This time of year is a good time for introspection, reflection and plain inspection of the lives we live.
Could make it a simple question of who is part of your life and do you want them to remain in their current role or at all.
Sometimes you make the choice to change it up and sometimes someone else or circumstances do it for you.
My dear friend David made that remark when we were about 24 or so or maybe when we were younger. I’d ask him but he died in ’98 and no one else was around so the onus is on me.
But then again I could say that my Dad made a similar remark the year he died as did his younger brother, my Uncle Mark who has been gone since ’94.
That is part of why this kind of thinking is cemented inside my head because all three were taken out by terminal illness they didn’t plan for.
The hard headed and more cynical among us might argue that my dad and uncle somehow contributed to their respective illnesses though I think it is ridiculous.
Those are the people who are quick to blame you for any woes you have managed to obtain because they are certain that hard work and responsible action always leads to a good outcome.
It is patently false and a ridiculous stance to take.
Call me whatever you wish, but I adopt a position in between the two. We have significant influence on our lives but none of us are omnipotent which is why some draw the short straw.
Of Body Shops & Doctors
Things happen and sometimes you end up visiting a body shop during the middle of an important holiday not because you wish to but because the fastest way to get things done is to peddle towards the other side.
And let’s be clear that if you can fix it with money and not doctors you are in a pretty good place overall or so we hope.
So in the midst of the aforementioned introspection, reflection and inspection I heard the echoes of multiple voices.
There was the one that said if I pulled my head out of my rear I would see the person who could take better care of me than anyone else.
Another came to me to complain about the bad dad joke he had made asking, “what have you done to me” followed by a third that sounded like a combination of my grandfathers.
That one reminded me of the days when we would play records backwards to see if there was a hidden message because it was sort of garbled yet I got the general message.
****
The house smells like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies because my daughter came home for fall break.
Post fast she put up a couple of loads of laundry, pulled out a mixing bowl and baked cookies from scratch.
Can’t complain about any of it because it is nice to have her around for a few days and who doesn’t like the smell of a fresh cookies.
****
Got two visits this week myself with docs to take a look at things and confirm my progress is in the correct direction.
I might not have complete control of what happens but it doesn’t mean I abrogate all opportunity to take control of my destiny where I can.
That is part of why I met with the personal trainer, to work on getting things situated and why I have added a couple of new exercises to my workout.
It occurs to me that some things that have always been easy might eventually change if I don’t take action to get this almost middle aged body to function as I want it to and not otherwise.
I Am Your Huckleberry
Borrowed Doc Holiday’s line from Tombstone when I was challenged on a couple of things.
Someone who was blowing smoke and thought they had a head of steam because the people they were engaged with missed the forest for the trees.
If someone begins their argument by saying you need to stop watching CNN or some version of that and ends with a flourish where they think calling you a liberal is a hit there is a good chance they lack substance.
Don’t get caught up in the ridiculous insult.
It is meaningless.
Focus on whether they are providing facts and where they come from. That is where you start picking things apart.
Many people are lazy so they share a fragment of something they heard somewhere but never do anything to determine its validity.
Doesn’t take much to check some of those things out and provide a response where you can point out the lack of substance in their ridiculous rant.
But then again sometimes you are better off ignoring some of the denizens of lollipop land because they aren’t interested in reality.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is figure out whose hand you want to hold and whether they want to hold yours or something like that.
Had a poem or song quote in mind when I started writing the line above and my thought got derailed so I think I might have flubbed it.
It happens.
****
Got about a week or so before the company sends out the information for the 2023 health plan coverage options.
Won’t be much longer before I get the bill for the spring semester for school and a half dozen other things.
Echoes of the past creep up from behind and try to stand alongside echoes of the future.
So much going on and so many paths to choose. Sometimes life is one hell of a journey.
