"Old Fashioned" Fear & Local Loafing...
Originally, I wanted to pursue a degree in International Business and auditing. My mother was terrified. She fears accidents travelling. When I got older and began travelling she and my grandmother were always fearful the plane would crash. Neither of them have ever flown. My boyfriend's mother has not either. There are so many planes in the airways and so few actually crash. However, I can see their fears. I just would rather experience travelling and self-fulfillment than worry. Obviously, this is 3 years old but telling nonetheless. Driving to Wal-Mart is riskier than flying :)
They do have a point about one thing though...the world is dangerous and unpredictable. As I age, as each person posted about 9/11 last week...
and daily as horrible things pop up in my news-feed this becomes more and more apparent. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57599877-504083/delbert-belton-murder-update-arrest-made-in-beating-death-of-wash-wwii-veteran-report-says/
Every time I see or hear about anything or anyone being tortured or mistreated it makes me physically sickened with humanity. Between this & the recent Australian baseball player being murdered by "bored" teenagers...wtc?
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57599336-504083/christopher-lane-australian-baseball-player-killed-by-bored-okla-teens-police-say/
http://www.examiner.com/article/south-carolina-teen-arrested-for-kicking-kitten-on-internet-video-sharing-vine ; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2400149/Ninja-cat-survives-shot-ARROW-head.html
The interstate from Murfreesboro to Brentwood/Nashville is ridiculous. I was going and returning against traffic for my shift. I began going in an hour earlier now though to accommodate my second job. However, I am fortunate enough to be able to take in serene scenes on partially country route. On this route I get to see these peaceful sights daily. A friendly donkey and two pretty mules graze by the fence almost daily. Sometimes I stop to tell them hi. Also, notice the wild turkey pecking around (bottom right). There are so many turkeys here. I used to pass them and deer on my way to work at Ft. McClellan in Alabama occasionally but they run rampant here evidently. Right before "their" acreage is a dairy farm. They have a bunch of baby cows now and tons of barn kitties...right up my alley.
One day I decided I'd bring some carrot treats to these <<"horsies." I literally called to them for 20 minutes on the side of the road like a weirdo. I thought an owner was coming to say please stop stalking my animals at the fence.
A man and his wife road over and asked if I'd like to feed their horses across the street. They said I was welcome anytime. I stop by when I have extra time. It turned out she was a principal and has her Ed.D. that I am now working on. Super sweet people!
They do have a point about one thing though...the world is dangerous and unpredictable. As I age, as each person posted about 9/11 last week...
and daily as horrible things pop up in my news-feed this becomes more and more apparent. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57599877-504083/delbert-belton-murder-update-arrest-made-in-beating-death-of-wash-wwii-veteran-report-says/
Every time I see or hear about anything or anyone being tortured or mistreated it makes me physically sickened with humanity. Between this & the recent Australian baseball player being murdered by "bored" teenagers...wtc?
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57599336-504083/christopher-lane-australian-baseball-player-killed-by-bored-okla-teens-police-say/
Then, I've seen multiple articles and pages lately about cats
and dogs being burned with acid or shot with BBs or arrows!! https://www.facebook.com/MamaPetunia ; https://www.facebook.com/LuckyASurvivorKitty ;
They should all be forced to watch this ^on repeat in prison. It always hits home...even for someone already wholeheartedly invested in animal rescue!
Why are there so many psychopathic people on earth? There
must be more positivity in the world. There are already wars & national
disasters. Please, “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world
would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the
world change towards him...We need not wait to see what others do.” Read a
book; write a short story, poem, or a novel; watch a movie; play a game; meet
new people; plant a garden; listen or play music; adopt a needy pet or child.
All this negativity is bad for the soul.
Furthermore, when I was younger I always wanted to go somewhere, travel, and called everything boring...just like most ignorant children.
Soon I got to experience the "real world" and now would love to have a day in which I could afford to be "bored."
Although I am tired and question the instabilities of life like all normal human beings, I am determined to begin trying to experience life fully lately and stop trying to control every factor. Result= much happier! :) I love my full time job (nothing to do with my major); I am thoroughly enthralled with the two classes I am adjuncting at Motlow; I am enjoying my new Ed.S. degree program immensely, and am excited to see what else comes my way in the future. I just have to remember...
I push myself so hard and if things don't work out, I often get discouraged. Therefore, my goal is to...
If I don't have time for elaborate trips now...at least I can "locally loaf."
This gorgeous lake, bridge, & small waterfall is so simple... but it looks like an amazing place to cast a reel or soak your feet in the cool water while reading a book. Sometimes there are Canadian Geese here floating in the early morning mist, beautiful! And chickens grazing nearby.
One day I decided I'd bring some carrot treats to these <<"horsies." I literally called to them for 20 minutes on the side of the road like a weirdo. I thought an owner was coming to say please stop stalking my animals at the fence.
A man and his wife road over and asked if I'd like to feed their horses across the street. They said I was welcome anytime. I stop by when I have extra time. It turned out she was a principal and has her Ed.D. that I am now working on. Super sweet people!
My niece and nephew came for a visit
back in July! We enjoyed taking them to several places in the city.
In my
attempt to have outlets while I am busy on "normal days," I vowed to eat "cleaner" and
exercise. We began going to the local farmers' market, cooking, and lately, I
have even planted and begun growing my own herbs on my back patio!
These are my little forms of escape for now... :)
My husband and I have this discussion often, he says, "the world was better a long time ago when men had honor.. when there were more heroes in the world". I disagree. I think that a 100 years someone will be saying that about our generation. Way back when, it took much longer to circulate news. I think there were just as many despicable things happening, the difference being that we have 24/7 news coverage.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the good, it is out there too.. Unfortunately, it's the negative stuff that makes the headlines. The do gooders are out there, yet in this electronic age we see very little of it in print anymore. Maybe one day someone will share the phone calls, emails, and blogs detailing heroic acts of our day. Maybe we wont even see it. I have to believe our children will tho.
I love your insight into enjoying what you have here. I often dream of traveling to the cities around the world I have always wanted to visit, but I find that there is so much enjoyment to me had right here with my family and friends. These are the memories mean the most!
Kaloni, thank you for your great response. When watching HBO's "Deadwood," I am reminded of how out of touch citizens of the original frontier really were. It took wagons weeks just to deliver a letter to tell someone their immediate family members had died in a brawl or a shootout or that someone was ill (like the Wells Fargo wagon drivers).
ReplyDeleteTechnology changes everything. When the telegraph lines were put in... some were not happy about it. My sister tells me my parents were the last of her friends' families to get a microwave. I remember she would not get a computer/internet until I was a senior in high school.
Yes, I do love to travel (mainly to old historical towns --as you will see in my postings); but I am beginning to also love exploring locally as well.
OMG I just wrote a book and its gone. I am happy my ability to speak does wisk away like the posts when
ReplyDeletethis crazy computer flickers! Only happens on my laptop.
Ms.Jessica I love your post that essentially says,life is about the journey not always the destination,absolutely true.
Thank you very much, Sue. I love that quote! Enjoying some Elton John performance on the Emmy's while grading now. #enjoyingthesimplicity
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