LJ Idol Week 7: Steadfast

Time to get back to work. I turn from the window and stand between my dual monitors, fingers on the keyboard. It’s been a long morning already, but my mind is cleared and it’s time to hit the next task on the todo list. First let’s make sure urgent e-mail hasn’t come in.

Nope just ads. I’m not sure what kinds of lawyers can afford all of these CLE conferences, but they aren’t my kind. Wait a minute. Is this even a CLE? The Global Resilience Summit. Resilience. Does that have to do with sustainability specifically? Is resilience an environmentally slanted term now? I mean, it should be. Long term, it certainly is. Resilience of humanity is 100 percent linked to resilience of our big blue ball and all of its big systems, so many of which we’re treating as if they aren’t closed loops. Which will ultimately be to our detriment, if we can’t find large scale balance.

I read the short bios of the speakers for this summit which is kicking off in a week or so at, of all places, the Breakers in Palm Beach. I cannot tell from the bios whether they will be talking about environmentalism or how to keep businesses running in a drastically changing world. Maybe the topics all run together at some level. Maybe they run together better if you’re hobnobbing at the Breakers.

Is resilience the new haute desirable trait for our endeavors and our best selves? It does seem that it’s been in the news of late. Give your children grit. It will see them through better than other traits you can gird them with. But can it? Isn’t it just the ability to endure? Shouldn’t we instead be building a world where we don’t have to ask the things we love most to just endure? To be steadfast against the dark, there must be darkness. But is that we want to aim for? Is this a sign of the times?

***

Driving north, racing to a getaway, to my bliss
Halfway up the state of Georgia the Slanted sun rays take on a different, more wintry aspect
The homes beside he road look cozier, like I’m heading into real northern autumn’s heart

But Home
Florida never sleeps- never really slows down for cozy winter
Is that why it’s hard for me to slow?
Hard for me to find a rest phase sometimes?

Am I just railing against the inevitability of the cycle?

***

At 8:15 AM, I get a call on my cell. A state number. My phone doesn’t recognize the extension, though. I knew today was going to be exciting, but on Wednesday, I don’t typically go in until 9:00. There is so much happening now. I’m not sure I can even guess the project or case that’s blown up. Deep centering breath.

“This is Toni.”

“Mom, I’m sorry, but I’m really not feeling good.”

Of course. The school is run by the university. They have state numbers too.

“Wait, what? Jassie, I just dropped you off. I’m not even to the office yet! Are you with the nurse?”

“Yes, she says I’m not running a fever, but. . . I really might throw up. I’m sorry.”

It’s an awkward conversation. I’m angry and I half-wish the nurse had sent her back to class. But I’ll be there in a minute even though I don’t have any extra minutes today. She’s got enough grit. This is her first sick day of 4th grade. At some point I’ve got to let her start managing her own energies.

—/////

Tonithegreat hopes you enjoyed this, her second entry of the mini-season that was finished in an airport with little time to spare! 2018 has been a great year for travel, at least. It’s been quite a season for steadfast grit, too.