Acts of Kindness

Today I received a visit from a friend of mine, by the name of Mike. 

It was also kind of him, to bring us a pick-up load of firewood, that he graciously gave to us. It’s always a pleasure when I get a visit from anyone. 

However, Mike’s visits just always seem to be that much more special. Especially this week because I have lost the services of my aid Heaven, who has been hospitalized, with issues of her own. 

Josh made his usual town run for us this week and informed us that she should be coming home tomorrow, and quite possibly back to work on Monday. 

That comes as a great deal of relief to me, not only because I miss her pleasant way, but also because I have had a genuine concern for her and her well-being these last few days. As I am writing this on the weekend before it is to be posted, by the time it is, she should already be back to work, again making me smile. 

More now about Mike, and why I am making this post. 

Mike is a guy who likes me and is in the winter of his life. He has some land, just up the road from my house. I’ve known him for about 10 years now. I don’t see him but about twice each year. 

It’s not about the frequency of his visits, it’s about the quality. His talks with me, are always uplifting and he takes his time with me. Perhaps it is due to his age. I think it is because he has true compassion. A quality there seems to be a shortage of these days. 

But it’s not just an age thing, because like I’ve mentioned in a previous post, it’s a quality Heaven displays in her care for me. I am surrounded by people who ooze compassion. 

I’m lucky that way. 

I’ve become quite adept at figuring out which people keep contact with me, whether by text or in person, out of real concern, or because they feel they have no choice. 

Even my animals seem to know that there is something different about me. 

My dogs don’t jump on me, only lick my hands. And I have a cat named Frankie, who sleeps by my side nearly 24/7. His body is often touching mine. Sometimes he rests his head on my leg. I joke that he is my emotional attack cat. 

Of course, he would never attack anyone. 

As for the emotional part, he 100% is that for me. I believe that animals can have empathy for people, even though people often can’t. 

Mike has provided me with comfort that has been much appreciated. This world could use many more like him. I am grateful that he is a true friend. If I can surround myself with more like him, it could hasten my recovery.

The Present

Today I was given the gift of another day. 

I have decided to place my focus on the here and now. 

I will of course keep an eye on my recovery. Inspired by more of Josh’s weekly visits, and the continued reviews of the book, “A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE “. This life we lead, so full of our labors and aspirations, yet we all end up in the same place, win or lose. Prince or pauper. A dark hole, is in everyone’s future. Whether or not that is all there is, seems to be where the debate lies. Many have faith, in a life after death, as do I. 

For me right now, more than ever. I have more time than most, to think about what that might look like. During a recent excursion to the world wide web, I came upon a saying, to which I took a particular liking to. It follows and it describes my outlook on life these days: 

Yesterday is history, tomorrow’s a mystery 

Today is a gift, that is why it is called the present. 

Author Unknown 

More and more, I find solace in the hours spent sleeping.

Where I can dream a reality that is quite different than that of my waking hours.

Perhaps it is a glimpse into our true selves. Even still, a glimpse into what we call Heaven. I know for me, it is an alternate space and time. A place where I can run and jump. Where none of the effects of my current condition, or indeed, no limitation of any mortal being binds me. The possibilities are infinite. Fantasies can be my reality. 

Much of what I dream, remains a mystery to me. Most often I wake, without any memory of where my dreams have taken me. Maybe that is because I do not dream on those nights. But some dreams stay with me. I can still recall dreams from when I was a child. Not as vividly. My journey of the past year has been one of a larvae to a caterpillar. What lies ahead for me is the great metamorphosis. 

My final transformation into the Butterfly I was meant to be. The most difficult thing is excepting the change. Change is bound to bring on a period of what feels like pain. 

When in reality, it’s a fear of the difference about to occur. I do not fear death. This is not to say that I’ve given up. If I’m meant to continue on as a caterpillar, I’ll meet the challenges it throws at me head-on. If it is time to become a butterfly, I will do so with the only regret, of leaving behind the many who have been key to helping me define love. I’ll anxiously await for them all to receive their own wings. 

Until then, you can bet, I will explore the winds and wherever they might blow.

Perspective

How quickly the winter of your life, sneaks up on you. 

You spend your youth wishing for your future and you spend your future, wishing for your youth. I guess that is the irony of life, never content with the time you are living in right now. 

Always either saying, “I can’t wait until… “, or lamenting on “The good ‘ole days “. Our happiness seems to be tied to another space and time. But what if we decided to live in the moment? To accept whatever comes our way, and be thankful for the blessing of another day? There is definitely a time for reminiscing in our lives. Like there is a time for dreaming. But reminiscing should be reserved for family gatherings and class reunions, and dreaming for sleeping. Anything else is a waste of your life. 

Bear in mind. I’m not talking about planning or goal setting. Nor am I speaking of those get-togethers with old friends, class reunions, or the occasional high school football games on a Friday night. Those are part of life and should be enjoyed, like a fine wine. 

This life we are given is short by comparison, shorter still if it’s wasted, yearning for another time. If we are fortunate enough to live to retirement, odds are we’ve lost at least one of our parents, and half our friends are dead or have lost touch. 

And our children whom we justified spending so much time away from because of our jobs, and providing, are now grown with families of their own. And you only see them on Father’s Day or Mother’s Day, if you’re lucky, and every other Thanksgiving or Christmas, the inlaws get the others. 

There’s just no time, work is just so demanding. 

They’re only doing what they learned from you. 

This is not how you thought it was going to be, not the way you had planned. The next thing you know, they’re lowering you into a six-foot-deep hole in the ground.

Live in the moment. Nobody is promised another day. 

