and the end of the story is...

Seneca, a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist and satirist who died in A.D. 65, wrote, "Desultory reading is delightful, but to be beneficial, our reading must be carefully directed."  Folks, take that into account when reading this "It's Saturday." Just remember, you get what you pay for!

When we look at folks, many times their stories aren’t as they appear to us as we see them. We are fooled many times just like our appearance fools others many times.   Like my mentor use to say to me—erv, everyone has warts, it’s just that we can’t see them.

DuaneTheWorm always puts on a show to self-glorify himself; he’s really good at it.  He can fool a lot of folks alright.  BUT if folks are around him for any amount of time, they see right through him and know him as he really is.  Abraham Lincoln said—You can fool all the people some of the time, some of the people all the time but you can’t fool all the people all of the time. There’s always a story behind the story. I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it written by Tony Dungy—“Honesty is a component of a person’s character that is remembered far longer than an individual’s words, talents, or accomplishments.” Joesixpack says—Tell it like it is folks.

ItchieBitchie says--Most all folks don’t tell the whole story or they shade the story or they forget some of the story intentionally or unintentionally. JoeEverthing says--ShowboatClazena's stories are basically hyperboles!  Sometimes folks have it in their mind what they saw or remember but it isn’t actually what happened.  They are programmed by their past environment or current environment; are very prejudiced. GeorgeTheCrook says—That is why eyewitnesses aren’t always as good as a video.  Eyewitnesses are prejudiced. I have learned here down here in the Valley that I’m really my age; I really didn’t understand that before.  That knowledge had a huge massive impact on me.  I didn’t think I was as old as I thought but I am. The younger retirees have shown me this.  I can’t do some things at their level as they are 15 years younger.  What is going on here anyway! I have learned that I lost about 8 years of good retirement; they are gone; that’s just the way it is.  I’m not unhappy about it or bitter about it but it is reality (i.e. I actually was glad I could do it; I would do it the same again; Arlene was a great blessing to me).  BUT any of you who have been 24/7 caregivers know what I am talking about.  I just realized this and am seeing my world differently now. BUT those years cannot be redone; no do overs! Soooo I need to readjust and rethink and understand that. 

Time can be rude to me.  Time can teach me what I use to have and show me maybe what I didn’t appreciate enough of what I all experienced; now it is all history of my past.  And it went soooo fast. It was fun while it lasted. A lot of fun and soooo many good memories. I think, my opinion, it is good to take a “mental break” once in a while and relieve myself of the whatever I need a break from.  I need to “re-set, recover, reboot, refresh, and grow.”  Find peace and relaxation.  Be low key! Go slow motion! In caregiving we called it “a respite.” I think, my opinion, that respites are good for everyone.  It might be listening to music or taking a walk or getting away or reading a book or taking a nap. We need breaks of our normal lives or routines.  Missperfect said--I just wanted to see if I did something different for a chance if my attitude would change. 

I have talked to many seniors whose life isn’t or wasn’t as perfect as they look.  It is just amazing what many folks have experienced in their lives; just amazing.  I am referring to soooo many seemingly negative things. BUT most have had soooo many positive things that we don’t know about as well.  They are just as amazing.  Here is one of many stories I have heard recently.  I see this guy all over the park, like all over.  He’s probably about in his 60s I would guess.  Always happy and cheerful.  Seems to be very active.  We have talked several times but about nuttin serious.  Then one afternoon I was riding my park bike and I met him at an intersection as he was on his golf cart.  We talked like we usually do.  I asked him where he was going—going to play pickleball—I thought I saw you playing this morning—I usually play twice a day—now I play with some women and we play till dark—he told me he was from the mid-west and is separated from his wife of 49 years of marriage—what’s the deal with that—she suffers from depression and wants to be around her sisters back home—soooo what do you think of that—well erv, maybe it’s the best for both of us, I really don’t know. I would guess there is a story behind that story, maybe!

I was cleaning the bathroom the other day and thought about the end of the story maybe being realizing that~Talent is God-given--be thankful. Praise is man-given--be humble. Conceit is self-given--be careful.  You probably think I need to get my head in the toilet bowl and think more about cleaning it!  

I have learned AGAIN that there are soooo many talented and amazing folks.  I would appreciate to just have the opportunity to hear their stories.  Maybe the group of folks that are snowbirds have a different mentality compared to the general public. I don’t know. These folks seem to have great attitudes even if their lives aren’t perfect (i.e. not any different than anyone else’s).  Many snowbirds, it seems, are soooo gritty and full of confidence and strong mentally and positive.  It is advantageous, my opinion, to be around this environment.

There are a lot of folks who walk in the park.  Many I see walk by every day.  It seems like many gals walk with another gal or even three of them, but guys usually walk alone.  Sooooo why is that? And there are more gals that walk than guys.  Why is that? Of course, we see couples walking together quite a bit.  Some are holding hands—I always think they are just recently married or working on a relationship.  Then there are some spouses helping their spouse with their walkers or walking beside them in their scooters. And of course, there some sitting on the couch eating chips watching the depressing news again and again.  I think the gals who are serious walkers make me smile the most; they scoot by going 100 mph with their fancy spandex outfits on including neat hats (i.e. usually in good physical shape). They make those outfits look good or those outfits make them look good!  And there are the limpers who I think they just had hip or knee replacements.  Everyone has a story and some I have no idea what their stories are.  And those walkers have no idea what my story is either. And then there are the bikers; a lot of bikers every day doing the same with probably the same stories.  BUT the walkers and bikers always seem happy! So what do you think of that? That is what I thought. SusieQ says—The moral of the story is, suck it up cupcake and let’s get going! I’m goin’ for a hike up ‘er in ‘em Superstation Mountains soooooo I will catch you later. Just me and my thoughts.  Such is life.

