Think about the work that goes into tying your shoelaces. It calls for physical exertion, dexterity, and cleverness, any child between the ages of six and nine years old knows it, early in life it is a serious matter, the bow the greatest mystery, the fingers, the hands, the laces, altogether an apparently unsolvable riddle. But once you have mastered it, you forget how complicated it is, the years pass until one day—having put your socks on—you look down at your feet, unsure of how to proceed.
~ Linn Ullmann, ”Unquiet: A Novel” (W. W. Norton & Company, January 15, 2019)
Notes: Photo titled Self Perfection by Randy’sPhotography
the circle of life
LikeLike
Words of wisdom and so true agree totally with your beautiful words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Her words are so true!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes absolutely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was an unsolvable riddle for me for the longest time. A nightmare is more like it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Later in life, I solved the riddle with loafers.
LikeLiked by 2 people
were you able to put pennies in them?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ha!
LikeLike
Smiling. Yes, that is an answer. 🙂
LikeLike
Laughing. A know, you are The Teacher.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, really! I hated having to tie my shoes. Unless I sat on the floor. I still do that, sit on the floor to tie my shoes. I watched my 3 kids learn to do it so fast, that was a huge relief.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I also NEVER EVER drive on auto pilot, and never will.
LikeLiked by 1 person
smiling, what an enigma you are!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What if the d**n thing takes over and I can’t stop the car?
I’m serious 🙃
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh-h, rest assured, that can never happen–everyone would be reporting accidents if that were true.
(you can instantly just go at a chosen lower or higher speed)
LikeLiked by 2 people
My mind understands it can never happen. Some other crazy part of me
is scared technology will collectively take over while we’re not looking. I can’t put my guard down, you know, just in case.
I’m typing this and LAUGHING at myself. Still, no cruise control for me!
By definition, cruise control is an electronic device in a motor vehicle that can be switched on to maintain a selected constant speed without the use of the accelerator. An electric device!!! Dint trust that with your life!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I would agree, that would be a serious problem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You start scaring me, David. This past Monday, we had a vivid discussion with mother-in-law about the wonder and difficulty of ‘being able to lace one’s shoes’….. MiL is now at an age where she has great difficulties to lace hers so she’s going ‘back’ to looking for walking shoes with her insoles being comfy, NOT UGLY, and with velcro instead of laces. At the same time I discussed with a teacher-friend how important those first BIG learnings are for a child, to be able to tie their shoes and that with all the velcroed sneakers etc they lag behind….. isn’t it really intruiging, to read about this at the same time – and pointing it out?! Isn’t it wonderful too that we can spend some of our hurried, precious time on ‘little things’ like speaking about learning to tie your shoelaces?! I love Linn Ullmann more by the minute.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Smiling. Linn Ullman – amazing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
So true … reminds me of my grandkids!! … ‘Think about the work that goes into tying your shoelaces. It calls for physical exertion, dexterity, and cleverness, any child between the ages of six and nine years old knows it, early in life it is a serious matter, the bow the greatest mystery, the fingers, the hands, the laces, altogether an apparently unsolvable riddle.’
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pancreatic cancer took my best fiend recently.I’m grieve the loss. But this morning’s quote softens the blow just a bit. Wayne’s greatest fear was that he would follow his father’s steps into Alzheimer’s. He could still tie his shoelaces — a reason to be grateful. Maybe.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Smiling. About your close. “A reason to be grateful. Maybe.” Truth!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Views from the Edge.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Last one in my kindergarten class to learn to tie my shoes. The advantage being that I got special attention from a cute girl who taught me to tie my shoes. Life lesson, make something out of knowing nothing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
Scary! This excerpt is so “on the mark” that I had to read it aloud to the Captain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is on the mark. Mind and body. Miracle. All of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My nephew started running Ultras about 8 years ago. Then he got the cancer, and became the darling of the running community in NW Arkansas. He died last summer.
They are having a Memorial Run for Dave in two weeks, varying distances and times. I am going to run a 5K. I’m supposed to have been training to run the 5k. But I haven’t. One of the things holding me back is lacing up my tennis shoes. I’ve reached a shape that it hurts to try to do so. So this afternoon I’m going down the the Sketchers outlet right next to my office and buying some Velcro shoes that I wont have to bend over and hold my breath for so long in order to lace them up.
Its complete surrender , I know, and probably wont even increase the odds that I will begin “training” for my scheduled 5K.
I don’t know if I ever shared this with you. Probably I have. Davy was an unusual fellow.
http://epicultras.com/featured-runner-dave-renfro-april-2016/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Smiling. Wonderful cause. And surrender could apply as a secret sauce to so many things. Thanks for sharing Steve.
LikeLike
The things you lose with dementia is interesting. I have problems tying my shoes now, some days I feel like a kid learning. It doesn’t bother me, I just noticed last week. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good for you to be able to just roll with it Melinda. Bravo.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Heartbreaking
LikeLiked by 1 person
For some of those. For others, it is a miracle, that autopilot of mind and body make it all happen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A miracle that is taken for granted – until it becomes a wish to be able to do again
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true.
LikeLike
whether to be in a funk about it or not…is the question…I’m feeling grief about my current bodily decrepitude–cataract surgery required…feel the anger, and acceptance… The shoe laces–I loved watching my youngest son in nursery school teach a playmate who was somewhat handicapped (now that boy is a handicapped man)…thinking we’re all handicapped…Dang! and this was only about children learning to tie shoelaces!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cataract surgery. Good luck with that Valerie….
LikeLike
So very true how we take things for granted. I don’t remember learning how, quite frankly. Guess it didn’t give me enough grief to be part of my memories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We do. And how amazing our mind/body really are. Unconscious moves into “do it” and it gets done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep. And there are things that if we stop to think about it, we almost can’t do it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Truth!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Difficult topic…memories of limitations…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure…
LikeLike
current limitations as well
LikeLiked by 1 person
So sorry to hear that.
LikeLike
Dave, Not a problem since the invention of Velcro! Just like mastering basic math is a lost art with the invention of calculators and computers. But, what happens when the power goes out or the worn Velcro no longer holds?
-Alan
LikeLiked by 1 person
Laughing. Velcro = Magic!
LikeLiked by 1 person