Miracles are happening...

Wow,

It's only day 2 of my 365 day challenge and I can already see miracles happening!

I awoke to a song on the radio - you know the one that goes 'Be happy...be happy' and when I looked outside and saw the snow re-appear, I knew that would be the major challenge of the day. Then the first words out of dear hubby's mouth were "People need to spend more money and not stop spending..otherwise the economy is going to crash...people need jobs...we need to keep the wheels of industry rolling". WHAT? was this the same hubby who only a few weeks ago (in the midst of Xmas lunacy spending) said to me that if given the choice to spend - or not to spend, I would choose the former! After 25 years of marriage he knows me too well!!

So here he is now saying that people should spend more during these times of recession. Yes, I can understand the logic of that... but if I was unemployed, would I still? - so as I was digesting my coffee, images of all those nice fluffy things I saw at the mall yesterday came back into my head. Hmm...I wonder did I mistake the message on the bus yesterday - the one that said 'Quitting is contagious'. Did they mean I should quit now while I'm still ahead?

Haw! No - I ain't a quitter... Six months ago, I was a self-confessed chocaholic - could not live without chocolate - had to have a daily dose of it, and now I'm proud to say I have not touched the stuff for at least six months if not longer. It was for a special intention that something good would happen to somebody I care about a lot - the miracle hasn't happened for her yet, so I have to keep off the chocolate until such time. I even resisted all those delicious Irish chocolates that were sent to me for Xmas.

Vicky had an exam today so did not have to be at school until lunch time and Claudia had a bit of a cold and was not up to gym first thing, so I changed my plans and went into work this afternoon instead. What a morning! I have not enjoyed one like that for a long time. It brought me back warm memories of when I was a fulltime mum and looking out at the Alberta snow with my precious little girls. I baked some banana walnut muffins for us to enjoy with the 'American Idol' tonight - nothing like the smell of baking! Then I made us all delicious chicken quesadillas - "aah just like old times mum" Claudia and Vicky announced happily Yeah! - way better than a bought subway! I thought to myself.

The simple abundance joy continued as I got dressed for the day. This part of the morning doesn't always run smoothly for me - What shall I wear? is a constant problem despite the fact I have enough clothes to wear something different for each day of the year - well maybe not quite that much!!

Before the Chinese year of the Ox began, I cleaned out my closets (as the sages advise people to do before a new year) - I spent all weekend at it. So picture my delight when I discovered long lost tops and skirts that I had totally forgotten about. I organised everything in prep for the YOSA - everything now organized by colour - trousers all together - closet heaven ensued - Yeah! I put together the most amazing outfit - Claudia my fashionista was hugely impressed.

Last weekend as I prepared for YOSA I brought down all our old clothes to the Mayfair Mall and they gave us $5 gift vouchers for each bag weighting 15-20 lbs (What a great idea!). I used these vouchers along with points accumulated from spending at the Bay and bought Kevin a trousers which was on sale. He was thrilled because he had been looking and couldn't find his size in navy. As well they were on a 40% off sale so I virtually got his designer trousers for nothing - Boy! did it ever feel good coming home triumphant with the pants for him especially with the great deal I got him. Was he happy? You bet!

With this new 'sensible' regime, I am getting to appreciate my clothes more and give each one a proper turn on my back! It's like my friendship with long-lost clothing has been rekindled. I'm using my accessories more - taking more time to look good. Before starting the YOSA year, I was aware of how nothing was a treat any more - I was too spoilt! I wanted it - I got it!

Now everything is becoming more of a treat. I like the feeling that I'm not letting the marketing gurus and consumer society control me, or dictate what I should, or shouldn't wear. The word 'trendy' can feel threatening to some people. Another word for trendy in my estimation is 'conform'. It's like if you don't conform to 'our' idea of what trendy is - then missus you are one of the POOFS (peculiar out-of-fashion simpletons). Yes! hurrah I want to be a POOF!
I think where clothes are concerned - I agree with Coco Chanel who once said:
"Look for the woman in the dress. If there is no woman, there is no dress". So work on having a healthy figure girls - then even a sack bag will look good on us - right on!

I still cannot forget the image of those two little orphan sisters in the mud cabin, with nothing around them but the bare essentials - no living relatives alive since all their family and parents had died of aids - and their greatest challenge each day was not what to wear but whether they had enough
food to survive. Yet despite all this, they had a glimmer of hope in their hearts and were teaching each other how to read and write. One wanted to become a teacher and the other a doctor so she could cure people. The female reporter could not contain the tears - nor could I. Ever since, I've been feeling guilty at how spoilt I am. I want to lessen the woeful waste in my life, and the woe in others' lives.

So that's about the size of it for today...and as the song goes "I wont back down".

Have a great day,

Patricia Delisha xxx