Tag Archives: life

RELEVANT

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Relevant: An adjective that describes something closely connected, appropriate, or pertinent to the matter at hand. It signifies a logical relationship that matters in a specific context. It implies a traceable, logical connection that brings value, context, or significance to a specific situation or topic. Common Synonyms: Pertinent-Stresses a clear and decisive relationship to the subject; Germane-Implies a precise appropriateness or fitness for the situation; Applicable-Suggests that a general principle or rule fits a particular case.

I never wanted to be mediocre. That was author Jim Harrison’s greatest fear, and he was an accomplished writer. I believe writers constantly seek information relevant to their projects or to where they are in their stage of life. We all want to be heard, yet many avoid the spotlight, whether out of fear, angst about being identified as a fraud, or simply being too shy to have others acknowledge them. Many of us become reclusive at the end of our days on this plane of existence, while others rally and reach out to shout out the injustices of the world, in an attempt to wake up those who have shut down. With a constant stream of negative media bursts, I’m not sure whether the latter is better or where I am right now in this creative soup.

I hear others complaining about the state of the world, but not taking the time to figure out ways to make it better. It’s the quiet ones who just do things for the betterment of society and take no credit that we should be thankful for. The loud ones are just that, loud and obnoxious, not doing anything to make the world a better place. And yet we listen to them because they are a constant in our media streams.

We all want to be relevant and heard, but hearing other people tell you that you are well liked, so why aren’t you here at some event or other, or needing you for some task, or statements like “Why do you worry about it so much?” doesn’t help a person’s state of mind when too much else is going on. Sometimes people just need to take a break from the world, and you have to let them just be.

It’s best to just keep admonishing yourself that you are who you are and where you are supposed to be right now. You don’t have to feel bad about it when others don’t understand. Acknowledge internally that you are important no matter what and keep on doing what you do best. You are relevant to yourself, and others may or may not acknowledge that, so you just have to be okay with it in your head.

When your favorite pet is in her last days, you try to reconcile in your mind that it is okay to let her go, that she had a good time during her lifetime, and she was loved. She was always there for you in both good and bad times. She would always meet you at the door with her tail wagging and jumping up and down for treats. She didn’t demand much of you except to be fed, let outside to go potty and do the zoomies in the yard, walked, and loved. It is heartbreaking to let the little ones go, but life still moves on.

I am at a loss right now that people in general can’t be like a beloved pet. I question why we can’t all just get along and help each other out. Why can’t we look beyond our fears and pettiness and become companions for each other unconditionally? Why can’t we get over past hurt, move on to the next phase of our lives, and create something new and wonderful? There are days when a lot of us go into that deep, dark hole of self-loathing and defeat, and a willful mind is necessary to get out of it. But there are also more days when there is hope for the future and the relevance of logic and compassion will be restored to all.

So all I’m asking for today is that each of you find your new purpose in life. You can be relevant to yourself, but be relevant to the world. Ask yourself, “Can you live with who you have become?” And, if not, “Who are you going to be in the future?” I love you all and want you to love each other with no conditions. Enjoy the moments of love and laughter each day with yourself, your friends, and loved ones.

REVERENT

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Reverent: An adjective that means showing profound respect, awe, or veneration. It describes a humble, serious attitude of deep admiration—often bordering on worship—toward a religious deity, a person, or something held as sacred. Synonyms: Respectful, devout, admiring, and venerating.

I’ve been thinking lately about the things I hold dear to my heart and how I revere them. In my case, it’s not about anything religious but about an appreciation of things from my past, such as books and the authors who wrote them, an amazing building such as the Obama Center and the root of the Obama Foundation, and all of his family and people whom I respect, a beautiful piece of art or music, a beautiful landscape, incredible night skies as viewed from the heights of the Colorado Rockies, or simply a well-designed old-fashioned filing system.

1.  I used to lend books from my personal library to friends. I learned that most people considered these works expendable rather than treasured pieces of my collection. When I didn’t receive some of the out-of-print works back, I stopped lending them. I had to research thrift stores to find the ones I’d lost. I found most of them, but I no longer lend books. These are treasures I revere, and most people don’t understand the adventures I return to when I reread them. Hopefully, the ones I’ve kept will help my offspring revisit the lands I went to in the past.

