Woke up this morning and lay in bed for a solid 10 minutes before I deigned to open my eyes and greet the world.
Listened for sounds of the dog and the younger Mr. Wilner roaming around the house and smiled when I heard them talking to each other.
Sat up, grabbed my cell and determined it was 9:45 and smiled again cuz I didn’t go to bed until a few minutes after 1 so two things were clear.
1) I had gotten a full nights rest.
2) Whatever had me sneezing had been beaten into submission.
Made a quick run for a couple of necessities and met a man and woman who had flown in from Israel. Back in LA that never surprised me but there it feels different.
Worked through our conversation with a mix of English and Hebrew and then made my way home and mulled over whether I wanted to hit the gym.
Given I had felt like hell the night before I wondered if it was better to just rest and take it easy but the decision to do so didn’t come as easily as I would have liked.
Felt irritated and guilty about it or maybe irritated that I felt guilty but here I am on a Saturday night feeling normal and for that I am grateful.
Marcus Aurelius Is Correct
Several recent events confirmed the veracity and importance of the words of Marcus Aurelius. There are people you are connected to by blood, some by fate, some circumstance and some by choice.
The latter two are of more importance than the former because you had no say in those people whereas the latter are all about choice.
I have seen enough in life to be an agnostic on some things and to be convinced that when life flashes events and people in front of your eyes multiple times you ought to pay attention.
That doesn’t remove free will and your ability to make choices. Think of it as being similar to a traffic signal or street sign that you can acknowledge or ignore.
You can make of that whatever you wish. You can agree, disagree or withhold judgment while you consider it, makes no difference to me.
I know what I think, what I feel and what I believe and that is enough for me.
Time will help provide clarity on whether it is truth, narishkeit or something in between.
For now I am content to watch the Chanukah candles burn and consider the roadmap to the future.
Time to go watch part of Die Hard and enjoy an adult beverage.
Happy 7th night.
I’m in that weird spot because I don’t really celebrate any holidays anymore, since it’s just me. I haven’t wished anyone a “merry” anything in years, and the last gift I bought was for Mom two years ago, but it didn’t make an impression on her. The odd thing is I put the trash out this evening and was filling things into my planner when I suddenly realized that it’s actually Sunday and tomorrow’s officially also a holiday… but I’m leaving the garbage out, and that’s that!
I have been alone for various holidays and forgotten about them. When you don’t have people around to help mark certain moments and occasions it is easy to do.