"My mind sees that I am nothing, my heart sees that I am everything, between these two poles my life unfolds."

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Goodbye Little Creamer ☹

Whaaa!!!

This past week I was again reminded of the Buddhist teaching to see stuff as already broken. (I blogged on this mindset some time ago here when my favourite coffee mug broke.) The above set was purchased 22 years ago at a yard sale in the tiny hamlet of Berwyn, Alberta on a very hot summer's afternoon with two little children in-tow and I have treasured it dearly ever since. I'll admit I was mortified when it broke - I won't even bother going into how. I screeched, howled and stomped around the room for a minute (or two :) and then an acceptance and calm took over... c'est la vie!

The essence of this teaching is that all of life is in a constant state of change. Everything has a beginning and everything has an end. Every tree begins with a seed and will eventually transform back into the earth. Every rock is formed and every rock will vanish. In our modern world, this means that every car, every machine, every piece of clothing is created and all will wear out and crumble; it's only a matter of when. Our bodies are born and they will die. A glass is created and will eventually break.

There is peace to be found in this teaching. When you expect something to break, you're not surprised or disappointed when it does. (Can't claim I'm quite 'there' yet, lol!) Instead of becoming immobilized when something is destroyed, you feel grateful for the time you have had.

I am grateful for the time I had this creamer - it was finely-crafted, attractive and used in innumerable ways over the years; perfect for watering a plant, lovely for sauces and gravies & maple syrup :) and of course, milk or cream.

36 comments:

  1. It is a great mindset to be in. It is funny, when you really think about it, the way we attach so much importance to our stuff.

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    1. I hear you - I'm trying not to, but unfortunately the longer you've had an item the more deeply attached in most cases.

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  2. There are many Buddhist quotes I could say right now, however, I'm just sorry it's broke... :(

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  3. I love those words Jane, but I'm sorry it broke :(

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    1. Thanks Annie, I think they help to keep things in perspective.

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  4. Ah, it's still terrible when a much used and loved piece breaks. But, a klutz like me must always be prepared for breakages Jane, because I am always knocking over and shattering something. If I had my way, every single piece of my crockery etc would be made from melamine!

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    1. Hahaha, we should form our own support group!

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  5. lovely teaching...but i can understand :) there are a few things i'm unnaturally attached to or very sentimental about. It is mostly about the person or moment in life they represent.

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    1. Very true - I had a lot of history and memories attached to my little creamer - most things (thankfully) are easily forgotten.

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  6. Lovely post, Jane. I really enjoyed the way you described how everything has a beginning and an end. So true. I'm sorry about your creamer, though. I can certainly understand the sentimental attachment.

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    1. Thanks Martha, I remember the day I bought it like it was yesterday - my kids were so young... and come to think of it - so was I... another reason to cry, lol!!

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  7. A treasure broken. These things happen much to our disgust, never mind :)

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    1. Thanks - I am really appreciating everyone's sympathy, lol! I realize it's only a creamer, but I sure found out just how attached to it I was :)

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  8. I'm so sorry :( I hate it when something cherished gets broken. But I love your post. We're going thru a purge around here this weekend, I told my husband (he's cleaning out the shed) to stop asking, just throw it out! Just don't tell me! lol

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    1. Thanks Dorothy :) Purging feels good once it's over - most things we really don't miss in the end.

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  9. I know it's just stuff but I do hate when this happens...I feel better if I take the broken pieces and put them in my potted plants...inside or out...that way they go on to a new life!

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    1. Patty, that's great idea! I've already retrieved it from the garbage :)

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  10. Jane, this is a lesson I truly need to learn. I hold on to things so tight I forget to enjoy them and only worry about losing them... Thank you for remind me of the true nature and wisdom of the universe.

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    1. I think this is a lesson we all need to learn and re-learn over our lives.

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  11. That is definitely something I need to take on board. I get so upset and annoyed when something I love breaks. Thanks yet again for teaching me new things Jane

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    1. Well Sarah, I wish I could say I took it all in stride - but I had a little hissy fit first, lol!

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  12. You've got the right attitude! Still painful at the time though.

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    1. Yes, no matter how we rationalize it - we are attached to our stuff.

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  13. Oh, I hear this! I unpacked my dishes last night and I'm missing a whole box of them! My chocolate pots and tea pot and a sauce porringer and small plate that it would sit on are gone.

    I'm trying to be very zen about the whole thing and to acknowledge that in the grand scheme of things, it's not a big deal by even a little and that I will definitely get another tea pot, at the very least. (We can see I am not achieving zen with this particular loss.)

    So thank you for the reminder. And I'm very sorry the little creamer broke.

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    1. Oh Em, that's a real shame :( If you're still in the midst of unpacking, I wonder if there's a chance you'll come across them in another room... maybe the box was mislabelled...? Fingers crossed.

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  14. You are certainly reacting much more calmly than I would...good for you. They were beautiful...any way the creamer can be saved? (I don't know all that much about pottery apparently)
    I, so far, haven't broken anything of value, but once, while retrieving a stained glass window I had fixed, I backed into someones car. I still can't look at that window : )

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    1. I expect that was a costly repair in the end - can't blame you for cringing! It really can't be repaired to my satisfaction, so I am going to follow Patty's advice and put it in my plant pots/garden - I've recently started making terrariums (a future post or two :) - I'm thinking there may be a way I can incorporate it into one of them.

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  15. :( I've done that too. :( again.

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    1. Unfortunately, it eventually happens to all of us - stuff is temporary - no matter how much we may love it :)

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  16. So sad that your sweet little creamer had an accident. It upsets me also when something I really liked and had for a long time suddenly is to be no more.

    I guess it just goes to show that things may not last forever but I still fell sad for you that it broke. A lesson, to not hold too tightly to the things of this world.

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    1. Hi Lorene, Thanks for your kind words of understanding. Yes, it sucks, but it isn't the first and it likely won't be the last!

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  17. I wonder if that means I should see the files on my computer as already deleted. I was working on my laptop when Malice decided she wanted some attention. She hoped on my laptop to give me a headbutt, but doing so her foot hit the delete key and over 100 files are no gone. And they didn't go into the recycle bin... lol

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    1. I just adore your cat's name. It has to be the most excellent name for a cat - ever!

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  18. Aww, poor little creamer. When something has sentimental value and a history, it's harder to be nonchalant about its demise.

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    1. So true - some things hurt more than others.

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