encouragement

Late January check-in

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Well, we’re almost a month into the new year. I hope everyone is doing well with your resolutions and goals and renewal stuff. I ended up being sick the first week of the month and had a delayed return to work and everything else. I’m happy to report that I’ve continued my workouts that I’ve been doing for a year and three months now and my devotional time each day and my routines. I have to admit that getting sick right off the bat and being run down for a while after that put a damper on my goal to write more, but I’ve done a little journaling. And here I am back to the blog. I’d like to stake the claim that I’ve remained quite busy at a cellular level. 😉 It’s an oldie but a goodie as far as excuses go.

I’ve also taken my own advice and done a little minor redecorating and tweaking decor as the decorations came down over a couple of weekends. And I’m still working on that. Photos will follow. Speaking of photos, that’s one of the decor tweaks I’ve done. I’ve gathered quite a few photo frames over the years from my thrift shop trips and I’ve always been into photography, starting with my first camera, a trusty old Kodak disc camera. So, I’ve put out some of the many winter scene photos from the creek behind the house where I grew up and other seasonal shots. I also simply moved some things from an unnoticed corner or shelf to a more prominent place, creating a new look. You can do that when you have a lot of thrift shop knick knacks to work with.

Like much of the U.S., I spent yesterday digging out from a snowstorm. That left little time or energy for much else. I’d say that’s a good excuse for not writing. The important thing is to keep making the effort. So, back to normal today. I suppose one good thing about being sick at the start of the year is that I feel like the beginning of the second month is a chance to do a renew redo. It’s a chance to recapture the renewal feeling since I didn’t really get going the first time around. Wish me luck as mother nature unleashes the harshest winter in years. May all the writers and artists take advantage of time indoors this season!

On a lighter note, I hope the handlers on Feb. 2nd outfit Punxatawny Phil with a bullet proof vest because if he doesn’t give the answer people want this year, someone may take a shot at him. This is Pennsylvania, after all. Just kidding. But really, that’s not so bad, that we’re almost to Groundhog Day already. That’s one of the few Bill Murray movies I like. What would you do if you had to repeat one day over and over? Like Murray’s character, you could see it as a blessing or a curse. You’d have a lot of time to learn new things and make discoveries in the world around you, but that would be the most epically challenging situation to find ways to feel rejuvenated or renewed! Would you savor the extra time, or get bored out of your gourd? It’s an intriguing idea. I think we all kind of have that choice throughout our lives. It’s the essence of getting what you want out of life. It’s what you make it.

I think I may have to expound on this subject. Till then, keep writing and keep renewing!

P.S. Speaking of new things, the image above is AI generated and the first time I’ve ever used one.

Light Friday Nights

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What used to be. What yet might be.

Light and quiet is fine for now for a guy in his mid 50’s. I miss the regular outings of just a few years ago, and the semi regular game nights, and the occasional movie outings, the free outdoor concerts of the summer, and even the Sci-Fi Friday lineup of old with my bro.

Life is always changing. People get busy, change jobs, fall in and out of grace, and grow apart. Going out is also so much more expensive than it used to be. For a while, the thrift shop after work and then my workout in my basement gym followed by grilling and deck time was the routine. Now, it seems no one is available, and I’m too tired to find anything on Netflix. The night falls quickly and my energy fades quicker still.

On the upside, I’m up earlier on Saturday and there’s always something to do with the house if I’m not going out anywhere. And, either Saturday or Sunday is Mom visit day, so the weekend is quickly filled up no matter what.

Sometimes, it feels like a funny magnet I found at a local festival this year: “Another fine day ruined by adulthood.” It’s true that life gets harder and fuller of responsibilities and obligations as you get older, but you also learn that your life and your actions, your thoughts and feelings have intrinsic value even if no one seems to notice or appreciate you. It’s called independence.

It’s harder to get a couple or few friends together when you’re over 40 or over 50, but you value the times you have together, even if they’re less frequent.

Recently, I’ve done things on weeknights which I’ve been avoiding for years since I get up pretty stinking early for work. Turns out, I can still do it. as long as I pace myself through the week. Feel like I need a wink emoji after that. Sounds kind of sad, but I’m making the effort. I’m living my life. I’m still standing and I’m looking ahead while still taking care of the immediacies.

The Holy Spirit, or the Universe, however you think of it, will sustain you as long as you do the best you can and be true to yourself. So keep up the good work, my good folks.

All Hallows Eve

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That’s what Halloween means. It’s the eve of All Saint’s Day. Many ancient cultures believed that spirits of the dead visited on this night. The weather in my area sure fit the day. It was very gray and chilly and windy, with the just changed leaves ripping free from the branches that had so recently sustained them and now flitted and fluttered wildly in the air. It felt spooky, but exhilarating as many folks celebrated in light-hearted fun a day that is steeped in dark and scary traditions.

It’s the third Halloween since my dad passed and my family has had some new concerns and transitions in recent months. I couldn’t help thinking about days gone by and how much life has changed. I miss the wholeness of my family unit and my dad’s quiet strength and stability, but I’m thankful for those traits which he passed on to me along with perseverance and tenacity, and an unflappable confidence borne of a love of life and faith in God.

On this day, with people dressing up as their favorite characters from pop culture, I feel like I can call upon my dad’s presence like Luke Skywalker talking to Obi Wan and Yoda surrounded by their ethereal glow courtesy of The Force. I can’t converse with him and he didn’t give a lot of direct advice, but his steady presence and loving air surround me and guide me.

When someone else is bringing their worries into your aura, expressing anxiety or even panic, it’s hard to hold onto that less tangible spiritual connection, but that’s when you just have to refocus, remember to breathe and put one foot in front of the other. God, and those who have gone before, are with you. And you are with you!

By that I mean that your own consciousness and experience are like an entity unto themselves. You’ve gotten through everything in your life so far and you’re still standing! No one else was there for every minute of that. Only you. So draw confidence from that and remember that you will keep growing and getting better at communing with your spirit, which is connected to God and the loved ones who have moved on. You got this!

Happy All Hallows Eve!