Month: November 2021

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Living the Good Life? Hmmm… What is the Good Life? [ Post # 71 ]

Like I have all the answers. Like I have any answers at all, really. Like you’re thinking, “who the hell does he think he is?” There are teachers, mentors, gurus, preachers out there who will tell you the answers to any questions about life you may have. Oh, yeah. Get into a movement, a religion, a cult. That will give you answers, direction, guidance, rigid belief systems. Problem solved of figuring out life.

Well, putting my sarcasm aside, I do have some thoughts on this matter of “what is the good life, is it possible, how does one achieve a good life? (Since my blog theme is “On the Path,” “It’s a Wonderful life,” I better have something to back up my theme. So, here’s my thoughts and take on this subject.

Number one, I allow everyone to have, choose their own religion. You love Jesus, great. He’s your savior, great. You follow the Buddha, fine with me. You are a pagan, an atheist, an agnostic, a follower of the wicca religion, okay. That’s your choice. What I’m talking about is how does one live a good life, regardless of one’s religion or belief system. People can be very religious, devout, etc. and be very unhappy, miserable, and depressed for periods of time, or for their whole life.

How do we be happy people? How do we really enjoy life? How do we keep our sanity, keep our heads above water when the wickedness and confusion of the world out there tries to get to us, and often does get to us? A question I think about a lot as I know what it is to slip into negativity and despair when overwhelmed by life in this world.

The quick answers, responses to my question could be the following: Balance; Boundaries; Right Thinking, Good Energy in your environment; Choose any faith or religious path very carefully. I guess I had better expand on my answers a bit, as just throwing out answers does not help very much, I’m sure.

I recently thought about all these matters and realized I should do some work on this problem of living in an insane world and staying on top of things. Succumbing to the insanity is a disaster, as I’ve discovered several times in my long life here on this earth.

I have done a lot of spiritual work and exploration. I have been in different groups in the spiritual realm, church and otherwise. I have had transformational experiences and had great “breakthroughs.” But, still, the world comes at us. The news is not as objective as it used to be in the days of Walter Cronkite and the others, if you know what I mean. Paying too much attention to the “news” drives me crazy; don’t know about you.

In my recent search, I sought out some books and reading on finding some good news in this world. I did find some interesting reading. I realized that yes, we can look for and find “good” news in our midst. But we have to go find it. Believe me, it takes work! A lot of work and intention.

Two books I’ve recently read to help me find “good news” in this insane world.

So, I have begun my work, my search for finding the good news in life, which I know must be out there but we are sheltered from by “the evening news.” When I decide to do something, I dig in and see where my research goes. Unfortunately, a lot of my work, my research, is done on my own. Not many people I know are on a search for good news, they just absorb what they age given by society and and media.

So, my discovery is that, yes, there is good news out there, but, like I said, it takes work to find it. I wish more people were attuned to the other side of the news. It would give more balance and perspective to our lives.

More good books on finding the “good news” in our world.

So, my “holier than thou” message today is, “don’t buy the bs that all is bad in the world. Look elsewhere than the daily news broadcasts. Yes, I am aware of the sh*t in the world. But I can’t be overwhelmed and destroyed emotionally by the horrors in life. Yes, you can get involved in a cause you strongly believe in, but I say, “watch out.” It can destroy you if you are not careful, aware, and keep a balance in your life with the good that is out there also.

My growing library of “how to find the good news” in life.

Be good to yourself! Find the good. Keep a balance in your life. Have boundaries of what you you will let get you down and depressed. Watch the energy you surround yourself with. Be careful, but be real. A lot of history has always been a history of bad stuff, bad people. Thank God for Jesus, the Buddha and others who have given some guidance in this arena. They saw the good and the bad in life. They gave some good advice and techniques and ways of being and thinking. Study them, their “preaching and teaching.” Then go out there in the world and be happy, enjoy the life you were miraculously given.

Wally

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Thought I knew; Glad I’m Not High-Class, Elite! [ Post # 70 ]

So, this blog comes about because of my “death cleaning;” referencing my previous blog. I do have a full library of books, probably not going to throw out many, but sorting through my stuff, I realized some books have been sitting around for years and have not been read. So, the dilemma, do I keep them (unread), or read them, or throw them out. Well, after some consideration, I added several books to my “unread, but let’s read them pile.” So, here goes my reaction after finally picking up these books and reading them. Really enjoying this and glad I decided to read and keep these books. Glad I didn’t throw them out after years of gathering dust on my bookshelf.

