people commonly told her “I COULD NEVER inject myself..” and her response was, “well, you would if you had to do it to live.”
I’m guilty myself. A friend living in a neighboring cabin happens to not be outfitted with any type of sink or fridge. One day I wondered, “how does she DO that??” But then I felt silly and had to correct myself – I’ve done that. The bus doesn’t have those things, and I managed just fine. It was funny that I’d caught myself wondering that, when I myself have had to tell people its not that hard, so very many times.
Its no secret that we limit ourselves with these silly statements of what we could never do, or what we don’t know how to do.
Once when I was young, probably 6 or 7, I was tasked with the chore of drying silverware. So simple, wipe it with the towel and put it in the drawer. It wasn’t rocket science, but I sat there and howled and sobbed, “I don’t know howwwwww! I CANT DO IIIITT!!! I d-d-d-don’t know HOOWWWWWWW….*booohooohooohooo*” It took me three times as long and infinitely more anguish to accomplish a simple thing, because I would rather complain and cry about it than actually face it.
I try to use the ludicrousness of that memory to guide me through other things that I’d like to claim I can’t do. Pretty much everything I’ve ever avoided or made excuses for has bitten me in the ass and seemed silly once it was dealt with. Remember that thing that seemed impossible or like the end of the world a few years ago? It probably doesn’t now.
People tell me they could never live in a dry cabin. If they were plopped into a cabin without plumbing, they wouldn’t just sit there and die. They’d probably figure out where to get some water. Then they’d bring it to their house, and they’d use it. Voila!
I guess that makes today’s motto, “figure it out.” Don’t let the things you already know how to do define what you will do.
You’ll never get the view if you don’t climb the tree.
