Unravelling - separating & clarifying the elements

paintings above by virgo paraiso; below by mikel glass. all via beinArt

[extract below from The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith, 2010. i've read all his books and particularly enjoy the meditative quality of those set in botswana.]

Mma Ramotswe thought about this. Having the right approach to life was a great gift in this life. Her father, the late Obed Ramotswe, had always had the right approach to life - she was sure of that. And for a moment, as she sat there with her friend, with the late-afternoon sun slanting in through the window, she thought about how she owed her father so much. He had taught her almost everything she knew about how to lead a good life, and the lessons she had learned from him were as fresh today as they ever had been. Do not complain about your life. Do not blame others for things that you have brought upon yourself. Be content with who you are and where you are, and do whatever you can do to bring to others such contentment, and joy, and understanding that you have managed to find yourself.

She closed her eyes. You can do that in the company of an old friend - you can close your eyes and think of the land that gave you life and breath, and of all the reasons why you are glad that you are there, with the people you know, with the people you love.

un•rav•el

transitive verb unraveled -•eled or unravelled -•elled, unraveling -•el•ing or unravelling -•el•ling

1a. to undo or ravel the knitted fabric of
1b. to separate (entangled threads)
2. to separate and clarify the elements of (something mysterious or baffling); solve

intransitive verb

1. to become unraveled

A personal update: I’m in the process of selling my place here in Brisbane and moving closer to family/friends ‘up the mountain’. As you can imagine there’s much culling of possessions and general cleaning. Who knows how long the selling process will take. It’s mid winter here and the market is slow. But that’s fine; it’s just the way it is. I’ll post some photos of this place in a couple of days. There's also a bit of separating and clarifying in my thinking going on as well. Tis lovely. My best wishes to you all. Be kind to yourself.