Random thoughts

 

The world keeps on spinning, doesn't it?  Sorrows in some spots, thrills in others, but going onward.  There are random things that trigger memories and musings... one morning it was a Facebook meme, asking in the next life, would we want our mother to still be our mother?

Of course one would expect there is a knee-jerk reaction to that one, right?  I wouldn't be who I am had I had a different mother.  Both my strengths and my weaknesses, what I learned and what I didn't, all came from how I was raised, when I was without the presence or attention of my mother, what other adults stepped in an offered lessons not provided by her, etc.

Where it took me was back to something my mother said about questions like "what would you do if you had a million dollars?"  She had no use for such fantastical questions.  "It doesn't matter what I think I might do with a million dollars.  I don't have a million dollars.  It's a waste of time!"

I feel about the same way about "if you could change something in your earlier life and do it differently, what would it be and why?"  You cannot change the past.  But you can resolve to do sommething different "next time".  

The beauty of "next time" is something that allows you to atone for past mistakes, by changing current habits.

Remember my neighbor across the street, the one with the new baby?  Would you believe that baby is now over 40 days old?  In the Uzbek tradition, the new mom is to pass treats around to her neighbors, having kept the baby safe and healthy for those 40 days.  Here's what she brought over.  It's bread.  And it's ART!

It was as yummy as it looks, by the way.

Friday morning I was scheduled to go paddle a kayak at 9 a.m.  I didn't feel great when I got up.  In the end, I decided to cancel that one.  It was the right decision.  I was able to get in a lovely paddle on the 3rd with the kids (see separate blog).

Had a little bit of a start yesterday as the news filled up with a manhunt.  When they finally announced they had a "person of interest" and gave his name, age, car make and model, did a "hide the cars" knee-jerk.  Dexter is a silver Honda Fit!

Fortunately, we don't live in Illinois, so were probably never in the search zone, but we have three silver Honda Fits in the family.  None of those of us driving them are skinny 21 year old males, though.  Any law enforcement trying to pull over any of the three of us would have had no trouble, but methinks they would have tossed us back after having given us heart attacks for being stopped at all.

These are not the droids you're looking for.  They can go about their business.  Later I heard something that made our innocent little cars feel better.  It was not the person of interest's car... the little Honda was his mother's vehicle.  

This morning the bathroom remodelers came over to sit through the process.  They promised to send me links for selections of stuff.  I'm still worried about the budgetary impact, but they are booking all the way out in December, so there's time to make those choices.

Tomorrow we start the week of canine adventures, as Carl is due to arrive.  I have cleared the calendar.

Prayers for our nation in all its turmoil, for the world in its various wars and famine, and for our families as we survive the storms of life.  Take care of yourselves, fellow Spark veterans / refugees, so as to be better equipped to deal with it all.  And at the end of each day, recognize the good in it, and let it go.  It is enough.  You have earned your rest.

Life is good.  Spark on!