Homebodies - The hats I wear...

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Published on Sunday, February 15, 2015

Rita Friesen

At a two day meeting I attended, we were challenged to consider all the hats we wear. Not the kind of hat you don to keep your ears warm, but the roles we fill in our living. There are some hats that I have outgrown. I am no longer a daughter, for my parents are deceased. I am a sister. I don’t get to wear the wife hat any more either, but I am a mother and grandmother. I am carefully choosing any other hats I pick.

I cherish my faith family hat, plain, not at all fancy. This year I found my curling toque, it doesn’t fit as well as it used to! But I am out on the ice and meeting new people. I carefully selected a vintage chapeau and joined the Beautiful Plains Museum board. This is a comfortable hat. 

 I have to admit that this season of my life, my worn and bedraggled dog-walking hat is my favourite. No fashion plate here. Warm beats attractive on a winter day. Mr. Hoover, Miss Daisy and I have travelled many miles since October, only opting out when the temperature can’t rise above -15°. These are brisk rapid excursions, walk isn’t the correct term. 

Hats I have deliberately set aside include cook, cleaner and general domestic! The basics get covered. My daughter-in-law gave me the best gift ever. When she left after Ed’s funeral my deep freeze was chock full of nutritious comforting food. I had run low by the time she returned for Christmas! 

Then we were challenged to deliberate if at times the hats we wear place us in conflict. Not so much any more, but there was a time. Slight conflict when I was a volunteer for arts festivals and participated as well. Serious conflict when my beloved asked me to preside at his celebration on life service. I declined! No conflict when I am a customer in the same retail outlet at which I work part time. Some when I proclaim peace and agitate for justice. Well, I still do that. Getting the giggles during family evening devotions – I was supposed to be the adult but the child in me escaped. 

Thinking more seriously about the roles we fill in life. There are times we volunteer and there are times when responsibility is thrust upon us. There are times we evade and escape. Choices come into play. The wonder of life is that as I age there are still more hats for me to try on. New experiences and new endeavours. Some hats won’t fit at all and will be tossed, some will become close friends. 

 Yes, for now my dog walking hat is my first choice, but the student’s hat is never far away. My hat rack is almost full!