September 19, 2012
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Thanksgiving creates abundance: Day 7
“The simplicity is great—the monotony is killing me.” –Rachel Winzeler
After arriving in Brazil, I have 30 days to register my visa, or it is invalid. My ride left early, so dropped me off at the beach this morning after English classes. It was a perfect spring day in Recife and the tide was out. The waves crashed on the reef, sending a thousand waterfalls over. A bus to the airport and a big sign that says they are on strike. The police/delegacy is on strike. They refused to register my visa. They will only do it when it is an emergency and I am in danger of being deported—next week.
Six more hours of travel, a day’s worth of work: I will have to do this again next Friday. I suffer because they want a pay raise. Thanks Brazil. I went to two restaurants, but they wouldn’t sell me just rice and beans. I ended up eating with the barefoot workers in the back of a car wash: it was good rice and beans. And the wasted day grates on me. The things I could have done instead, the plans I will have to change.
But I stand on the subway, slowly making my way home and I open my book 1000 Gifts: “Thanksgiving creates abundance. ” I turn this phrase over and over in my head and wonder if it could be true. If it could be that simple. If that is the secret to what I am looking for in my rice and beans quest—in my life here in Brazil—in working with children in poverty: is it all about learning to be thankful?
“Haste makes waste. Life is not an emergency. Life is Eucharisteo (loosely translated—giving thanks).” So I sit on the floor because there are no seats on the bus, and I turn on my old mp3 player. It is my song. My me and God song. And I know He put it there. There was no wasted day.
“See that I am God. See that I am in everything. See that I do everything. See that I have never stopped ordering my works, nor ever shall, eternally. See that I lead everything on to the conclusion I ordained for it before time began, by the same power, wisdom, and love with which I made it. How can anything be amiss?”—God to Julian of Norwich
It is about expectation: tomorrow is coming. It is why I like Christmas eve almost better than Christmas. Today is day 7: I made it, and I celebrate. Because I can celebrate or I can complain, and I know what kind of world I want to live in.
Rules for the next three weeks, because I need to remember WHY. The first week was to identify with the 1.4 billion people who live off of $1.25 a day. And I found out that really, I should have been eating rice and maize all week instead of beans to be accurate. The next three weeks are to identify with the 3.5 billion people who live off of $2.50 a day—like most of my friends. This is rice and beans with some “relish,” as they would say in Africa. Rules:
- Rice and beans are still the staple
- Added food must be simple and easy to get
I really want to eat apples and peanut butter, but I don’t think that goes with the list. Anyone have a recipe for apples, peanut butter, and rice? Fruit and rice? Breakfasty things? Rice for breakfast is what is killing me here. Basically, for lunch and dinner I am just adding other vegetables in with the beans (tomatoes, green peppers, pumpkin, onions, corn, lentils…) and perhaps a lil cheese on top. Anyone have a good black bean hummus recipe? Or raw bean sprout recipes? Let’s get creative!