This is an AI compilation of what some of the great writers write about the meaning of reverence: The concept of reverence spans philosophy, theology, and nature. The most prominent authors who have explored reverence across different disciplines include:

  • Paul Woodruff: A philosopher and classicist whose book, Reverence: Renewing a Forgotten Virtue (2001), is widely considered the defining modern text on the subject. He defines reverence as the virtue that keeps us from overreaching and helps us recognize human limitations in the face of the unknown, truth, and nature.
  • Albert Schweitzer: Nobel Peace Prize-winning theologian and humanitarian who originated the famous ethical principle of “Reverence for Life”. His philosophy demands universal compassion and respect for all living things.
  • Mary Oliver & Wendell Berry: Renowned poets and essayists who frequently write on the intersection of nature, humanity, and the sacred, urging a reverent approach to the natural world.
  • Paul Nicklen: A celebrated wildlife photographer and conservationist whose visual and written works (such as Reverence) cultivate a deep awe and respect for polar ecosystems and the wild planet.
  • Eric Sloane: Author and artist known for A Reverence for Wood, which explores the historical, spiritual, and physical relationship early North American settlers had with timber.

For more quotes, visit the Daily Good website. I was particularly blown away by Paul Woodruff’s insight on leadership, and Wendell Berry’s thoughts about the future: Why Reverence Matters

2.  Looking at what the Obamas have accomplished with their Foundation and the Obama Center makes me humble in my accomplishments. To have something as wonderful as they have created makes me want to work harder to explore the universe and help others gain a sense of the world beyond themselves. It makes me want to read more, write more, and share my views with all the young people who will take over the world someday. I want to visit the Center someday and revel in the world of art, music, and learning about their accomplishments firsthand. I hope every large city can create something wonderful like this for ALL people to enjoy, not just the privileged few.

3.  When I view beautiful works of art, particularly current studies of people or places, I cry. The talent these folks show always amazes me, and I am in awe of their accomplishments. I could never duplicate their skill, so I don’t try. Instead, my creative efforts go into writing about people who do these things. My characters are composites of people I know, and their fictional talents are drawn from real artists’ accomplishments. Writing is an art as well, and we should revere all those who create in their own ways.

4. The same reverence holds true for great music. I’m not talking about just the classics but about people who choose to make a joyful noise no matter their talent. The effort to improve oneself through music brings harmony. When my aunt and uncle took me to my first concert at a local high school, I felt so privileged to dress up in my finest clothes and patent-leather shoes. For such a little kid, I was still in my heart for a little while, listening to the sound of harmony. I cried at the beautiful sounds the orchestra made, even though they didn’t understand why I was crying. It impacted me for the rest of my life. I joined the band, and later a choir. Today, when I go to concerts, I feel the same, and my life is better for having heard great artists. It’s hard to explain that feeling, but I know others have it in them when I see their faces. They get it.

5. When I first came out to Colorado, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the mountains and the incredible landscape, the heights of the mountains and the great expanse of blue sky during the day, and the stars and planets shining down on us at night. It was so different from where I grew up. And, when I went camping in my early years, away from any night glow of civilization, I was immersed in the beauty of the world outside this earth. The night skies spoke to me about places we might explore someday. This beauty is what we should hold onto and keep the hope alive for a better tomorrow. This is the world we should hold in reverence.

6.  Finally, I am so grateful for growing up in the times I did. I have enormous respect for librarians and record-keepers who enriched my life. There is nothing more beautiful than going into the library for the first time when you are a kid, seeing the vast landscape of books, and looking forward to the adventure held in each book you check out. The librarians were my friends, and it was a safe place for a nerdy kid to hang out and just be herself. And although bookstores would become my next-best friends over the years, I still appreciate the librarians who taught me a lot about life. The libraries were places where I learned about the catalog files, at the time a low-tech (or no-tech), but well-designed, old-fashioned filing system. Organization and research became ingrained in my blood. Record-keepers became my gods and goddesses, and they taught me the value of maintaining and retrieving things. I loved the orderliness, and it helped me later when the computer kids helped me create an online data system for research and crime-analysis files. I still use these manual record-keeping systems today, and organize my computer files in a similar way.