The time you spend, reminiscing about your past, or dreaming about tomorrow, is better spent, improving the time you have today and making better choices. Short and long-term goals are crucial, in shaping a better you, but are not the best way to find joy. 

Spend less time on the road ahead, or the road behind you. Spend more time on your journey, be the map, as one kids show used to say!

The Space We Occupy

It’s 10: 00 pm on November 4th, and I’m sweating harder than a fattened turkey during the Thanksgiving holiday!

 I’m not sure whether it is global warming, climate change, Indian summer, or whatever they are calling it these days.

Oh, wait a minute, I’m not allowed to say Indian summer am I? I guess I’m supposed to say, Indigenous people’s summer. Or since I am part Indian, is Indian summer OK?

The politically correct landscape changes so fast, it is hard to tell. 

Am I allowed to say, that it is hot as hell? 

The reality is November and December, have had peaks and valleys in temporal variance, for as long as I can remember. I can recall one Christmas day, when I played football outside with my friends, while I wore a T-shirt. The other team was skins! That was in the early 1970s, when at that time, scientists were certain, that by now we were assured to be in an ice age. There is no doubt in my mind, that with the world’s population expected to exceed 8 billion this year, that they are having a detrimental effect on the world’s climate. 

What that effect is, and how we counter it, is up for debate. Even among the most highly trained scientists. I’m sure that soon the temperature will drop like the value of your 401k, during a bear market. 

Then everyone will be screaming about how they can’t wait for the heat of summer to arrive, and when summer is here once again, pining again for another season.  

All of those snowy winter nights that could be spent by a crackling fireplace, or the memories that might be created with a homemade cookie, and a cup of hot cocoa wished away. 

Somehow, we are never quite satisfied with the space we occupy. 

Though mental time travel separates us from animals. 

It is however a detriment if we allow it to rob us from living in the here and now.

Precious moments can happen during every season. Even when it is especially hot or cold. We need to keep our eyes open for them. They are all too often gone before we realize it!

Strength Amongst Grief

There are said to be five stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. 

It is unfortunately something we all experience at some point in our lives. There are things we can do to lessen the results of grief, like maintaining our family ties and keeping a strong connection with our faith. 

The way we handle it is very personal and different though. 

Not everyone will experience all five stages, some may experience a few more.

Like I said, it is a purely personal journey. 

Recently, my Sister Theresa, lost her Son, Michael. It was sudden and unexpected. It was hard on my whole family, but especially hard on my Sister Theresa and Michael’s daughters.

 I didn’t know his daughters. Not like I should have. As I’ve said before, too often we get caught up in the day-to-day of our lives, without so much as learning the names of those we are related to. I’m ashamed to say, I’m guilty of that very thing myself.  

But my Sister is one of the strongest women I know. I am fortunate to be able to say, I am surrounded by a great many strong women.

This past year has taught me to realize how much I appreciate her. She is one of my pillars. My family has come to mean everything to me. When I was at my lowest, they were there for me.

 Now, as family should be, I want to be there for my Sister Theresa, as much as I can. My Sister’s strength will carry her through. Along with the love and support of her husband Eric, and the rest of her family. He is a good man. Grief is an unfortunate factor of life. A pothole in the road that is our journey of life. 

Unfortunately like those potholes, it is bound to rear it’s ugly head, sometime during each of our lives. Losing a job, a divorce, or having a close friend or loved one die. 

Just a few of the sources of our grief.  Some will have the misfortune of meeting it more than once like Theresa has. When it is your turn, I pray that you display half the strength that my Sister has displayed. I pray too, that you have a loving family to wrap you in their arms, and that your faith is strong.

Daylight

Like the quill pen and Blockbuster Video stores, Daylight Savings Time is an idea, that has outlived its usefulness. First enacted on March 19th, 1918, it was done to conserve resources during World War 1. It lasted for just seven months.

As opposed to the common myth, that it has something to do with farming. Farmers are actually, one of the most vocal groups in opposition to this manipulation of time. The idea goes back as far as 1784, suggested by none – other than Benjamin Franklin as a means to conserve wax candles.

After its brief introduction in 1918, it was revisited for similar reasons during World War 2. In fact, because of it being utilized during the wars, as a conservation measure, many would refer to it as “wartime. “

It saw a brief resurgence, in the early 1960s. Daylight Savings Time finally became formalized in 1966 by Uniform Time Act and was standardized to six months long. 1986 saw it extended to seven months. And 2005 saw it extended to eight months, in part because the candy industry wanted to increase candy sales during Halloween.

Observed around the world by fewer than half of all countries. According to a recent CBS poll, only 21% of people support constantly changing our clock. Permanently switching to either Daylight Savings Time or Standard Time favors the first, 46% to 33%.

If the House of Representatives follows the Senate’s lead, and then the President signs the bill into law. The Sunshine Protection Act will give the majority their wish. And come next November 2023, we will change our timepiece of choice, for the last time.

That is, unless lobbyists convince the politicians to cower down to their wishes, and put us back on this insane merry-go-round of the time change. Robbing us of an hour of our time each spring, then giving it back to us each fall.

It is widely reported that for several days after a time change, the number of strokes and heart attacks increases. This can be directly attributed to the disruption of our circadian rhythm. It takes our bodies some time to adjust to the change.

We live in a 24-hour society. So much has changed since the conception and reasons for the necessity for this practice of artificial time shift. However, everything has its season, and like the VHS tape, the Pony Express, and many other obsolete technologies and services, Daylight Savings Time is a practice that has outlived its usefulness, if indeed it ever had any.