Finding Peace Amidst The Chaos

Life can get pretty crazy; lately that seems to be just about every day. You may go to bed at night and think, 'Whew! I made it through all the curve balls today. Tomorrow has to be better.' Then you wake up the next morning to a whole new batch of craziness. Today's world is filled with chaos, distractions, mixed emotions, loads of responsibilities, and lots of questions - many without answers.

We're still dealing with a pandemic, a presidential election that is less than four weeks away, and enough hatred and bitterness on social media to make a person's head swim. While things are changing every day and I want to be kept in the loop and up to date, there are days I want to stick my fingers in my ears like a ten year old and start humming loudly so I don't have to listen to any more.

How is the chaos affecting you? 

Have you been sleeping less? Is your appetite off? Do you find yourself short-tempered for no apparent reason? Do you feel anxious or depressed? Are you battling more headaches than usual? Do you feel like your shoulders are raised up closer to your ears? 

Here's the bigger question ... what have you found helps you to feel some small degree of peace amidst the chaos?

Do you listen to music? I have my car radio tuned in to the KLove station so it's the first thing I hear as I leave my house. Then I listen to it on my computer at work. Some days are too quiet and it makes me feel less alone. Some people relax with yoga or meditation. Many people take a walk. Last weekend I was able to visit my son and his family; my granddaughters make me laugh which always helps. My newest distraction is my boss bringing his puppy to the office. Oh how that little happy fluff ball can make me smile; I've found that puppy therapy has proven to be very beneficial.

I hope you are able to find some peace in these crazy times. Just remember, the weight of the world wasn't meant to be carried alone. We need to make it a point to be there for each other. Forget picking sides and drawing lines in the sand. Ask a friend to go for a walk. Bake some cookies and drop a plate off to your neighbor. Text or call your family just to say hi. We don't have to do it all alone.

When 'Feeling Tired' Doesn't Even Begin To Describe What You're Feeling

I haven't blogged in a few weeks; I just didn't know what else could be said. I try to share insights that are generally encouraging and uplifting (it makes me feel like I'm more a part of a solution than the problem), but life seems to feel more and more like Groundhog's Day every day. The routine has become the same (and often mundane). The warnings to wear a mask, use hand sanitizer, and socially distance six feet are the same. In Michigan we're still in the same phase of the Stay Safe plan. It's still pretty much impossible to find Lysol or Clorox wipes on the store shelves. The political ads are ramping up in full force. The name calling and lines drawn in the proverbial sand are becoming very apparent. And people are still overwhelmed, confused and tired.

Five months ago people were worried about staying home and staying safe and not catching Covid-19. Now people are still worried, but their worries are evolving. Now people are worried about the flu season overlapping with Covid still out there. People are worried about their jobs and either continuing to work from home or having to go back to their offices. Parents are worried about their children starting the new school year virtually as much as others are worried about sending their kids back to school. They are worried about the potential child care they might need. Teachers are worried about trying to be all things to all people. Basically a lot of people have a whole new set of worries.

Do you mail in your absentee ballot and hope it gets turned in and counted in November or do you brave it and plan to vote in person for the election? Do you eat inside a restaurant or continue with carry outs (it's okay to admit that some nights you just don't feel like cooking)? Do you feel angry when you wear your mask to go in a Home Depot or drugstore and walk past people who appear to be completely healthy and don't wear one? Do you feel cheated? There are enough unanswered questions these days to make anyone's head swim. We're used to controlling what we can, making our To Do lists, and planning for our own futures. But truth be told, some days you just get tired of it all; the hoops you're jumping through, the doubt you feel with your decisions, and the guilt you put on yourself if you try to take a momentary break from it all.

What is the answer? Gosh, how I wish I knew. I am trying so hard to hold on to any sense of balance.

What has been your biggest concern or worry lately?

How have you been able to make time for yourself?

How Strong Is Your Passion?

I've been extremely busy with 'life' the past few weeks, but today I am attempting to take a well-deserved break. So what's on my personal agenda? Of course, some time at the library where it's quiet and the phone won't ring; although there is a tired three year old somewhere nearby letting us all know that he's done for the morning and would rather be somewhere else ... but hey, we ALL have moments like that. Then I'll be off for Taco Tuesday with my daughter for a quick lunch break and then perhaps a trip to the cider mill this afternoon with my husband (because I know if we don't go today another season will have gone by and we will have missed out on our chance once again). Sometimes we just need to put the 'lists' aside and savor the moment; I know, that's ironic coming from someone like me who always has a list with them. I guess you could say I am attempting to live on the edge today.

So what's been going on in my world lately? A lot. A fundraising project that included a dance performance recently wrapped up this past weekend, a few loose ends that still need tightening up regarding elder care for my mother, and then there's the ongoing election (something no one can seem to avoid).