So, as I age, I reflect on my learning roots and appreciate those who started it all, those librarians and file clerks who shaped me. I understand their protective nature and how they felt when kids wouldn’t respect the rules, making their world more complicated. I liked working with the librarians. I liked filing. I revel in the joy of organizing and researching even to this day. It helps my brain make order in the universe. (I would have been a great librarian in the Library of Congress!)

I understand that when people touch my personal stuff, I want them to see me and how I see the world. I want them to respect those things I hold dear and revere them as I do. In conclusion, I guess I am a personification of all of those librarians and organizers of the world when it comes right down to it. The system is necessary to preserve the past. What we revere will survive in this world of chaos. So, thank you, wonderful people, for keeping our learning centers alive. Thank you, President and Mrs. Obama, for creating a beautiful library and museum. Words and art matter. Let’s preserve them the best way we know how. I love you all and hope you are safe and comfortable tonight.

Know What You Are Facing and Find Your Battle Buddies

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N.K. Jemisin, Paul Trembley,  Andy Weir, Veronica Roth, and Amor Towles were each asked to write a short story for a collection by renowned figures in Science Fiction during the pandemic. A screenwriter and author, Blake Crouch, last known to be living in Durango, Colorado, was driving through the Rocky Mountains with his partner, debating the topic of growing up in the “bubble of rapid change in technological advancement. He felt that much of the advancement had been amazing, but some of it needed to be rolled back because of its negative effects. He also posed the question of whether we would ever know where the discovery would lead us and, if we had to stop it, whether we could. And how would it feel to change the world? Would our world become a better place? This collection of six stories (including one by Crouch) is phenomenal, and most of the writers have moved on to newer and wonderful projects (e.g., books and movies, including The Martian, Project Hail Mary, and A Gentleman in Moscow, to name a few).

Since the first six of the Far Reach novellas were written, six more authors have written a new set, and I have read them all. Each tale speaks of a society like the one we have today and how we can cope with expanding into the unknown universe to make our lives better on Earth in the long-run. The books touch on subjects that help us understand that we are just a speck in time and space, and life will change no matter how we try to stay in the past.

I often search for connection in my current world of solitude and find others doing the same. We lack connection because we are so stuck in our individual lives. We aren’t getting what we need out of the constant streaming of bits and pieces of doom and gloom. So, I have to sit back, reflect on what is really important in my life, and concentrate on what is next. And yet I still need that connection with another human, so I keep searching. Gardening and writing sustain my spirit, but sometimes you just need to bounce back into that maelstrom of human interaction.

I recently looked into the 10-10-10 Rule, developed by author and speaker Suzy Welch. She developed a decision-making framework used to overcome short-term emotional responses by evaluating the consequences of a choice across three time frames: 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years. When facing a difficult or emotionally charged decision, she recommended that you slow down and ask yourself the following three questions before taking action: 

  • 10 minutes: How will I feel about this choice in 10 minutes? (Focuses on immediate, often emotional reactions.)
  • 10 months: How will I feel about this choice in 10 months? (Focuses on the mid-term consequences and adjustments.)
  • 10 years: How will I feel about this choice in 10 years? (Focuses on the long-term impact on your overall life goals.)

Welch stated that most regret comes from making a decision based solely on how it feels in the immediate short term. By zooming out and looking at the bigger picture, you can stop impulsive reactions and ensure that your choices align with your core values and long-term trajectory. In other words, you can focus on how to get out of a spiral of despair.

If you focus on the good and future possibilities instead of what is happening daily in your life right now, you can get away from this moment in time. Unless time travel is real, you can’t change the past, but you can walk into your future with courage.

