Reflections from the Swamp
Dear Reader
Thank you for reading my stories. I hope I’ve brought you some humour as well as a few things to think about during the past year.
My goal for the New Year is to waste less time and value life.
There are three main things that I’m reflecting on as the New Year approaches. Replaceable things, such as my house, car, and the things I’ve accumulated. Irreplaceable things, family and physical and mental health, and spiritual things such as faith, love, hope and purpose.
How do we balance these things and prioritize them?
Typically, when we have a list of things to do, we prioritize them. It’s easy to get our goals mixed up. There are things that money can’t buy, and these are often the important things. How much time do we have left with loved ones? How much money do we really need?
I believe many of us (including me) spend too much time on cheap entertainment, TV, and the Internet, which clog our minds with worries we can’t do anything about. Mental health isn’t improved by too much news or politics.
Life doesn’t come with instructions; we have to look for them. We have the opportunity to glean from the writings of those who came before us, from the music and art that inspire us, and from choosing people who reflect love and wisdom. We are like bees gathering nectar from the flowers and creating our own honey to nourish our lives.
We’re not here forever. We feel helpless when it comes to the economic wars, climate change, and a world ruled by dictators. We have our own internal values that can find expression through spending time with others, supporting local causes such as food banks, focusing on family, and purifying our minds from the tons of meaningless garbage we are subjected to. We can dare to be our true selves and listen to the voice that reveals our actual values. Reading good books, a dying activity, allows us to choose what our brains can consume.
The gym is filling with people who we know won’t be there past February. The disciplined amongst us have a better chance of achieving their goals.
We can learn from the disciplined by reviewing our goals often, not just on New Year’s.
Although I don’t experience it all the time, having a meditative time in the morning with a cup of coffee is my daily time with God in a quiet space before the world wakes up. I am more receptive to the light that guides me through the day. This light gives me a context for facing what often seems like a dark world, and it is the basis of why I am so hopeful about the gift of life.
I don’t want to waste the life we’ve all been given; life is the most valuable gift we have. I hope to leave behind some stories that will inspire others and create a smile.
Have a meaningful New Year.
