STARTING THE LIST

I can only vaguely remember those years, so long ago, when April 30th was not a ‘Scramble-Day’. Yes – last day for tax reports to be filed, under dire (and expensive) threats from our Powers to Be. Not so much of that today. I finally decided to stop torturing myself with multiple individual returns, which I loathe doing. This time I accepted a minimum, and stuck to handling just small business. It’s still busy enough, but not panic fuelled.

So – this morning I didn’t hit the floor running. I don’t believe I could at the moment anyway. I’d probably stumble and end up on my head. What I did was slip leisurely from under my cosy blankets, stand and admire my tall, budding trees, only slightly visible in an early, grey dawn, then press the button on my Tassimo coffee brewer. The smell of the day’s first cup spread through the house; together with the soft snores of the doggies, still sprawled on their respective couches, it complimented the relaxed mood.

Maybe it’s because of the disappointing results of my medical tests, or maybe it’s just the accumulation of fatigue, but I spent a good part of the day yesterday searching for the reasons that had put me in the ‘business’ field at all. As a child I was what the adults called a day-dreamer. At my high school reunion my teachers expressed surprise that I was working in accounting; journalism, writing, librarian was more what they had foreseen as my vocation.

I think I’m wise enough to realize that regrets are only useful to incite change. One has to be realistic, of course. There are bills to pay, and certain files to be completed. However, when I sat to write down what was really important to me, what I would do if told there was an expiry date, I noted what I had suspected all along: ‘business’ is nowhere on that list, and material things was at the very bottom.

I don’t have to tell you what was scrawled all over my paper, do I? Yep – it was decorated with doodled SMILES!

I blew on that list real hard, and some of them are on their way to y’all as you read.

Luv from the Bush in Quebec