If you can take your current situation and surround yourself with what author and speaker Alli Worthington terms your battle buddies, you will get through your disappointment and come out stronger and wiser on the other side. She stated that “We weren’t created to go it alone anywhere in life. When you are in the deep valley of disappointment, reach out to your battle buddies, those few friends who have proven they genuinely care for you.” And “Your battle buddies will not only validate the pain of your disappointment, but they will also care enough to lock arms with you and drag you out of that pit….They’ll help you find perspective and walk with you as you battle to overcome your disappointment.” And, finally, “Finding a battle buddy is a great way to remember you aren’t alone. When you feel like someone else is in it with you, it’s easier to remember you have the power to overcome your disappointment.”

So, no matter what you believe or how horrible the state of the Union is right now, know you can rely on your buddies to get through it. Know that you can still do some good things and pay it forward every day. Know that you are worthy and stay positive!

I love you all and hope for a better tomorrow every day that I am alive!

DOING

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I had lunch with a friend a while ago, and we are both in the process of creating memoirs. It was nice to touch base with someone who has had an incredible and interesting life, has loads of journals, notes, and stacks of pictures and papers to sort through (like me), so she can just get to the point of putting it together on the computer.

When I think of all the things that I have done, I feel humbled at what she has accomplished. Her book should be enlightening, to say the least, and I will be able to follow her path in a few years, entering the further chapters of my life, sorting through memories, traveling, and having the next great adventure, going to places I have dreamed about, learning new things, and meeting new people. I look forward to reading about where she was from and where her travels took her.

We laughed about being the “doers” in our families, taking on tasks no one else wanted and excelling at them. We mocked those who weren’t willing to try new things or even do what needed to be done. We agreed that we didn’t want to be the leaders, yet somehow our doing the jobs that needed doing made us become one.

We commiserated about those who refuse to get out of their ruts and won’t learn anything new. They have stagnated into obscurity and dislike others who have moved on. She encouraged me to move on, forgive, and forget those people. They won’t change unless they want to do something new and invigorating with their senior years.

We agonized over those people who have shut out their human side, not caring for others who have less or are different from them, instead condemning them and never stepping up to help.

We discussed at length how we define ourselves, and how our past affected us. We posed questions about how our past might define us, how we might overcome some of the trials that have scarred us, and how we might move on to accept that our present actions are now defining us.

Finally, we noticed that our active listening gave us insight into each other and into how we might teach others to do the same. People who don’t listen are a pet peeve of mine, and I realize how important it is for others to sit down and breathe so we can communicate in a positive, rational way and learn something new about each other and the world.

And finally, we agreed that some people are, to put it bluntly, lazy. Hard work is hard. It’s also hard to do the work. It’s hard to understand the world, and you have to dig for facts, not just believe insane sound bites. It’s important to read and study every day you are in this world, making reality out of nonsense. Family is important, and sometimes you just have to create your own family. Some of us don’t have blood relations that speak to us, because we are so different. So, my advice is to embrace the family and community you create.

The biggest lesson I learned from her was that I need to let things go and accept that other people have issues far bigger than mine, but still need someone to blame. How to dive deeper and figure out the WHY their behavior still bothers me greatly, but I guess that’s one of the things I also need to let go of.

So my advice to you all today is to live your life fully and in the moment. Don’t procrastinate. Do the things that need to be done, even if you don’t want to. Grow something beautiful. Make something tasty out of what you grow, feed others when you can, and embrace happiness. You may not live long enough for the world to change for the better, so make your own world better, and make your happiness when you can.

In the few days before summer is truly announced to the world (the summer solstice), love where you are in this moment of time.  Love the summer as much as I do and get out and dig! Love each other as much as I love you all.

LIFE PLANS

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Or: The Fortress of Solitude
“The secret of a good old age is simply an honorable pact with solitude.” —Gabriel García Márquez
“The voices may propel you to warble along, or to dance, they may inspire you to seduction or insurrection or introspection or merely to watching a little less television…”—Jonathan Lethem,The Fortress of Solitude

I was thinking about what a person does with the rest of their days when they retire and/or a loved one passes. Growing up in the 60s and 70s brings back “youthful, isolated memories” [Jonathan Lethem] in my search for people I can connect with today. In my younger days, I had a plethora of cousins and school pals to “hang out” with. As I moved on to college, I made friends in class, at work, and at bars we frequented. When I went off to work in the “real world,” I found family in law enforcement. We were a band of brothers and sisters fighting the good fight. We were a tight-knit group who took care of each other. When I took my adventure out west, I met some amazing people along the way. We bonded and kept in touch for a while. I had work colleagues, law enforcement family, hikers, and martial arts buddies, yet another family. And then the kiddo came along, and I had 18 years of non-stop on the go, doing everything surrounding raising that boy of mine. Friends were a different crowd, and it all centered on doing my best to make his world safe, fun, and productive.

