http://www.mafblog.com/moms-on-a-mission/let-it-go
I know what is probably going through your mind if you read
the title. Visions of ice princesses casting ice to the all too familiar Disney
tune. Sorry if it’s in your head the rest of the day, but this post is about
how Indonesia has taught me to let go of some things….to be more….flexible.
To this day that word gives me shivers. No one wants to be flexible, especially in the way I’m talking about. When you are exhausted and are continually thrown into stressful situations, flexibility does not come easily.
To this day that word gives me shivers. No one wants to be flexible, especially in the way I’m talking about. When you are exhausted and are continually thrown into stressful situations, flexibility does not come easily.
The first incident of me deciding to let something go was
actually on our very first journey to Indonesia. We were on our way from
Jakarta to one of the smaller cities and I had bought, in the Jakarta airport,
what would be my last Starbucks coffee for quite some time. I was ready to
enjoy every last drop (I’m from Seattle, what can you say). We had been
travelling for countless hours with three small children that took turns crying
on the trip over, and were beyond exhausted. As we were getting situated on the
plane, the top of my coffee was removed and placed on the floor. The flight
attendant handed us the baby seat belt that was to be strapped onto mine, but
before I knew it the entire germ-infested (and probably vomit saturated) seat
belt plopped right into my coffee. That was the last straw for me. Unable to
cope with anything at that point, I put my head in my hands and let the tears
flow. After a few minutes of feeling genuinely sorry for myself, I took a deep
breath, looked down at my coffee, and said, “You know what? I live in Indonesia
now,” and then proceeded to drink, and enjoy, the entire cup.
Yes I am a nurse and yes I have taken microbiology, but
sometimes you just have to adapt, stay sane, and just plain let things go. Perspectives
can change or a situation might cause you to do or think in a way that you wouldn’t
have in your home country. There are still a million things that I have not
learned to let go of, especially when other stresses are piling up and my ability
to cope is wearing thin. Looking back to when we first came however, I can say
that my perspectives on certain issues are not the same. Those armies of ants
in the kitchen….just not the problem that they used to be.
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