Monday, January 23, 2012

Timely Thoughts

We all treasure our time,
But I've been thinking about how we mark time.
--Most of us, of course, turn the page every month and start over with a new calendar every year--beholding the 12 boxes of each month in front of us--mind-boggling!
--I find a new shoe box large enough for the year to store receipts, bills, bank statements, and yearly monetary information.
--I look back and look forward--what can/will I change this year?
--I think of my mom and how old I was when she was my age right now--am I doing more or less than she did?
--I look at my grandchildren and think of my own children at their age--how did I feel as a parent then and, what were they doing?
--I consider if I'm just sucking in air or contributing enough--(Thank you, Tammy S. for this measurement in regard to life!)
--I consider how many times I have done something and consider its worth--can I do something better?
--I mark the next Christmas by buying Christmas ornaments/cards on sale in January for next year.
--I prepare/eat lunch, thinking the best part of the day is gone, and it's downhill after this.
--I send birthday cards trying to figure out how old someone is and revel at their age.
--Christmas decorations come down, and red hearts fill my hooks, tables, and windows. (I personally think this is where the extra Christmas red dyes find an outlet, just like the Christmas green dyes find an outlet on St. Patrick's Day!)
--I receive information daily on Medicare since I am arriving at that young age of 65 this spring--Could this mail really be mine?!
--What will happen this year to change my life, the lives of others?
--I suppose this marking of time goes on and on every hour of every day, and we don't even think about it much. It might even add to the stress of the day. I guess it's human nature to keep track of and evaluate our time. How would living on a warm tropical island for weeks on end change our tracking and evaluation of time? For those of us who cannot enjoy the warmth of the southern hemisphere, sit down and imagine the life on a truly magnificent, warm island. I am. What thoughts would mark my time? I'm feeling warmer already!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

One Little Word for 2012


--One Little Word has been on my mind a lot these last few weeks. I tried OLW last year, and it worked well, but I wanted to make sure my new OLW gave me plenty of open space for my life and my writing.
--On my list of possible OLWs this year were the words "laughter, patience, joy, celebrate, and positive." I wanted a word that would keep me close to the good in life despite all the negativity that bombards our lives in general and the personal hard parts of our lives that everyone faces because we are alive and things never remain the same whether it be good or bad.
--I need to laugh every day, have patience with others, experience joy in something around me, celebrate life, and remain positive most of the time. I looked up the definitions of each of these words, looking for something that would do it all for me. I came across "treasure" and thought of what I treasure in life. If I think of things that I treasure, won't "treasure" encompass all these words I've listed?
--"Treasure" can lead me from personal relationships to monetary values and from places to objects. I'm satisfied with my OLW and will begin to brainstorm a list of my "treasures" in my twelfth writers notebook of 2012! How full will my "treasure chest" be at the end of the year?
--Happy writing everyone!!!