And then kiddo grew up, moved off to college, and he needed less help from us. So, I decided to “retire” and create my world at home, with a million tasks, hobbies, writing, and all the things I wanted to do on my own. I had to seek out new contacts or be content with my headspace alone. Some days I am fine. Other days, I isolate myself, and my mind is filled with “what ifs.”

Isolation makes us motionless to reach out to others. There is a difference between isolation and Solitude. We can choose both, but we need to decide what is best for us and how to balance that alone time. Sometimes we need a quiet space for our minds to reflect and create, so we choose to isolate ourselves and create moments of solitude.
“​​Our language has wisely sensed these two sides of man’s [a person’s] being alone. It has created the word ‘loneliness’ to express the pain of being alone.  And it has created the word “solitude” to express the glory of being alone.” Paul Tillich

But sometimes we need to reach out and join with others to get moving in our bodies so our minds can rest and recover from thoughts we dwell upon. And, if the physical body cooperates, I have an action plan. There are certain limits to my activities outside the home. Driving with limited vision has put a damper in late night adventures. So, I seek out daytime workouts, friendships, and get-togethers. And volunteer groups can be tricky. All of us have been in charge of something or someone our entire lives. We have to be willing to let go of that and participate as a NOOB when we start something new. We bring our skill set and volunteer it to others. We have to be content with the fact that not everyone is like us and try to blend into the atmosphere. We have to learn (yes, me too!) to be happy with chaos if you are prepared to join a group and aren’t the leader. And we have to understand that not everyone organizes like us as individuals (yes, me too!). That seems to be the most difficult task to belong to something bigger than you.

 Organize your life and let it go (this is very, very hard) if you can. Be happy in the moment and participate in life’s mysteries. You grew up with wonder, so try to maintain that as you age. For further information on embracing solitude and aloneness, see:
https://www.success.com/quotes-about-solitude-and-being-alone\
and:
https://www.success.com/magazine

Also,  I encourage you to read Jonathan Lethem’s book The Fortress of Solitude. I highly recommend the read. His connection to the world is very interesting, and I can understand his process!

What Makes People Go Bad?

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“Human nature….We seem cursed with the need to acquire control over each other and our environment. To rule. To change everything we can possibly meddle with.” [Charles de Lint. The Little Country (p. 273). Triskell Press. Kindle Edition.]

Today, I am pondering human nature and why we have gotten to the place we are today as a collective of beings who should be taking care of each other, no matter what. Human nature wants to have control over someone else when their lives aren’t what they hoped they would be. Friedrich Nietzsche once said that “Underneath the reality in which we live and have our being, another and altogether different reality lies concealed.” And it is that reality we must attempt to achieve, not the personality we have sought after, the hero of our own drama. The hero will die an un-heroic death if we don’t embrace the good and the bad of our perception of ourselves and others.

The current state of affairs, unfortunately, is all about people in control who have the most wealth. And they believe that fairness is only for those who can afford it. Don’t buy into the adage that the privileged get away with crimes and misdemeanors at the expense of others. In a Woody Allen movie, Professor Levy is heard saying, “The universe is a dark and indifferent place which human beings fill with love, in the hope that  future generations will understand more.” [From: Crimes and Misdemeanors, Woody Allen, 1989]

So before you decide to go “out the window,” or check out of this reality, reflect on what you can do to stop the hate, the bad people in charge, and commit to a kind deed every day that you live. Embrace your rebellious teenage years and speak up, demanding justice for those being attacked. Demand that your government representatives take action against those who think they are above the law of the land.   

