This blog spends a lot of time hashing over political happenings and what those mean. I do this because what is happening bothers me. I struggle to understand the what and why of these happenings. The frustration I feel motivates my writing. Without this blog I would feel helpless.
With the blog I feel like I’m doing something worthwhile. Vicariously, my readers make me feel that I’m spreading important ideas and life lessons. I don’t know if that is true, but I feel it is so.
I often feel this is not enough. I keep wondering what I can do to counteract the negative things I encounter. Writing the blog is just one thing. Participating in a discussion group of current events is another. Reading independently about the news, what’s happening, and what it all means, is another ‘thing’ I can do. But what else?
So I made an inventory of what I do with my time to learn if I am, in fact, doing more that serves as a counterbalance to the nonsense history I’m witnessing. Here’s what I included in the list.
1.
Watch TV documentaries, especially independent
producers from Europe, and elsewhere
2.
Read Foreign Affairs journal
3.
Keep in touch with family visits,
gatherings and Facebook moments
4.
Keep visible with my closest neighbors; we are
the rhythm of the ‘hood
5.
Attend church regularly and participate in
various committees and commissions
6.
Read and discuss theological concepts as
encountered; I’m not creed oriented, but idea based
7.
Eat out frequently; mostly at cheap places; watch
the crowds avidly; they teach human behavior
8.
Listen to NPR while driving; if depressing,
switch to classical music stations
9.
Walk the dog twice each day (my turns); watch the
dog for clues to her reasoning, behavior
10.
While walking the dog, take deep breaths of
outdoor air; smell it acutely; feel it for seasonal shifts
11.
Work the Sunday crossword puzzles each week
12.
Take at least one nap per day of an hour or so
in length
13.
Grocery shop every two weeks; use an electric
cart in the big box store; watch people select their items; watch their interactions
when they are unaware
14.
Gaze out my office window while sitting at the
computer keyboard; observe the traffic but mostly the horizon's trees, leaves,
seasonal changes
15.
Volunteer for SCORE mentoring; help new small
businesses form; help existing small businesses with scale and operating
challenges
16. SCORE mentoring focused on nonprofit organizations
(my specialty); help others volunteer effectively in needed areas of social
services
17.
Recently stepped away from a 6.5 year gig
working with teen drug addicts; learned a lot about people I would otherwise
not have met; learned about life!
18.
Help friends who need personal assistance
(driving, talking, shopping, etc.)
19.
Write newsletters for the HOA and others as requested
20.
Balance the check book, get the car serviced,
manage household finances
I think I need a nap!
Actually, making the list helps me keep balanced. I’m not isolated or in a rut of normalcy. I am challenged each day to see the world in a fresh way. I guess that’s a good thing. I remain concerned about the current status of my country and its failed leadership. At least I am not daydreaming about that without challenging daily activities.
Life is good. Crazy but good. At my age, even better!
May 15, 2019
No comments:
Post a Comment