I have many reasons to be grateful in this world of ours. I did a list this morning. I also did a list of improvements I could make in my life. Mainly in the arena of taking more time to savour the goodness and beauty around me. Interestingly enough (to me) was the desire to do "less" of things that don't seem to be helpful in any way. One of these was the news. I am a news junkie. I have no idea if this enhances my life in any way. My feeling is it doesn't. I worry about the future I can do nothing about. I think vengeful thoughts on all those who do such horrific harm in the world in the name of (take your pick) religion, land, hatred, vengeance. Count the wars. Count the dead babies and helpless women and men who never did harm to anyone.
I look at the newspaper headlines just now and it's all about a New Orleans massacre by "terrorists" a word which is used oddly. Anyone who kills anyone else is surely a terrorist? But no, it usually means someone "foreign" (read not white) never a local. A husband who kills his wife is a terrorist. We know in our hearts he has terrorized her for years. A man who machine-guns children in their schools is a terrorist, mentally troubled or not. All the headlines are meant to alarm and yes, "terrorize" us by specters of such boogeymen everywhere, hiding in every corner. Keeping us compliant and fearful and looking for a saviour to keep us all "safe." Enter Trump.
Interesting. I never know where my blog posts will take me. Look what one headline can do.
I don't make resolutions. But I will try to be kinder to others, less judgmental. We are all staggering along and it's so easy to love the people that agree with us and far more admirable to love those who do not. I live in a building where it is easy to flaunt my own intelligence and judge others for not being as smart. But "smart" is totally subjective. I do not suffer fools easily and I have a huge challenge in not showing that. Which, of course, is a reflection of my own insecurities. I did not sit in therapists' offices for nuttin ya know.
I think we all work on ourselves until the casket lid slams down. At least I do. I can laugh at myself too which is essential. And we learn and grow. Hopefully. Yearningly.
My blogworld saved my sanity many times. In not feeling alone. Some of you I have gotten so close to over the many years of shared thoughts. Many of you passed on and I miss your pithy insights and dear friendships. But i celebrate all of those wonderful readers who take the time to comment and commiserate and share.
I wish us all gentleness (thank you Kylie for the word!) in the coming year. We will need tons of it.
But more than anything, each other.
