viking fridays – a small hut.
July 4, 2008
A small hut of one’s own is better
A man is his master at home
A couple of goats and a corded roof
Still are better than begging.
- The Hávamál
Thanks again to the Friar for the artwork (why does this picture remind me, of me?)
What are our Viking friends talking about on this fine sunny day?
I have a house – it is a good house, very pretty, with a nice garden. It is not large, but it keeps me warm in winter, dry when it is raining, and it protects my family. I may not always live there, and if I move, I would not want much more (though a house on the ocean would be nice!)
Let us all give thanks today for our good fortune, that we have a roof to keep us dry, walls to keep out the wolves and keep us warm.
For not everyone is so lucky.
Be proud of yourself, of who you are, of what you do, of what you can give back to this world.
You are a part of it, and you would be missed if you were not here.
–
Happy Independence Day to our friends (Viking or otherwise) in the United States – I wish that we could all be together to celebrate in person!
I’m the first to comment, I’m the first!!! That’s what my daughter always says as she rushes to the front door. I never instilled competition in her, she just started it. I think that is ingrained in our DNA.
But Brett is right, we need a good shelter to keep the wolves at bay. When I was a younger man/boy and travelling North America on my motorbike, a 1 man tent was my shelter and it was all I needed. And I had all I wanted and I was thankful for it.
Now I have a house and all that I need but I have forgotten to be thankfull. Thanks for reminding me of the third part.
Let me know what weekend you are free and I’ll book the time off. My headache has finally abated and I feel human again. I took some time off and the world did not fall apart. Far from it. A project of mine was finally approved while I was gone. Maybe I should leave more often?
The Tea, is back in your eye.
Hi Brett – Happy Independence Day. This post is a great reminder that although we may not be where we want to be right now – we’re still lucky to have what we have.
Cath Lawson’s last blog post..Is It Time To Get Off Your Fat Ass?
“Our house, is a very , very , very fine house with two cats in the yard….”
I love the ducks, I love the Viking hats, and I love the sentiments expressed.
Feeling the love within the walls, the tent, or even if for a while home is just a pillow and a blanket. That is what makes our houses homes to me. There are places in the world that immediately feel like home too even though they have no walls at all.
Once I was under the shelter of a huge evergreen up in Arapaho National Forest while it was raining. My dog, my daughter, and my then husband had gone up the trail to retrieve the truck. We had been cutting down and dead timber for our hearth. Enclosed by evergreen branches and rain, it felt like home, in large part due to the hearts beating nearby.
I suspect having that little troop of Viking ducklettes trailing along behind does that for you too.
Thanks for bringing that memory back to mind this morning.
)
Hope the social hour was fun last night.
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..A Goal Setting Template- Part 4
@Francis,
Yes, you got first today
and she had her foot on the accelerator in that ultrasound picture, remember?
The way July is looking, August is probably best but I’ll Skype you on the weekend in any case.
Yes, you should leave more often. I have a book you’d be interested in reading – The 4 Hour Work Week. The author (Tim Ferriss, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Tyler Durden in my opinion) is a big believer in “hands-off”.
@Cath,
Hello – nice to see you here today, thanks for stopping in. I, like you, have a dream to be elsewhere eventually – and I think that if we are thankful for what we do have, the positive energy carries through to other parts of our lives and will help us to get to where we want to be.
(I look forward to your post on emigrating.)
@Janice,
I’ve been wanting to use the duck picture for a while myself (thanks again Friar!).
Thank you for sharing that story today – I know exactly how you felt – sometimes a tree is all it takes.
Every now and then, I sit next to Son and look around our apartment and think, “It may not be big, or extravagant, but this is where we live, and this is home.” There’s truth to the saying, “Home is where the heart is.”
**Spoiler Alert**
On a side note, I saw Wanted last night, and this line made me grin and think of you: “I’m taking control of my life. What the f*** have you done lately?”
Best last line of a movie EVER.
