Quite enough…

January 13, 2021 by 2 Comments

learning

 

Overwhelmed…exhausted…discouraged and, frankly, I’ve had enough!

Life, in general, just keeps pressing in but, given the current state of world affairs, there are few get-away places.  Sure, there’s local shopping, plenty of binge-watching shows on television and, of course, food.  All harmless, some, well a bit more destructive.

But we all need to take a break for a few minutes, an hour, even for a day.  All mothers with small children know that when they escape into the bathroom for some mommy-time, ignoring the kiddy chaos going on outside the locked door.  At least for five minutes.

And, I think many of us have given thought to just getting in the car and drive somewhere, anywhere, while wondering how far we’d get before anyone noticed we were gone.  Relax!  I said thought.  Nothing more than one of those little escape fantasies that dance in your head.

For the past year, life has dealt a crushing blow on humanity with the onset of COVID.  And that’s been compounded by months of insane, and embarrassing, politics along with the reprehensible, destructive human behaviors across our country.   Most of us held hope that, with the arrival of midnight on December 31, 2020, some, imaginary, switch would go “click” with the start of the new year.  Yeah, right.  It didn’t take long for the social media jokes to start flashing with “I’d like to cancel my trial subscription to 2021” and that is a definite indicator that people already have had enough, just two weeks into this new year.

We all need a break.  A retreat of sorts, from things, twisted political ideologies, those who refuse to see the proverbial forest for the trees and… the damned media.  Ahead lies a huge crossroad, whether to the left, right, or straight down the middle, there is no clear path leading to that elusive best decision, on anything.

xroad

So, we exclaim “enough!” and that, in itself, is unlikely to change anything going forward.  If we choose to walk away, we become much like those on the opposing side who hide behind those trees in the forest.  If we move to take a more energetic approach and respond accordingly, we’re deemed radical and problematic.  Achieving any element of human compromise or meeting on some elusive common ground, well, hate to say it but, there is little chance in hell that will happen, at least not in the next four years ahead.  Pigs might start flying and we’ll all win a big prize from Publisher’s Clearing House before any element of true governmental stability and honesty comes forward from most individuals voted into public office, certainly not from those who should have given up the political farm long, long ago.  Nothing much will change, certainly not just go away.  Especially when there is so much we should demand to know.

However, I’ve had quite enough.  As such, I’ll do my best to linger in the background, spouting a few terse, but snarky, comments every now and then.  And I will weep for the future.  You should as well.

 

workshop-button-1From Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop…Write a blog post inspired by the word: enough

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The spirit moved me…

December 26, 2020 by 6 Comments

Reading

Holiday spirit.  Two words that, for many, have been difficult to muster up this year.  Especially for me, someone who usually cannot wait for the first Christmas music to start playing on the radio along with the sappy and fun holiday movies that pop up on television. Oh yes, besides being a Hallmark movie junkie. I scour the zillion channels on FIOS for White Christmas, A Christmas Story, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol.  In fact, this year, I spent time on Christmas Day watching both Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman…just for snowflakes and giggles.  Both brought back memories of watching the shows when my own children were small.  That was a yearly tradition, along with never missing the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center.  Such simple things that made the holiday spirit come alive.

This year was so different.  Too many things became almost a chore, a tiring ritual with a lack of excitement involved as the preparations began.  Let’s face it, with the virus undercurrent flowing everywhere, so much of what we’ve all taken for granted was compromised.   No rushing into shopping malls for gifts, ordering instead from online sources and then hoping, wishing and praying with each tracking number received, that items would arrive in time for Christmas.  No large family, or other, gatherings to celebrate the season, opting for Zoom or other apps for human connections.

Still, underneath it all, some element of seasonal spirit managed to remain, mainly with the happy memories of holidays past and the hope that there would be more in the years ahead.  Somehow, these very thoughts kept dancing in my head as I made every effort to dive into my usual seasonal frenzy.

Our annual Christmas tree trek.  With the grandkids, of course.  (I blame them for choosing the 10’ tree that takes over the living room.)

Decorating the house, inside and out.  Bows and lights everywhere.  (The electric provider loves me during the holidays.)

The traditional Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner.  Crab, Lobster, Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, Scallops, Bacalao, Anchovies.  (I know that’s 8 fishes.  I cook outside the box.)

Leaving cookies and milk for Santa (which I end up consuming while I’m wrapping presents).

Misplacing Baby Jesus for his birthday debut in the Manger (finally locating Him at 3 on Christmas morning).

Tracking Santa’s flight on Norad. (Yes, I still do that.  Don’t judge.)

And…one of the best of all, reading The Night Before Christmas to my grandchildren on Christmas Eve.  No matter how old they get, or how old I get (and can still hold the book up without assistance) this will be a precious family tradition. 

My hope is that they all carry it on, long after I’m gone (or I will come back to haunt them, like Marley’s ghost!).

 

workshop-button-1From Mama Kat’s Writers Workshop…List the top 7 things that fill you with the holiday spirit.

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Routine reflections…

December 2, 2020 by 2 Comments

 

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Almost nine months ago, who would have thought that our daily way of life would become impacted by a “bug” calling itself COVID-19?  Here we are now, all these days and weeks later, having made our way through this pandemic with our mental health mostly intact.  Mostly, and, in itself, a bit of an achievement.

I’ve personally done my share of bitching and moaning over wearing a mask and being able to function without anxiety.  And, there are the little things, like spur-of-the-moment gatherings, being able to spend time with distant family and close friends, a summer without week-end barbecues and going into local markets without fear of the virus jumping out at me from a shopping cart or items on any given aisle in the joint.

Lock-downs recently began lifting and there was a cautious excitement as local towns and cities started to reopen.  People began feeling a sense of hope that life would return to some element of “normal”.  Sadly, a false sense of security as this damn virus has caught its second wind and infection numbers are rising once again.

Underneath it all, this pandemic has changed all of us.  We’ve learned, through bouts of quarantine, that some things worth keeping, like the opportunity to reflect on our lives and make changes.  And, maybe, there are things, pre-pandemic, that some of us don’t wish to resume.  Old habits and consuming lifestyles that this virus has forced us to modify or stop completely. 

The options, for many, don’t exist.  The loss of loved ones, of jobs that may never again be available.  So many stay at home now and wonder just what all their work productivity was for and if many of us wish to return to the proverbial rat-race.  Any given success came with a hefty price tag that affected both mental and physical well-being.

My routine has brought a lot less focus on consumerism.  Shopping just for basic needs has brought a new level of instant gratification.  I’ve learned that these new habits are keepers, even when this virus releases its choke hold on our world.

And, with the isolation that COVID-19 has mandated for so many, we’ve learned to tell people, family and friends, how we feel about them.  We’ve taken time to make sure we let those we care about know how we love and appreciate them, especially since we have more time to keep the lines of communication open.

We will all come out of this, and our new routines will focus on small acts of support and kindness, an appreciation for small businesses and, overall, concerted efforts in sharing more compassion and empathy.

 

workshop-button-1From Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop…Write about how your routine has changed since Covid.

 

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