One Red Paperclip

It's just after 7 AM. It's grey skied and cool but I am out on my little patio, sipping my coffee, listening to the birds sing, and catching up on my blog reading. In my jammies!  It's glorious.

The sheer privilege of time to do this is incredible. I certainly don't get this during the school year.  I am blessed.

My summer reading is from an activity I actually did with my class in Social Studies this year.  It was one of the highlights of their year.

My actual cover is far more simple. It must be from a different edition of the book.

It's an amazing story of a young man who set out on a journey to trade one red paperclip up, and up, with a goal of trading for a house.  He quickly realized that it was NOT that final goal of a house that was the richness of the experience.....it was the journey; the story of each trade and the social (and mainstream) media that were captivated by this unique adventure.

Here is a link to the webpage for those interested. 

http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.ca/

For many of us, it is far too easy to get our focus wrapped up in 'the end', that long away elusive goal. I know I do. As a teacher it's the next long weekend, or Christmas, or the end of the school year. As a mom of college kids, it's the next time they will come home, or I will go to them. As a woman with debt it's the next monthly paycheque.  As an obese woman it's the next time I step on that damn scale.

And when those moments come, they are not celebrated. They are not savoured. They are almost hollow.

And then the wait for the next end point begins.

Even now, in the beautiful gloriousness of this grey morning, I catch myself thinking of payday at the END of July, weighing in next Thursday, and the date my kids leave me. There is no joy in this kind of living.  I have little joy and it's all of my own creation ( or lack thereof)

Thus far, I have two favourite quotes from this book, and they both happened to be on the same page.

The first is for anyone who is looking to change something. Weight. Debt. Budget creation. The ones who stay stuck in the " I wish but I don't know how" phase. Been there.

"If you don't start, then how can you finish...It starts with a step. Just get a foot through the door and make your move. Right foot or left foot, it's your choice"

The second is for those for whom the end goal is the ONLY thing with meaning; who live a life that is missing the joy.

"If it works small, it might work big, but if you have fun along the way, it won't matter either way"