Just last Sunday in church my pastor said something in his sermon about how 'you can't avoid the bad things, but you can prepare for them.' Unfortunately that is how many are categorizing this year's election. Good or bad, it will be one for the history books; the year a woman became the first female president or the year a non-politician did. There has been more mud-slinging in this campaign than with the pigs at an over-crowded 4H fair exhibit. Candidates aside, there are many voters who are disgruntled, many have become antagonistic, many have lied, many have shown their true character (or lack of it, depending on who you ask), and that probably goes double for anyone in the media or who is part of a campaign team. There has been more 'dirt' dug up on both sides that leaves many voters feeling they are left in a position of having to vote for the 'lesser of two evils'; which again will vary depending on your point of view.

Now, some may choose to comment to this blog in defense of their candidate of choice which would be ironic since I never said WHO I plan to support; so if you do make that type of comment know that I may choose how far I will allow it to go (keep it clean, keep it appropriate, and keep it relative to THIS blog post). I don't support conversations taken out of context. Social media has been flooded with personal attacks against candidates, as well as anyone who states an opinion that may differ from their own. We are all empowered to have our own opinions, I fully support that, but even one politician must concede at the conclusion of an election and for the good of our nation at least claim that they will come together and support the country going forward (for the most part). It's sad, but I've come to expect politicians, campaign managers, and the media to choose sides, wage verbal battles against the opposing side, and try to sway us to their side. I suppose that goes with the territory, but when I start reading personal Facebook, Instagram posts, etc that have strangers slamming each other down for having a different belief I am even more saddened. Why are we allowing others to dictate to us whether our personal opinion is better or worse than theirs? People will always be passionate about their families, their causes, their religions, their political points of view, etc. But when people spew off their words without thinking first they can become something they can't take back. True ... you can make a media post and sometimes delete it if you rethink things, but once you've sent an email ... it's gone. Once you've mailed a letter ... you can't get it back. Once you've said or done something ugly there's no going back for a re-do; you can apologize later, but you can't undo it, and you can't change it. Seems logical that a little more thought put into ANYTHING beforehand could be beneficial. Choosing to gain your few seconds of fame at other people's expense will never be something I can support. You may have a few people say, 'hey, way to go!' and you'll be feeling popular and important (for a moment) and you may not even care about those you insulted or stepped over for your few seconds of notoriety, but it will be your sleepless nights and conscience that you'll have to deal with ... maybe not today, but some day. We've all been there; done or said something we've regretted. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Words do have the power to build people up, as well as tear them down.

Passion can be a beautiful thing. It means you care enough about something to not keep it to yourself. That's never a bad thing; it's how you choose to act on it that becomes important. Sometimes, though, when passion comes into play, logic and common sense can fly right out the window. Relationships will be damaged, jobs and reputations can be jeopardized, and opinions will be formed. Of course, opinions and what others think of you may or may not matter to you, but if you ever plan to do something in your life where you hope people will support you  -  you may want to be careful.

The Polls Are Now Closed ...

Today was election day. The absentee ballots have been turned in, the in-person votes have been cast, and the predictions will now roll in as the votes are tabulated. For me, election day has always had its pros and cons. Pros being that we can witness democracy in action; people voting and hoping that their voices are heard, and the campaigning drawing to a close. Cons being the manipulation of the campaign circuits and the sometimes disrespect of many voters.

Today on Facebook I saw graphic after graphic posted to people's pages saying that they had voted ... which was great. What I also saw was various TV media stations making early predictions based on exit polls in attempts to influence one party or the other that one side was winning over the other and they needed to get out and vote. I guarantee you that anyone could poll any targeted group about a pre-selected topic and come away with the result they were looking for. Ironically the early exit polls all start coming out in the middle of the day ... seriously? I've been voting now for over 30 years and I have not once been asked who I voted for as I left a poll; which is probably good because if asked I would have to tell them that it was none of their business. It's all manipulation no matter how you look at it. As if the last several weeks haven't had enough TV & radio commercials with content that did nothing more than bash the opponent, we now get to observe Facebook and Internet 'comments' from people who hide behind cartoon and fictitious profile names. I always seem to quit reading after about the 8th or 9th ignorant comment because my stomach starts to roll. It continues to amaze me how freely the disrespectful and ignorant words can flow from one stranger toward another stranger.

I am all for exercising our right to vote. I am all for fighting for our freedoms and our rights; freedom of speech being one of them. But with every right and freedom comes responsibility ... or at least it should. 

Late tonight or tomorrow morning there will be both acceptance and concession speeches. As with any competition there will be winners and losers. At this point all I can hope for is a brighter, more positive tomorrow for ALL of us.

How did you fare during today's election?