This year, I have decided to travel light. That’s really good news for my husband who has always said he feels like a donkey carrying all the baggage when we go on trips. But he is not off the hook yet. I did not mean it literally.
What I
am doing is shedding. Like coming home to
a warm house after a long walk on a cold, frosty morning and removing the layers
of clothing. First the hat, then the scarf,
followed by the gloves, that heavy, wet coat and lastly those cumbersome boots.
I’m
doing the shedding in stages as well.
First to
go are the things which cause pain. Like
the tight-fitting jeans that I put on with my face scrounged in pain as I
contort my body into them. It’s time to get those senior-friendly versions with
the elastic waistband.
Much as I
am letting go of those figure-hugging clothes of the size 34 I used to be; in
the autumn of my life, I choose to be with the people who make me breathe. And
smile. Friends far or near who I know I can count on for solace. With whom I feel safe. And with whom I am comfortable enough to
share a dirty joke or a bitchy remark without fear of judgement. Never
feeling needlessly exposed and vulnerable. Accepted for being just me.
Next to
go are the responsibilities I have taken on for myself. Yes, tasks I have volunteered for or even
created for myself. I liked to say that
I bloom where I am planted. I am now rooted to the ground. There is no longer any need to reinvent
myself with every move. No longer any need to prove that I am more than just
another lady with time on her hands - available and capable! Need
someone to organize the church group? Here I am. Need reading support for the class? Here I am.
Need someone to edit the newsletter?
Here I am.
I can
finally put my hand down.
I have (at long last!) realized that I just do
not have that kind of energy anymore. Because the years do take their toll. And
the person who has always been supportive of all my grand schemes and dreams
has gotten old too. My donkey’s back
can no longer drag crates of beer and shopping bags full of groceries from the
supermarket to the car, from the car to the basement and back up again for the
events that I have organized. It is time for younger, fitter beasts of burden
to takeover that task.
Next to
go are the I-have-to’s. I’ve come to a point in my life where I can
actually afford to ask myself – Do you
have to? And that reply should be – Only
if you want to.
I am
taking my time with this unburdening. Every
decision has to be made with care.
Specially if it affects others. And
it nearly always does. Because none of
us live on an island isolated from the rest of the world. Life is so interconnected that when you let
go of one thing, you can almost hear and feel the dominoes as they fall down
the line. Yes, some things will take longer to let go of. Maybe even not at all.
The crucial question now is: what do I want to carry as I travel through these last years of my life?
The
simple answer is: Only who and what
really matters.
This is such a quick, tasty dish to make. Perfect for the Fridays of Lent!
Chili Prawns
500
grams fresh, peeled and deveined prawns or shrimps (frozen ones are just as good as fresh!)
2 tbsp.
cooking oil (not olive oil)
1 tbsp
corn starch diluted in ¼ cup water
Pound or
blend :
·
2
red chilies ( 1 if you like it less spicy)
·
1
big piece of garlic
·
thumb size ginger
In a
separate bowl, mix :
·
1
tbsp. sesame oil,
·
a
pinch of salt
·
1
tbsp sugar
·
2
tbsp tomato paste
Procedure
: Heat the oil in a pan, add in the pounded
ingredients. Saute till fragrant. Stir
in the prawns. Cook for a couple minutes until the prawns turn pink, making
sure they are coated with the spices.
Pour in the sesame oil and tomato mix. Blend well. Taste to see if it needs any more salt or
sugar. Thicken with the corn flour
mixture. Stir every thing once again.
Quickly turn the heat off. Do not overcook the shrimps.
Serve
topped with a few coriander leaves or some sliced spring onions.
Family
or party stretcher : You can also cook a
few hard boiled eggs, peel them, cut them in half and lay them on the bottom of
a serving dish and pour the Chili Prawns over them.
