After the Story - Choices Like Rivers Episode 13
After the Story - Choices Like Rivers Episode 13
This podcast discusses each chapter of Choices Like Rivers and each episode is posted directly after the book episode. This corresponds to Chapter 5 Section 3.
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Once again we see pre-conceived notions of what should be - take over. Molly Sue admits that she had lived in a one room home and had always slept with her mother.
She had never had a room of her own, and didn’t know that she had needed one. In that time, as well as now, having a one room house is unthinkable. However, when asked what was in her one room home, everything Molly Sue listed was what they had needed.
She had grown up in her first five years with everything she had need in that one simple room.
But, because modern convention said children need rooms of their own, Sharon felt compelled to make sure Molly Sue had that room. In an effort to help the transition, she bought everything she could think of that would make the room special for Molly Sue. However, it wasn’t.
Even thought Molly Sue thought the pink floral bedspread was pretty, in her mind she didn’t need it, or particularly want it. But, it was bought anyway.
What Molly Sue wanted was a life as similar as it could be to what she had had with her mother. No doubt she laid awake while Sherry slept next to her in that new room, thinking about her mother.
When she finally slid in next to Sharon, they both felt less lonely. That was what Molly Sue, and Sharon needed - closeness.
We live in a splendid time where everything we could possibly want is at our fingertips. Yes, we each have our own financial limitations, but for the most part, we have way more than enough.
In the United States of America living in a one room home with only the basics seems absurd. However, we know that many people in parts of our nation lived that way and maybe still do.
I am sure that a few famous people come to mind, but to hear them speak of it lends to fond reminiscence and cherished memories. What they had was love, closeness, and affection even if it was only from brothers and sisters while parents worked hard.
How much do we buy compulsively only to soon toss it away when we grow tired of it or it no longer ‘fills our emotional bucket’.
Things that were always meant to be functional in nature have now become a source for us to attempt to fill a void in our life.
I have a favorite little stone tray I love to cook on in our air fryer. I use it almost every night. For the longest time I would wash it and use it again the next day.
But, I decided one day if I had several of them, I could use a new one each time then wash them all in the dishwasher together. I got lazy at washing it each night, so I bought multiples. Did I need more than one? No, I wanted more than one for convenience sake. It was just too much trouble to wash it each night.
What we really need is what Molly Sue, and Sharon really needed. Companionship. A nurturing relationship. Affection and a close bond. We don’t need more things. We need each other. We need family and friends.
I often wonder if our disposable materialistic mentality has not crossed over to the very things that should be valued for their individuality and importance in our lives - the people.
Yes, things are easily replaced. We live that way and I am concerned we treat our friends and family the same. If they don’t fill our emotional buckets any more, if they don’t give us that ‘feel good’ any longer, we toss them out and look for someone new.
I want to challenge myself, and you along with me, to view the people in our lives differently. Let’s invest more time in them and make sure that we don’t fall into the trap of viewing them, even unconsciously as disposable.
For me I have decided to send cards in the mail randomly to some of my friends whom I have lost contact with. Friends, who I got lazy about staying in contact with.
I want to do better. I never want a person in my life to feel like the one stone pan I cooked on every night, but got too lazy to wash.
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