Allison’s last blog post..Taste and Create 9
Allison,
I’ve wanted to see “Wanted” since I saw the first trailer, spoiler or not
That’s really it, isn’t it – your home is what you make of it. The weekend is coming, and it will be nice to be at home…
Good movie, very good movie. At least, I enjoyed it. (I don’t see many movies, so I don’t have much to compare it to.)
Allison’s last blog post..Taste and Create 9
While I was taking my break in paradise, I took the time to reflect on how grateful I am right now for what I have.
For being able to go to Hawaii (for some it’s just a dream), for the great guy I was there with (took most of my life to find him!) and for what I was going home to.
I don’t own my apartment either but it’s still ‘mine’ (for now). I can go on my balcony and see the North Vancouver mountains anytime I choose. I see ocean too. I can take 20 minutes and go put my feet in that ocean if I wish. For some people, *that* is a dream. I am very grateful to what I came home to after the vacation and it feels really good.
And yes Brett, that *is* how you get more of what you want…by being grateful for what you already have. We are very lucky.
Karen JL’s last blog post..Dealing With Dialogue: When the Words Don’t Matter
Awww…now that I think about it, I should have drawn four baby ducks (One of them slightly older).
Friar’s last blog post..It’s almost like they’re proud of it…
Thanks for the reminder about being grateful for the home I have. As I look around my surroundings, I know I am truly blessed.
Evelyn Lim | Attraction Mind Map’s last blog post..7 Everyday Actions That Reflect Your Lack-laden Thoughts
@Allison,
Thanks – I’ll see if I can get away to watch it (or I’ll just have to wait for the DVD…)
@Karen JL,
You’ll have to post some pictures of your trip some time (if you want to, that is) – I’m sure that the views were magnificent!
@Friar,
LOL the way I figured it, the picture could have been me with three (and the oldest out for coffee and Timbits with mom…)
@Evelyn,
You are very welcome, and thank you as well – your latest post is very thought provoking indeed.
Friar,
That cartoon is so sweet. I almost needed a tissue alert. It just grabbed my heart, Brett with his little Viking minions behind.
Brett,
We’ve got a couple of goats and a corded roof now. We have lived in far better shelters, that architecturally had much more of what I wanted, and been… beyond miserable. Without getting too personal let’s just say we’ve also had far less than this, and those were days of abject joy, because like Janice said, it ain’t the architecture, it’s the hearts.
I’ll agree with the Vikings, though. The corded roof sure beats begging. I’ve grown so used to it, I almost like our little box now.
Short and to the point. You pick some fine sayings for Viking Fridays!
Oh, yeah, forgot to say…. You, sir, would be missed. Thanks for sharing here.
Regards,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..6 Signs That Mean Your Business Is Going to Have to Try Harder
Kelly,
I agree – Friar drew a nice piece there, didn’t he.
Thank you my friend – you too would be missed. Stay happy.
-Brett
Brett, thank you my friend. today I was thinking about how happy I am. I have goals but right now in this moment I really am happy exactly where I am. I’m not famous or rich or published but man I am so thankful. I love the artwork too and it does remind me of you leading the troops.
Karen,
I”m glad that you liked this – I agree. I’ll tell you, there’s much more to it than just riches… the troops and I had a nice day at the beach yesterday, and today as well (hence, no blog post… been too busy in the sun!!!)
I have been spending so much time lately doing exactly what you advised that not only do I want to keep doing it more (marvelling, being grateful, revelling in, enjoying, etc.) but I am amazed the feeling doesn’t go away! It just keeps hitting me over and over how totally blessed I am, we are, here. Everyone said that getting our own house, as much as I wanted it so, so badly, would not make me happy. They were very, very wrong. I am in heaven. And I am very, very happy.
steph’s last blog post..Weekend Warrior
@steph,
Stay happy! (But you know that.) Keep that feeling with you – it will carry you places you never imagined possible.