"the "normal" world is populated by space aliens. Those around you are an entirely different, substandard, sedentary species with strange eating and spending habits and short life spans. You don't "get" to do what they do anymore than you "get" to drink water out of the toilet or poop on the sidewalk just because your dog does."
Crabby McSlacker of Cranky Fitness wrote this today...and echo of how I've been feeling lately. There's no end, it seems, of the advertising world telling us to "treat ourselves" and that "we deserve" all the rewards and things we think everyone else is having. Do I need a chocolate bar? No. But some days I really really want one...and why not? It's when the rewards come every day...and you have them even when you don't really want them, but feel entitled to them so you have them anyways that the problems begin.
In a world of consumerism and excess it's very difficult to try and find your own balanced way to go through life. Eating well and not sabotaging your health with too much snackery and booze can be tricky...remembering to move your ass on a regular basis to be healthy and live a longer, healthier life is also not easy as well. I have a love/hate relationship with running. I love how it makes me feel, and most days, although it can be a struggle sometimes (like today after a week or so off from illness), when I'm done I feel refreshed and full of energy. I like being able to do more. I like feeling healthy.
Even in the realm of the home base - your sanctuary from the world at large, there are those trying to tell you what you need. In planning a paintup of our living room I've found how deceptively easy it is to get sucked in by adding things I don't need, but look cool in a store to my grand schemes. There are even fakey cakey room scents to fill your house with smells...and even a 3 scent one that will rotate the smells so you can smell a different smell every hour if you want to...it's getting out of hand. How about choosing what you like, smelling what you like and doing what you like. Don't know what you like? Well, look around. Try things. *DO* things.
I like to think I'm not alone in thinking the regular world at large are somewhat insane and heading in the wrong direction... I hope that by trying to shop locally, and with a conscience, and living a healthy balanced life I can find what it is that makes me happy...and pursue those things. I know I can't be happy all the time...that's absurd. But I want joy in my life...the kind of contentment that comes from being able to look yourself in the mirror and not being ashamed by the individual there...I'm not talking appearance - but how I treat others and myself. How I use my time...the stuff that matters.
I've had a lot of time to think while sick and indisposed and I've come to the conclusion that I will endure this alien wasteland with all the dignity and strength I can, and hopefully impart to it a bit of sanity and stewardship that will make a difference to myself and others.
And I'll remember to make the time to brew a batch of strawberry wheat beer now and then, make some muffins, scritch my cats and hug my love at any and every opportunity I get...cuz y'know...it's the little things. *Those* are my rewards...
Have a good day all.
3 comments:
Hear, hear! Great post, geosomin.
And when are your brewing this strawberry beer? The Bag Lady only lives a few (8 - 10 - okay, maybe 14?) hours away....
Commie!
It's tiring, isn't it? A world full of more than we need (funded by jobs nobody wants to do, making these things nobody really needs) and lots of holidays to give these things to others, and then they have the nerve to make us buy decluttering books.
Harrumph.
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