Wednesday 2 November 2016

Tall Poppies


I'm really lucky to have a paid job that I share with another woman of my vintage. At our age, neither of us has many demanding commitments like children's needs, so we are able to swap our days around and fill in for each other when we need time off.  I generally work two days and she works three days, but our boss is just happy that we get our work done and that one of us turns up for work every day.
We are Courier drivers for a large winery. Our daily tasks include collecting the mail from the Post Office, sorting and delivering mail and packages to various departments, buying the newspapers, taking wine samples or delivering wine to various wineries and restaurants around the Barossa.
We take the banking to the bank, organize the posting of the mail, do the shopping, collect the lunch platters from local restaurants for small catering or work gatherings.... and so many more odd bits and pieces make our days fly past.
It's a dream job, and the folks that I come in contact with are mostly lovely people.
However, my community of like minded people are here in the screen of my laptop.
This is where I talk to people who have similar interests and life values to mine. These are the people who have left the consumer lifestyle and are living lives to suit ourselves and our unique circumstances.
These are the folks who constantly inspire me, and who understand my slightly quirky take on life. They are not proudful or showy people who need to brag about their possessions, or who they are related to, or drop names.
Most of them  have no clue what the celebs are doing or indeed, who the celebs are.
They would understand that my hands, although stained from chopping beetroot or pulling weeds, are actually scrubbed and very clean.
These are my community and I thank them all for being there, for sustaining me and oftentimes, remind me of where I belong in this crazy world.
One of my favorites is Rhonda at Down to Earth and this post is a ripper.
Most of you will be very much aware of Rhonda, and oh my goodness, how grateful we are to have the gift of her wise words.
In this world of Tall Poppies, where so many folks love to criticize or tear down anyone who is cleverer, or prettier, or more popular, or who's bum is smaller, here's a public shout out for one who is genuinely worthy of praise.
You won't see her on a red carpet anywhere, with paparazzi vying for her photo, but you will find her contentedly pottering in her garden, or cooking food from scratch in her simple but practical kitchen, welcoming her family with love, caring for herself and her husband with a pleasure that she writes about so eloquently.

Thank you Rhonda for giving me the gift of realizing that the life I choose to live, and the values that I have, are really not all that unusual. That there are others like me, and that we have a platform to share our thoughts.
Not such a funny fish after all. :)




19 comments:

  1. I too feel like this on-line simple living world is so special too me. Having now met a couple of people in it in real life....Well it just warms my heart.

    I love reading here Sally, you simply amaze me!

    I feel like I have a couple of wise mentoring women in my life because of the simple living movment. You being one of them, Rhonda being another.

    Much Love Sally, One of these days Ill make a trip to the Barossa and you will actually be home and free for that cuppa! Haha! We are like ships in the night. :)

    xx

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    1. "I feel like I have a couple of wise mentoring women in my life because of the simple living movment. You being one of them, Rhonda being another."

      I so agree Emma.

      I haven't had a mentor in my day to day world for almost two decades. I had good work mentors in the past and I can really see the difference professionally between people who have had mentors and those who haven't. So to gain wonderful on-line mentors such as Sally and Rhonda is a blessing for which I am truly grateful.

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    2. Oh my goodness Emma and Sherri, your lovely words bring a tear to my eyes. I'm nowhere near wise enough to be anyone's mentor, but it's so beautiful of you to say so. This post is about all of you and our simple living community that I have found, thanks to Rhonda. I'm so heartened and faith restored when I read the wise words of you younger ones. It makes me believe in our future. You and your well balanced children are our future, so it's up to we elders to learn from you too and to nurture your ideas. :) XXX

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  2. Here Here a big cheers to you and Rhonda, for helping us feel like we are not the crazy ones, but rather the luckier ones. Thank you. Guida

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    1. We funny fish are gathering momentum Guida and you're right, we are the lucky ones.

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  3. I think there's so much that we can learn from one another's experiences. Inspiration from folk like Rhonda has helped me to focus on what really matters, to try new skills, to think in different ways, to be grateful for what I have, and to ask questions and find answers. I enjoy reading about the different ways in which people are crafting/working towards lives they are content with. Meg:)

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    1. Oh yes Meg, I wonder if Rhonda fully realizes just how many people she has helped. Reading her for the first time was like a whole new world of acceptance opening up. I now tell anyone, who will listen, to read what Rhonda says. :) Oh and thank you so much for taking the time to comment.

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  4. It's lovely to read about what you do, as opposed to what you DO at home. You and Rhonda are my regular reads, and i love to see what you're both up to.

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    1. Oh Cathy, I'm an open book. We should do a post asking readers to tell us what they DO when not at their home. Thanks for leaving your comment. :)

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    2. Hmm, I often wonder about that. If I should do a post asking what people want to read. Im not sure anyone would respond! haha!
      xx

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  5. That is lovely, Sally. We were going to see the Amazing Grace's haircut today but Rhonda had to cancel unexpectedly. She is definitely an inspiration..Rhonda I mean..not Gracie :-)

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    1. Thanks Chel. Credit where it is due and Rhonda certainly deserves it. :)

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  6. Fig Jam & Lime Cordial and Down to Earth where the first blogs I ever read and I would spend hours going back through blog posts. I am so thankful for those of you who blog about your simple, fulfilling lives! You have all opened my eyes to another life, one that I am happy to be a part of because many around me are not.
    Thank you Sally, Emma, Nanna Chel, Mr Homemaker, Rhonda and Celia for your inspiring blogs :-)
    -Kelly B

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  7. What a lovely post. It's nice to hear about what you do as 'your day' job, it sounds like a nice interesting change from your real life, which is all about living simply and well, and working damn hard at it 😊

    Rhonda has helped SO many people by writing about how to live a simple but satisfying life, being content to love, nurture and take pleasure in the day to day simpler things of living well. She will be touched, and I should imagine slightly embarrassed by your lovely words. But compliments are easier to take when they come from a likeminded and equally inspirational soul.

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  8. Amen to all of that. Finding this online community has deeply validated me - that's for sure.

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  9. Such kindness and generosity from you, Sally, and from the others here. Thank you. xx

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  10. I linked onto your blog from Making Haven, I don't know why I haven't come across your blog before, as a lot of your comments are from people I follow, either way I think I just found another one of "my people". Cheers Cheryl.

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    1. Welcome Cheryl and thanks for taking the time to comment. We are of a kind aren't we (?) and it's always lovely to meet more like minded souls. Wish I had more time to do more blog reading, but have enjoyed yours from I just saw today.

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    2. Sally meet Cheryl, Cheryl meet Sally. Totally amazed you two have never 'met' before :-)

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