Cyclone update, and The Chic Files

photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash.com

There is an expression, a description, in Te Ao Maori (the world of Maori) called Manaakitanga. About caring, embracing, and that's not actually only about embracing physically. It's looking after one another, in a caring way. With all that caring entails. A lot of manaakitanga is happening here right now.

Cyclone update

Repair work is ongoing here in Aotearoa, New Zealand. From major floods followed by a cyclone with even more extreme destructive flooding. 

In just my local areas: the side of a road above a beach, gave way, and a parked car just plummeted down onto the rocks. Big sink holes. Very big, thick, sturdy trees wrenched out by their roots. Landslides everywhere. The rest of the North Island - many areas were even worse with mass flooding as well. Lots of work is happening now, on so many levels, to repair, and to aid people.

So, keep in mind that anything else that I write about at the moment, is, well, it's very trivial in comparison. But here goes anyway:

Time to sort myself out, now that I'm somewhat recovered from my operation. Five months later. Sorting out on many levels. But mostly on daily things.

The two areas that I find easiest to start with, are some home decluttering, and cleaning. There is something pompously rewarding about decluttering. I'm also feeling guilty having extra "stuff" in view of so many having lost everything. With the cleaning, I'm wanting to cut down on products. I'm using hot water with a bit of detergent where once I would have bought an eco friendly product to do the work. 

Clearing the decks

The decluttering is well under way. I had  stopped doing it regularly a while ago, because I was so unwell. That saga is here. It had been too hard for me to exert any effort. For quite some time.

I've been throwing out a lot of diet books. I had so many: they didn't work. Obviously (!) Due to my previous Travelling Twisting Stomach. But most of what has been packed up for op-shops, are actually my clothes. Most of my wardrobe, actually.

For I very quickly dropped a whole clothes size straight after my emergency operation. I was like a deflating balloon. I couldn't stop it. My usual clothes looked ridiculous on me. 

Tidying up one's image

Luckily I had a few bits and pieces stashed away for when I lost weight. Which, I might add, is quite common when one is overweight. You know, the ever-hopeful "I might get back into this (piece of clothing)" one day.

That day arrived a few months ago. Dramatically. It's still ongoing. Due to no longer being bloated nor having inflammation from a hidden physical condition.

So, I'm not rushing around gaily buying new clothes. I'm "making do". Yeah, my tights are a bit baggy. Meh. I don't really care. And some of the tops that I've deflated down to, are also a bit big, but that's okay for now. 

I had actually bought quite a few new clothes before the hospital drama. I now only have a couple of those pieces that don't look too unflattering on me.

And, honestly, it just doesn't feel right to be spending when so many have lost everything.

I really do care if I look okay or not. This was the one area of my life that I was able to maintain leading up to the operation. It's just me, the way that I am. I must confess, that all caring about my appearance was gone for about four weeks after my surgery. I'm not into "having to be beautiful" or other superficial stuff like that. I just feel better about me when I'm scrubbed up.

And I also want to be current. Rather than a bit overdressed and too tidy, which is what usually happens, even when I'm trying hard to be more casual. Everywhere that I look, it's the extremely casual, and gym gear, looks. But I am not doing the workout gear. I need some dignity. 

I worked out exactly what I did like, in a casual vein. And weirdly, I like jeans or tights and tees. Plain and in the same colour, top and bottom. I'm doing this in navy, and also black. Finding tees that cover my private parts and bottom is an essential. I still have a tummy, and I do want it covered. The rest is about me and modesty. 

To be honest, I really wanted to move away from black. But it just hasn't worked out that way, so far. 

I can upgrade this look with some bits and pieces.

It's a very casual country, here. To be "dressed up" screams "old". As does wearing tons of makeup. I don't want to do those. Even if I do qualify for the older label. 

There is an unusual psychological thing about wanting to tidy oneself up.

After World War Two, when the British were doing air drop supplies over war ravaged Europe, the women there asked for lipstick. It seems that as we start to come out of trauma and difficulties, we want to tidy ourselves up, and we want to feel good. And during that war, in Britain, people were encouraged to make themselves look good as a way of keeping up morale. 

I know this on a much less dramatic way, for myself. And I'm sure that I'm not alone. I don't like to go overboard, though. However, a bit of tidying oneself up, and feeling good, are great morale boosters. I find that I also do more with my life when I feel okay on that superficial level.

What does everyone else think about this? 

Link to my talks and meditations on Earth Elders: here.  Click "join" if you haven't already, then click the search icon there, and enter "Ratnamurti Saraswati". 

Link to Global Unity Festivals on you tube, here. I'm in the Wave 1, Asia/Pacific episodes.

Link to a post explaining Global Unity Festivals, here  

Unfortunately, Global Unity Festivals are currently on a break.

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Link here to a post about being current