This is what I have been asking myself and
asking myself, for the past year knowing we would be returning to Haiti
again. And others have asked me
that. I also need to know so that I can
define why I am requesting money to help support myself and my family living
there. As Americans we always have to be
busy doing stuff! Many people work 8-5
and then fill their lives with so many things they are always busy! Well nothing has come to me on what I should
be ‘doing!’….well not exactly.
One of my favorite movies ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ talks about this
(I have also read the book).In Italy they have a word for the art of doing
nothing - “Il bel far niente”
In trying to figure how to express this I looked up some articles and
blogs. This is from ‘bemorewithless’ http://bemorewithless.com/how-to-cultivate-dolce-far-niente/
“We have to let go of the guilt for not planning, producing and consuming. While this may be cultural, I think people around the world experience the pressure to measure the success of their day by what they’ve accomplished. If that is the case for you, it’s time for a new measuring system. Instead of number of appointments you’ve made, rooms you’ve cleaned, miles driven or shopping accomplished, try measuring your day by the number of times you smiled about nothing, watched the grass grow, or measure success by how long it took you to linger over dinner.”
The idea that keeps coming back to me is ‘being with the
people’. I have spoke on Haiti many
times, sharing a variety of stories. But
the story and team that stick out the most was a few moms from the United
States that wanted to come and just ‘be’ with the moms of Haiti. The BIG thing they wanted to accomplish while
coming to Haiti was to live the life of a mom in Haiti. And so we did. We went to about 3 different
family houses and just spent time with one other. I am sure that sounds a bit strange to
you. Or you may be thinking is that All
they did? Well the Haitians thought the
same thing. “They just want to hang out
with me and do laundry and dishes with me?”
But there was so much value in this.
1st of all everyone were equals and these Haitian moms felt that what they do everyday is important and they were were
given validation. Also the American moms learned a tremendous amount from this experience
that I am sure is with them still today.
So right now I am working through the idea that I won’t
be ‘DOING’ some BIG thing. But my plan
is to be with the people and learn. My
plan is to be a mom and experience what it is like to have a baby in Haiti. My plan is to explore my own artwork at my
house and invite my Haitian artist friends to come create with me. My plan is to learn more about the
countryside and people and what it is to really ‘live’ in Haiti from day to
day. Trying very hard to not feel
‘guilty for not planning, producing and consuming….or accomplishing something.”
And try and measure my day by the number of times not only I smile about
something but how many times someone else smiles with me.
One of the goals (because lord knows we do in fact have
to be doing something!), is to share these experiences with you, that we might
all learn from these experiences. I hope
to invite you on this journey of exploration with me.
The other day I was working through this in my head on how it all would work and struggling. But I had the opportunity to share with the local United Methodist Women about the women and children in Haiti over coffee. One of the ladies was in awe that I would do something like this. Just give up things like a washing machine and just live with the people. It was what I needed to hear! To me it isn’t that big of deal, (it is but it isn’t) and if I can tell the story so others can experience another culture I am more than happy to do just that! It makes me smile, it made those ladies smile and I hope this makes you smile!
