The Bare Necessities

Working on projects means I spend a good part of my time planning and then trying to control outcomes to meet the plans. There always seems to be a Plan B at hand and often we end up on Plan C, my job is to control things to bring a project to conclusion in a timely manner without spending too much money. We like to be in control or at least to feel we are in control and yet every moment of our lives things are happening over which we have absolutely no control. Often I get frustrated but every now and again I remember since I have no control over this thing or another there is little point getting stressed over it.

I have no control over the weather. Therefore I have no control over whether I can fly from A to B according to my hoped for schedule, normally things work out within an hour or two of the plan, but we only have to watch the anger and chaos that builds up when suddenly an airport shuts down or reduces flights due to snow or winds or volcanic ash.

I am reminded of one of the prayers that was often read out in school assemblies and I believe attributed to St Francis of Assisi

Lord give me the courage to change the things I can change, the grace to accept the things I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.

I should have been arriving in the UK this morning, but on Saturday night with less than 12 hours before I headed to the airport I learnt all my flights through New York were cancelled as a sensible safety precaution in the face of hurricane strength winds heading up the US Eastern seaboard to NY. I thought maybe I could get diverted to London instead of Manchester thus avoiding NY but it seems many other people had that idea before me, so after an hour on the phone to the airline I learnt the earliest flight they could get me on even to London was Friday, 5 days later. I accepted it after all what else could I do and whilst I wasn't initially happy I realised spending another week in Managua with a room and a job and lots of friends around was most definitely better than being in queues for standby places day after day in Houston. Of course after several farewells people were surprised to see me but generally everyone seems pretty glad about it at this end.

So having packed or given almost everything away in anticipation of the grand departure I went to the supermarket across the road last night and bought what I deemed the bare essentials for the next 4 days, at least the bananas give a glimpse of healthiness to my choices.

The Bare Necessities