Three books sitting around unread for years

First off… I thought why do I have the two books on “Don’t know Much About… History, and Don’t Know Much About the Bible? I majored in history in college and I went on to seminary after college, so surely I couldn’t get much out of those two books. Wrong! Wow. The book on history really covered a lot, and a lot of stuff I don’t remember studying and that I think is very important to know, especially in this very confusing and crazy, opinionated world of ours. You know, a lot of stuff gets overlooked or hidden or just ignored in our history. It was an “eye-opener,” as they say. I recommend the book, even for “smart people,” ha, ha.

Same goes for the book on Biblical knowledge. There’s just so much we never really learned or don’t remember learning. Another “eye-opener.” Yep, I’ll keep these two books in my library for future reference when needed. Good books! As for the book on Mythology, well that’s next on my list to read as I really am ignorant in that area, just don’t know much on that subject, just the few things picked up here and there in my education. Maybe I do know more than I think, we’ll see.

More unread books in my library

Now, the books on etiquette and manners. Well, why do I have three books on that subject? That surprises me. I’m hardly what I consider “upper class” or “elite.” (Okay, I can hear your snickering over that acknowledgement… and I agree). I guess at some point I ran across these books and thought, “maybe I should read up on this area just to be knowledgeable in this area, in case I have to function in some high-class function, or maybe just to have basic manners. Not sure how I accumulated three books on this subject. So, I may not be “cultured” yet, but I at least have references if I need them. Reading them, which I’m doing now, made me think… I’m glad I was born into a middleclass family. I don’t think I would like to be in an elite or high-class family and society or be a member of the Royal Family. It would be a bit overwhelming, I think. Guess that was not my lot in life!

So, there are some of my adventures in doing my “Swedish death cleaning.” (blog #69). Interesting stuff, I think. I’m sure there’s more to come. What is next to be uncovered?

Wally

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The Stuff; And the Swedish Art of Death Cleaning [ Post #69 ]

Have you ever seen the documentaries about “hoarders?” OMG, isn’t that amazing, what some people do, what they live with? And, yes, I have known and do know some hoarders. People that can’t easily move about their house or apartment and have paths they have to make to get to another room, often with stuff piled up to the ceiling. It is real. It is unbelievable, at least to me and non-hoarders. An illness? Well, yes!

So, in all honesty, I must admit, I am no “neat freak” either. Yes, I’m somewhere in between. ( Please don’t ask my husband, he’d place me more on the hoarder side of the spectrum, but I won’t get into that here). Speaking of “neat freaks,” I’ve seen documentaries on them also, and that can be a bit abnormal sometimes, when people are extreme in that practice.

So, a couple of years ago I read about this book on the practice of “Swedish death cleaning” and it got my interest and so I bought the book. It was very popular, and I was getting older and I realized I needed to simplify my life so when I go to my “reward” of the next existence (okay, death, to be crude), I would not leave my survivors with a horrible mess to go through and clean up. Not the stuff we like to think about, usually, but, well, it’s going to happen some day, like it or not. I’m not much for denial. Denial has not worked well in my life as a habit to promote and live by.

I know many of you have had your time of cleaning up the clutter and mess of dealing with the passing of parents and others. Not pleasant, is it? A whole lifetime of “stuff.” It has to be taken care of, let go of, released. So, I figured I had better at least start cleaning up my lifetime accumulation of crap, so maybe this book would get me started in that direction.

For a normal person, it does feel great to clean things up and live a more simple, purposeful life. I admire people I know who live like that. I hope to get there some day, but I see a lot of work ahead of me. As the book says, it is a slow process with many pitfalls ahead once one gets started in seriously doing “death cleaning.” Oh, just that term bothers me, but being the stoic I am I realize it is the truth. We’ve taken a lifetime making our mess and if we have any integrity and honesty and compassion for those who are going to be left with our “clean up” project one day, we’d better get started and just “dig in.”

The ideal clean up and organization will probably never be achieved but it needs to be initiated. Procrastination just makes it worse. The morbid aspect of it all just makes procrastination the easier path to take. Well, at least last wills and testaments and a trust have been achieved, so now it’s time to handle the messy part. Like I say, I admire those of you who have cleaned up your lives and are keeping it simple. I hope I’m heading in that direction. Well, I am… I just hope I can keep up the momentum. Got to keep a positive attitude, I guess, just like with everything else in life. It can’t get me down, that would be a disaster. “One step at a time….”

Wally