Monthly Archives: October 2024

Ruminations And Seasons

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Ruminating on things that don’t really matter is one of my specialties. Why do they continue making Indiana Jones movies when the first was clearly unbeatable? Why are the jokes on Laffy Taffy packages so lame? And whatever happened to Mikey, the Life Cereal kid who would eat anything?

Last night I stood on Davis Island at Lake Alma State Park examining the slow progressing fall foliage. To study the foliage from the island is a pretty unremarkable experience right now. You can sense fall is near with the aroma of leaves and the feel of a slight crispness in the air. You just can’t see it in the colors of the tree canopy overhead. 

Go to the other shore and look back and it’s a much different experience. From this perspective you can see spots of color starting to show. 

This a great metaphor for life. After all, when you’re too close to a subject it’s easy to lose perspective. It’s easy to not notice your progress or the slight changes happening right beneath your nose or over your head. It’s also easy to lose context, to lose faith, hope and the sense of self you need to continue through tough times. 

I have a friend who is going through some incredibly difficult times. Her life’s season has changed and not in a good way. Life has become overwhelming, confusing and discouraging. I reminded her this week that she has been through difficult times in the past and that she’s smarter, tougher and more resilient than she can remember right now. 

It’s the season of life she’s in. It won’t last forever but it will go on far too long. She will adapt and overcome these challenges and will someday wake up to find herself in an easier season. For now, she’s doing better than she thinks and I’m certain that she will be ok. 

Seasons change. I hope my friend will remember this and will give herself the grace she needs to be where she is right now.

New Life Rule

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The screen protector on my phone had a light crack, diagonally across half of the screen. It was that way for a while. Only recently that crack began to expand and become quite annoying, preventing use of one side of the screen.

This was the final straw and the beginning of a new rule. 

The new life rule is that if it’s an annoyance that can be addressed in under fifteen minutes and with less than $20, it needs to be handled. Ten dollars and five minutes online bought me the solution to the problem I’ve been dragging around like an old ball and chain. 

Why DO we allow life’s annoyances to continue? 

Most of us have a utensil drawer that jams because of the potato masher that we never use. You know how to fix that? Get rid of that potato masher and the assorted spatulas, spoons and junk that you don’t use. You know who would appreciate those things? Shoppers at your local thrift store!

A woman I work with lived for years with a pile of shoes left at the back door by her family. She recently dropped some cash on a piece of furniture that will hold everyone’s shoes and provide a nice focal point in the entryway. That cost more than my $20 rule but it will clear up stress causing clutter and maybe keep some peace in her house. 

There are so many small annoyances in our daily lives that we just work around. Many of them can be solved for no cost like rearranging furniture or decluttering a closet so you can actually see the clothes you own. 

Simply forming the habit of addressing problems as you see them can be life changing. Letting go of what you don’t need or of what’s in your way is liberating. Learning to cope with a situation without spending cash is an exercise in creativity. That closet that’s so full? Modern society tells us you just need better closet organizers. I’m telling you that buying more stuff to put all your stuff in, may not be the solution you think it is. 

Set your own rule. My rule is serving me well and it suits my own sensibilities. However, yours may have a bigger budget or a smaller scope. Whatever it is, give it a whirl. It’s freeing and satisfying to knock out the small stuff that won’t take care of itself.

The above picture is just to remind you to get outside and breathe some fresh air! Nature makes everything better.

Patriotism

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There’s not much that makes me happier than seeing an American flag on the side of a barn. This one in rural southern Ohio is just outside a village I passed through in my travels recently.

Patriotism means a lot of things to different people. That’s clear as you travel through this world but I’m increasingly glad every time I see an American flag.

You never know what you might see while out and about so I keep my eyes peeled for interesting things – even when just running errands.

I hope you will do the same!

The Value Of Being Along For The Ride

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Yesterday was mainly spent in meetings and in the car going to meetings. Nothing went according to plan which really seems to be the theme of late.

My frustration has been mounting because it seems that my good planning is so frequently disrupted by things beyond my control. If I were a toddler, my parents would be making me take a nap right now.

At one point last night I found myself behind a pickup truck. It was just your average run-of-the-mill pickup with a little rust on the tailgate and a fellow driving at his own pace. What made that truck special was the dog riding in the bed.

I’m a cat person so my understanding of dogs is that there are big ones with sharp teeth and little ones with sharp teeth and an attitude. I can pick out obvious breeds like German Shepherd, Husky and Marmaduke but that’s about all.

This dog was of medium size and black with the prettiest big ‘ole smile you’ve ever seen. His expressions were of pure joy. He paced the bed of the truck, barking at motorcycles when we stopped at traffic lights and wagging his tail like your Aunt Thelma shooing away flies at a 4th of July picnic anytime we picked up speed.

This dog was one very happy pup.

It got me to thinking about living in the moment and accepting that you’re sometimes just along for the ride.

This dog was happy no matter what. We have to stop? Yay! We get to go now? Woohoo! He was happy simply being out in the sunshine with his ears flapping in the wind. He wasn’t in charge of where he went or how soon they got there but the journey was grand fun.

As humans, we often get so caught up in the trip that we forget to enjoy the journey.

Read that again.

We get so caught up in the daily grind of life that we forget to enjoy the experience of being alive.

It seems like we can do better than this.

So the next time things aren’t going your way, take a moment to ask yourself if being uptight and upset is really the best way to enjoy your life’s journey.

Spoiler alert: The correct answer to that question is no.

Navy Scarecrow

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Chillcothe’s annual downtown scarecrow decorating contest is underway. Of all that we saw Saturday, this one is my favorite.

It was made by the Daughters of the American Revolution to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Navy. Not only is it bright, happy and colorful, it’s a positive message and is simply well done.

If you find yourself in downtown, park your car and take a stroll to stop by some fun shops, grab a bite to eat, and soak in some of the town’s charm.

Wheatberry Wonders

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There’s a bookstore in Chillicothe, Ohio that seems to be stocked with someone like me in mind. Every visit results in the purchase of some fantastic treasure.

It’s called Wheatberry and it’s located in the city’s historic downtown. This shop is small but packed with a vast variety of fiction and nonfiction. I try to stop in whenever I’m in the neighborhood and attempt to stick to a budget.

I was there yesterday and gave myself permission to buy one book. So I bought three books and a journal.

Ahem…. As you can tell, my self control is perfectly in check.

To be fair, everything I bought was something unique and possibly not found anywhere else. The above pictured Sean Dietrich book has been on my wish list for a while but I couldn’t find it at any other bookstore in my travels. I have become increasingly averse to buying from Amazon so I was thrilled to support an independent bookseller.

The clerk seemed genuinely happy for our business and had lovely things to say about my choices.

I tell you that to tell you this.

Amazon won’t sponsor your kid’s ball team or donate to your senior center. They don’t care about you or your town. They just like your money.

But when you buy from a small business, these people do a happy dance with every purchase. Not to mention, you’re supporting your neighbors and your community and the tax dollars stay right here.

So, if you think about it that way, supporting my local bookstore was the responsible thing to do!