I've been set up with a new computer. Unfortunately I don't have the facility to upload photos at the moment, but hopefully will be able to by the end of the month.
I think I am beginning to understand why I have found blogging extra hard this year. I find it difficult to talk about the minutiae of my life when this year particularly, has been horrid with the scale of atrocities that have been going on in the World. I know that wicked things have always happened - but maybe the media are reporting it more or maybe I am just more enlightened?
Locally, the news has been very sobering too. In the past 16 days, 3 people have been murdered in separate incidents in the borough where I live. When did it change that a verbal altercation would lead to being stabbed to death? What has happened to tolerance and respect and regard for other human beings and their right to live? It seems to me that some people have become fame hungry, selfish automatons.
A born worrier, I let thoughts of these sad events permeate throughout my mind and body. My tears cannot change anything.
I am trying very hard to change how I react to things. I have always been an avid follower of the news but think that maybe the time has come when I stop seeking out information and watching news bulletins. No news is good news, eh?
In the new year I hope to immerse myself in my art and craft projects. I have been getting in shape physically with my morning sit ups and daily walks. Now I just need to get my mind in shape with creative pursuits.
Each year I have a word to live by and focus on. My word for 2015 is Serenity; the state of being calm, peaceful and untroubled.
It's sometimes hard to get a balance between knowing what's going on in the world and knowing too much. At least too much to allow you to live your life without constantly worrying and being upset.
ReplyDeleteWell that all sounds very positive Simone !
ReplyDeleteDon't things that are beyond your control bring you down.
V x
Remember the Serenity Prayer about accepting the things one cannot change, having the courage to change the things one can and the wisdom to know the difference. I think if we worry about all the terrible things we'd easily go mad but maybe we can do our bit about the things we can and all those bits of positivity will eventually make a difference to the larger things we cannot deal with just now. Glad you are set up with a new computer and hope that serenity will be yours if not all the time at least some of the time which is probably all we can aspire to.
ReplyDeleteSimone, you are right, your tears will not change the news, my own mother-in-law refuses to watch the news or violent films etc she says she can not do much about it so concentrates on doing good in her own community and with friends and family and leaves the bad stuff to other people. Unless you are mentally or physically able to fix the worlds problems, you should switch off to them to save your own sanity.
ReplyDeleteVery best wishes for 2015 xxxxx
I've felt at odds with the world for sometime now, Simone and also feeling helpless to do anything about it or understanding why. We were visiting family today and many others feel the same - as we were driving home the Bob Dylan song 'the times they are a'changing' came into my head. I'm afraid some of the changes are leaving me behind. Glad to hear you have a new computer. Serenity sounds a good word for 2015:)
ReplyDeleteI hope you can keep positive and be relaxed and happy, Simone. The news reports sometimes make everyone very sad......But you can't control what is happening out in the world so try not to suffer too much. Wishing you warm and happy times in the countdown to Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHelen xox
It must be hard to rhyme
ReplyDeletewhen surrounded by crime.
Thank you for taking the time to write your little ditties on my blog, they always make me smile.
Hope you find peace and serenity in 2015. xx
Hi, Simone. I'm so glad you got a new computer. I hope you'll still take pictures even though you can't upload them yet.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard not to let the weight of the world weigh you down, too. There is a lot of ugliness in the world. I guess for me it comes down to focus. Do you focus on the ugliness or do you focus on the beauty. That is our choice. Not always hard to keep up with our decision, but it is our choice.
It sounds like you are on the right path, Simone. Just keep going. Listen to yourself. Cultivate your serenity and do what you know is right for you. Lots of us are cheering for you!
Simone, my daughter is right. Lots of us are cheering for you.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new computer. I'm eager for you to be able to post photos again. What you see through the lens of your camera is poetry, a prescription for joy and healing.
Celebrate the earth's turning toward the light. Happy solstice and a pre-Christmas wish from your blogging pal in America's heartland.
We can't change 'The World' a lot of the time and it is easy to think that this is representative of how things are. But My World is not like this. Here I meet nice people, who help others and live lives where we try to be good people. Sometimes we have to cut off from the bigger world which is really not ours, (in days gone by, we would never know so much of the misery of others and which we can do nothing about) and concentrate on creating peace and harmony and kindness where we can make a difference. Worrying about what we can't change and help, makes us unable to be of any use where we can. We can volunteer our services and make a big difference.
ReplyDeleteI find there are two kinds of things in this world....things we have control over and things we do not. It is exhausting to put energy into things we cannot change. Much better to focus on what we can. The trick is to figure out which is which!
ReplyDeleteWe CAN turn off the TV and radio, It does not mean we don't care about the world. It means we CAN carve out more time and headspace to focus on what we value, without being dragged into misery and worry.
Oh, Simone, I know it is not easy...but you are not alone in wanting more serenity in your life!