Thoughts on Things to Do

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I follow a blog called My Only Comfort, written by Sam Powell. His post on January 2 was called Things For the New Year. It got me to thinking about a few things.

Sit on the porch and look for birds. I have been sitting on the porch to read the last few days. I’ll have my coffee or other adult beverage and read and wave to neighbors walking down the street with their little children. Sometimes I’m blessed to see birds at the bird feeder in the tree right in front of my porch.

Call someone who is lonely. I write to those who are lonely more than I call because that’s more in my comfort zone. I need to branch and and make those calls.

Pray for your pastor everyday. I’m a member of one church but attending another one that is closer to home. That’s where I tithe and that’s where I feel at home now. I need to pray for our pastor – he is very young but God has gifted him with knowledge and grace.

Go outside and walk beside a river. I go out a lot. Ruby and I love our walks, but now I need to get to the river. The St. Johns isn’t too far from me. Goal for next week!!

Buy a coloring book and crayons. I’ve been coloring for a while, with colored pencils. It’s become a routine at night when I finally settle in for TV. My daughter got me a lovely coloring book and some GOOD pencils for Christmas. And a paint-by-number kit so I can branch out.

Wear the clothes that you like to wear. Not that I never care, but I’ve become quite comfortable wearing my leggings when I walk. Even it they make me look fat.

Slow down. Smell the wine. Swirl it around the tongue. Try to understand what the label is talking about. I tried this. I almost convinced myself I could taste the plum and finishing notes of spice.

Social Media and Letters and Such #2

 

I’ll try to make sense of this  conglomeration of thoughts derived from numerous sources, all focused on  a common issue in my mind: the modern society’s pitfalls of social media and the like.

Fahrenheit 451 was published by Ray Bradbury before I was even born. I am amazed at the insight he had!

“And most of the time in the caves they have the joke boxes on and the same jokes most of the time,…” -Clarisse – from Fahrenheit 451

In my cave there are the joke boxes of television, Facebook, and Twitter. With the same jokes and political garbage most the time.

“There was a tiny dance of melody in the air, her Seashell tamped in her ear again, and she was listening to far people in far places.” Fahrenheit 451

Can you say bluetooth?!? He really hit this one spot on. It drives me crazy to be in the store and think someone is speaking to me and then realize they are talking to far people in far places.

“…people have developed less a sense of community than a loneliness which they attempt to assuage by being with other people constantly, and on a superficial level only.”  –  The Irrational Season by Madeleine L’Engle .

That’s me. I’m with people superficially online, attempting to assuage my loneliness. Often all it does is exacerbate the situation.

“We have an innate pessimism about telephone calls; they have a habit of coming at the wrong time, and they are too sudden, catapulting you into a conversation you weren’t expecting. Letters, on the other hand, are a pleasure to receive, not least because they allow you to consider your reply. But people don’t write letters anymore.” – from A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle

I must say that phone calls and letters are a step up from social media. At least with a phone call you can sometimes pick up on moods and intentions by a person’s voice. And with letters, you must put forth a little more effort and (hopefully) you take the time to craft your words more carefully.