I recommend you buy and read this very short but highly impactful book. It is amazing! The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, by Walter Isaacson. A must-read for people who are fighting against the orange one and his mania. And here is that sentence in case you forgot:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

And to my fans: I have fine-tuned the cover on Frankie & Jamie. Take a look and buy an escape, for a little while, into the story in the depths of the Grand Canyon in this second book of the Silver Rangers Mini-Series, available on Amazon.

I send love and hope out to all of you every day that I am alive and kicking! Brave the wind and do something fun!

Wishing for a Real Tamson House

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“Everybody needs a bit of a quiet space once in a while, a place they can just be themselves….”—Charles de Lint

I just finished re-reading Spiritwalk, by Charles de Lint. This was a continuation of Moonheart by him, which I also re-read. In the book, there is a wonderful, very large house, almost a castle, in Ottawa, Canada, where all can come together in their weirdness. It is magical and a home I wish I had grown up in. Tamson House was explained as a “strange sort of place…that draws people to it—but only the right kind of people. They’re the kind of people who are a little different.” De Lint goes on to describe these people who don’t quite fit in the outside world. They are the sensitive, artistic, or troubled souls who see beyond the current plane of existence and are uncomfortable in the real world. The house picks them to stay, and they become part of an evolving group who live there because their differences are the norm.

The author’s philosophy of life and how we live harmonizes with my very soul and gives me hope that there are like-minded people out there who are braving the turmoil like me. Here are a few of the points made that struck a chord not only to the depth of their characters, but to me personally:

  • “When people are born, they’re still at one with the world, but they lose that harmony as they get older.”
  • The characters believe they have gifts to give others and “help ease the aging hearts of people before they enter the winter of their lives….”
  • People tend to “…shut their eyes, their hearts, their minds to everything that’s around them….”

So, very much like these wonderful characters, I believe that people like me and those who think like me are put here on this earth “…to show people the way back, and restore harmony with the universe.

So, I say again, his characters live a life that I try to live, one of exchanging positivity, lending a helping hand, and bringing those back from the brink, letting others know that “What we are doesn’t change….” We can give in to despair, or we can lend a helping hand, lend hope, explaining that it doesn’t matter if others think we are weak or what shape we wear. If we turn our backs on what we are, loving, kind, caring people, despite everything that is thrown at us, that will be the death of us all. That is true weakness. There are sooooo many more fantastic words of wisdom in this book. I hope you check it out and support this author. He is amazing. Charles de Lint Spiritwalk

If we all have faith in ourselves and believe we can make a difference, that is the strength of a United People. There is beauty in humankind if we look for it and fight the haters. I have taken this final quote to new levels of meaning and have used it in several of my speaking engagements and publications over the years. I thank the author for putting it out there and hope he doesn’t mind my adulation. I hope you enjoy it and learn from it as much as I have:

“Inside us lies every possibility that is available to a sentient being. Every darkness, every light. It is the choices we make that decide who or what we will be [Emphasis mine].

Love each other tonight and sing praises to the Bad Bunny half-time show. A session of love!

RISE OF SELFISHNESS

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And how to overcome it as well as unbridled meanness….
Or: “There will always be someone out there who needs what you have to give.” I just read this on Facebook this morning, and it got me thinking (Oh! No!). Sometimes people are just mean, and I just don’t get it. They lash out when they are uncomfortable with a subject or person who disagrees with them. I have noticed that men and women speak differently when discussing an uncomfortable subject or when they want you to just agree with them, even if they are wrong. They just want you to believe in them no matter how you feel. It is hard for some men to listen without interrupting a conversation with a woman. Sometimes I think they just want to make their point without an argument, but, hey, if we women don’t agree with them, aren’t we allowed to argue back? In this age of the biggest bigot/misogynist in office, apparently, women aren’t allowed to ask questions and demand answers. Apparently, they are just supposed to smile and look pretty and agree with all the lies coming out of his mouth. (Thank you, Kaitlin Collins, for standing up to you know who.)