I went to the fund raising meal/dance of the pickleball club.  I bought a ticket and they assigned me to a table I was to sit at with others. My table was #33 and there was a married couple from MN, about an 85 year old widow from SD, a lady and man who both lost their spouses who spend a lot of time together and me (i.e. all very delightful folks).  Sooooo the dance was going on and the two couples got up to dance leaving me and the 85 year old widow looking across the table at each other.  I asked her if she wanted to dance--sure, why not. As we were walking to the dance floor she told me that she hadn't danced for probably 30 years. We were dancing away and she started to cry.  I told her I was sorry if I stepped on her toes.  No no, my husband died in December; we were married 61 years.  Boy was I relived; not 'cause her husband died but because I didn't' step on her toes!

I am learning what my physical limits are at my age (i.e. the old knees aren't what they use to be).  Oh ya!  I can’t do activities as long and as hard as I use toooo.  If I take that into consideration, I can do fine even though I might be a number of years older that some of the folks I do activities with.  I was hiking a pretty hard hike recently. Coming down the mountain there was a guy sitting on a rock and his wife was over him. I asked if he was all right and he said yeah yeah! Meaning that he was not all right. I asked him if I could help him. He said no. His wife said we ate too much Christmas stuff over the holidays. We can’t make it up the mountain like we could last year. They were both about 50 pounds overweight.

Sooooo after hiking I stopped and had a burger at this restaurant.  It was packed and the hostess said I would have to sit at the bar being single; she couldn’t tie up a table for a single (i.e. it’s all about the money).  Ok, I sat at the bar.  I sat next to a couple who I could tell right away that they weren’t married but maybe dating or having a night together (i.e. how did I know—they were talking differently).  Soooo I was eating my burger and I heard her say to him quite loud—Sooooo how long did your last marriage last?  I almost spit out my burger laughing. Obviously, I haven’t learned the right questions to ask gals.  Sooooo I finished my burger and paid and as I left, I took a quick glance at them.  A golf buddy/friend would have described her—Rode hard and put away wet!

I have learned from a facetious statement that I have heard from several snowbirds down here.  They say—erv, you could be in IA where is below zero and deep snow.  What I have learned from that statement is this—why me!  We all, maybe, have a tendency to ask the question why me when things don’t go our way but soooo many times we don’t say why me when things have gone well for us for years maybe.  Is this an attitude that we need to adjust.  Instead of being a complainer, we need to be a thanker more, maybe.  It appears it makes life a lot better. 

I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it written by OndSmartPerson—Our feelings of self-worth are shaped by the opinions and attitudes of others.  Some of us were surrounded by people who affirmed our worth again and again as we were growing up. Others of us weren’t. But all of us have been affected at some point along the way by the thoughtless words and hurtful actions of others. Those words and actions color how we see ourselves. And no matter how much we have heard about God’s love for us, we sometimes struggle to believe that we can actually experience that kind of life.  And the end of the story is…! Well leapin' lizards!

She did not have PPP! Oh no! I was completely baffled by this gal.  I was on a hike coming down from the face of a mountain when I met this gal.  She stopped me and wanted to talk to me.  She was maybe 25, had on fashionable attire (i.e. not hiking carb) and carrying a little bottle of water with maybe 4 ounces in it.  She asked me if I knew how to get to the Flat Iron Trial.  Flat Iron is to the top of the mountain and the trail is very difficult. Yes, I do—will you tell me how to find it as I want to hike to the top—I told her but asked her if she knew how hard it was—no, I just read how pretty it is on the top—it’s 3:30 and it’s a 5 hour hike; you need to start early in the morning—have you done it—a couple of times—will you take me—no, I don’t think soooo; I don’t think I want to do it again—I will pay you. I didn’t see a pretty ending to this story the way it looked to me, but she was young and appeared to be in good physical shape which really helps but she had no idea how hard it was nor was she prepared.  Sooooo what did you take away from this conversation?  That is what I thought. And the end of the story is…! I will never know now will I. Oh by the way, PPP stands for Proper Prior Planning (i.e. HankMyFriend a.k.a. Secretariat, taught me this). I went with Hank and James, our son-in-law who goes the same speed, on a hike up Grey’s Peak, a 14ner (i.e. a 14ner is a 14,000 foot mountain peak in CO).  It was a beautiful summer morning until we got maybe ¾ of the way to the top and it got cold and started to snow hard.  I had no pants, no gloves and just a baseball cap and a light jacket.  I about froze to death.  I turned around. James gave me some extra socks he had for my hands and a stocking cap.  They still laugh at me for not having PPP. BUT I didn’t think it was going to get cold and snow! I guess that is why Iowans die up ‘er in ‘em mountains.

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

MyFriendJean said—Friends are like snowflakes, none of them are the same.