 I grew up in the South, where women were supposed to just smile and look pretty. But it was interesting to note the dynamics when the men left the room. Yeah, we were supposed to do most of the cooking and cleanup, but when we women got together, all I could say was: “Lawdy, Mercy!” Look out for what we all had to say! We had this kind of conversation where we all talked over each other, but we heard it all. And even if we disagreed, we could come to terms with it and still love the conversation. No one got too mad, and we still cared about each other in the end.

So it’s not wrong to disagree with each other, we just have to understand that we come from different mindsets. We as women tend to be helpers. And yes, sometimes we are mean to each other and selfish, but we can come to terms with it and do what’s right for our families and friends. Most of us aren’t too petty with each other. And sometimes we rise above all of it and agree on something our men say. Amazing, isn’t it? I would like for all men and women to get along, rise above petty, selfish government, and do the right thing. Mr. Rogers said it so well: “Look for the helpers. There are always people who are helping.”

My point is, this rise of selfishness wasn’t invented by the ugly, ill-tempered man in office. It’s been around a long time, and many interesting books have been written about it. One suggestion I have is a book by James Lincoln Collier, published in 1991. It is enlightening to see that this idea hasn’t gone away, even though we wish it would.
https://www.amazon.com/Selfishness-America-James-Lincoln-Collier/dp/0195052773

Andrew Carnegie believed in giving away wealth during one’s lifetime. His 1889 essay, The Gospel of Wealth, includes one of his most famous quotes: “The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.” Carnegie’s message argues that the wealthy have a moral obligation to act as trustees of their wealth and distribute it for the public good during their lifetimes rather than hoard it or leave it behind. 
Context: Carnegie, who rose from poverty to become one of the wealthiest people in history, believed that accumulated wealth should be used to benefit society, not merely passed down or wasted.
The Philosophy: He argued that surplus wealth is a trust fund to be administered for the community, aiming to help those who will help themselves, such as through libraries and education.
Application: Carnegie lived by this creed, ultimately donating roughly 90% of his fortune ($350 million) to various philanthropic causes.
Legacy: This statement is considered a foundational document in modern philanthropy and a direct critique of selfishness. He believed that failing to use one’s wealth for the benefit of society was a profound moral failure.

Let’s hope the billionaire cult leaders take heed and do the right thing in the coming years. I love you all on this beautiful Super Bowl Sunday. Take heed, but it’s okay to have a little fun on the way!

JOYFUL AND PEACEFUL

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Despite all the hoopla, I look forward to a better week. I had a scare in the King Soopers parking lot on Friday. I was just minding my own business when a bunch of young people swarmed me, asking for donations. It seemed okay, but so many things should have set off alarms that it was a scam, and yet I still gave them my credit card. When they asked me for my phone and started poking at it, I kept asking for it back. Something must have triggered in my befuddled brain, because I kept asking them, “Is this a scam?”

They ran when a young man came up and said, “Did they get you, too? I called the police.” My friend came up to me when she saw me, so I think they knew the jig was up. They scattered, and we didn’t see where they went. We talked to the nice police officer and reported them. We got a case report, and he told all his co-workers about it. They cruised the parking lots of other businesses looking for them and told the next shift about it as well.

But I felt so ridiculous that I fell for it, and I still do three days later. Turns out they tried to charge $2,500.00 to my credit card. I immediately called the credit card company, filed a dispute, and cancelled the card. I had to cancel the card. I can’t tell you how embarrassed I was, and kept going over the scenario. I wanted to tell you my story because it could happen to you. I feel like I know a lot about these things, but when you’re surrounded by people like this, you feel rushed and overwhelmed, and you want to help. The psychological impact will haunt me forever. I still can’t believe I fell for it. One thing that helped was that the officer said we, as residents, just want to be kind and help everyone, so it can happen to any of us. It’s nice to know that we all try to help others even during these trying times.

So, I hear you out there when this happens to you. I understand how you feel now. Work with your local police, call and alert the media, and dispute all the charges if they go through. I know it is embarrassing, but you are the victim, so try to get through it. Contact all the credit bureaus and notify them. The scams will change, but just learn from your experience and don’t fall for them again. Don’t give anyone your information in a parking lot!

So, my therapy is to write about it and work on my taxes! And listening to some wonderful people who sing amazing songs. Have a joyful, peaceful day, and reach out to your loved ones today to tell them your story and also help them when you can. I send you my thoughts of peace, joy, and love to all of you! https://www.youtube.com/@gaiamusiccollective

National Curmudgeons Day

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A curmudgeon personality is characterized by a tendency to critically evaluate stimuli, with both negative- and positive-normed stimuli viewed negatively (negative dispositional attitudes). Curmudgeons see positive- and negative-emotion qualities, and evidently in the same attitude object, but they weigh qualities to avoid higher than qualities to approach. Excerpt from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886915301148

Today is National Curmudgeons Day! We have become what we’re celebrating, but it’s okay if we embrace it and try to dig out of the sadness!

Among other things celebrated today are:
Puzzle Day
Corn Chip Day
Seeing Eye Dog Day
Freethinkers Day

I am just grateful to still be here after this crazy month! I hope I’m not the doom-and-gloom curmudgeon some of my relatives and friends are, but I have a tendency to go down that road more often than I’d like to. I am, however, forced to be in the world of technology, so I don’t grouse (too much) about all of that (I definitely don’t go back to that crutch: Well, in the old days…. We are certainly back in the old days right now, so come on, folks! Even at my lowest point lately, I know things are changing, and we should not wish to return to the past. So, I implore you all to embrace the future in a positive way, one that doesn’t involve the madness we have right now. Phew!

But of course, this got me thinking about the last one: Freethinkers Day:

Fast Andy or POTUS and Past Lives episode (The Rookie, Season 8, Episode 2). In this episode, the president comes to Los Angeles, and of course, the local police have to work with the Secret Service and other Federal agencies to get the president safely through their town. There is a perceived assassination threat, and havoc ensues. Turns out, one of Nolan’s rookies, Selena, who understands things that are not quite of this world, especially past lives, is paired up with a secret service agent who believes he is the secret service man who failed to protect Lincoln, and he was reincarnated to be the agent who protects the current president. The interesting takeaway from this scenario is that, although Selena understands there are many layers to this world, not everyone is reincarnated as a famous person. We may be a product of our family’s history, but we weren’t all famous.

So this led me down the path of what a Free Thinker really entails, and what is real?
In my mind, the connection to this current drama brought back the 1990s SNL: Jack Handey’s Deep Thoughts and his obsurdacles (my word for it). It helped me understand that those Deep Thoughts are what some people come up with when faced with real facts.

It also made me return to all of the old fantasies about a world beyond what we see every day. You know, what some people call the woo-woo stuff, such as in the fantasy books of Charles de Lint, a Canadian fantasy author. I once connected and felt the energies beyond the so-called natural world. Re-reading his books made me think about what else is out there and how I can tap back into this energy and help others who are struggling. His novels about the old ways speak a profound message if you take the time to think. Whether we believe it is real doesn’t make it less real. We should all try to understand others’ thoughts about the origin of our reality and where we go when we leave this plane of existence. The new gods don’t allow us to explore meanings beyond the dogma and message of doom being poured out to the masses. We have a choice in what we do with our lives. We can take a chance and speak out and defy fear. We have a choice to be those Free Thinkers who sort through all the materials and come up with solutions that make sense. We can choose to reject ridiculous explanations for wrongdoing when we see it with our own eyes. We have a choice to do the right thing every day of our lives. And, if it comes to it where we are in harm’s way to protect others, that is the right choice. That is what we need to do.

So, as we age, I hope we all become wiser people and surpass our parents’ wisdom. I hope we reach out and connect with others to solve the devastating problems that are ongoing, and not put our heads back in the sand or under a blanket, hoping it will be better tomorrow. I hope each day we reach out to those in need and embrace the consequences of our actions, without fear of retribution from the crazies. Let’s all try not to become a curmudgeon this day. Let’s all work on positivity!

And, so what if you burst into the “Gopher Guts” song in mid-afternoon because it popped into your head and made you laugh? (I know you know it!) It’s a mechanism to keep your sanity in this world of denial and chaos. Go ahead, sing along! You’ll be happy you did! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR1ajf5Yh7w

I love you all and stay warm and cozy!