…a few tid-bits to reflect on.
Author: admin | Filed under: General Discussion, Things to think about, Underwater Basket Weaving 101Not quite sure what put me in the spirit. And no, it’s not the ‘Spirit’. I gave that up, kthx.
A few points to ponder on. I’ll add to this as time progresses, I might even make some changes to those I add as time, age and the natural process of learning, or lack there of, changes my view.
As water flows through a majestic river, or waves swell in oceans deep, my life, knowledge and view of the world around me is ever turbulent, constantly shifting and ceaselessly restless.
Nothing is certain, of that, I am certain.
ABC’s to follow and points of view to consider:
¤ Expect the unexpected. Nothing will ever go as planned. As a sign I keep over my desk reads “Murphy’s Law: Nothing is as easy as it looks. Everything takes longer than you expect. And if anything can go wrong – it will, AT THE WORST POSSIBLE MOMENT!”
¤ Plan ahead. This is extremely important in all matters of life.
¤ Expect nothing, yet, give everything. For the fruit of your labor is only a minuscule part of your reward.
¤ Don’t Don’t Don’t give up! No matter what course in life you decide to travel, you will encounter setbacks, hard climbs and roadblocks. The action of Giving Up can be defined in one simple word ~ “Failure”
¤ (For Guys) Never, lest you be NOT a man, lay your hand on a woman. (For the Ladies) Never, lest you be nothing more than a man who lays a hand on you, use that one, below-the-belt, only you would know, thing against him. (For both) Ever.
¤ Love yourself, but love your better half more, and your children more still. For those who cannot have, or wish not to have, children: Love children with all your heart, is their existence or pure of heart actions their fault? No. (I speak of pure-of-heart, innocent actions, thoughts and demeanor. Not insolence. That you can blame on the parents’)
¤ …speaking of: Never be ashamed, or too proud to have a “Better” half. Who says you’re the better person? mmhmm, take a close look in the mirror. If your Better half says you are, it’s a message out of love (or fear – shame on you).
¤ (I’m going to catch hell for this I know, but take a real good look at your little minion) Never be afraid to punish or scold your children. Now, don’t run off and grab a rolling pin, riding crop, leather strap or prepare the closet for incoming guests… extreme thinking like that lead to the extreme thinking on the opposite side of the spectrum today. Punish commensurate to the offense. If a child skips homework and jumps right on the ‘boob-tube’. Ground them from the tele’ for a day. (It rots the brain anyway – It’s NOT a babysitter!!!) If they back-talk or curse, wash their mouth out with BAR soap. For God’s sake not liquid or dish soap (I’ve seen this done is why I bring it up), there IS a difference and the latter has chemicals not found in bar soap that can lead to ailment, and in extreme cases, poisoning, also, it’s easier for them to swallow a larger quantity on accident (especially when crying)… you’re the parent, use that brain God gave you. Don’t beat the shit out of your kid, they are you’re creation, and more importantly, you’re gift. Treasure them, Love them, Respect them, Teach them and give them a Proper Example to follow, then, Teach them to lead others by example.
– a little history here: I grew up with a belt on my pretty end and a fist in my mouth. Anytime I got out of line. And, I cleaned my own room, scrubbed toilets, sinks and floors. Vacuumed, Dusted and polished furniture. I carried my own weight. I firmly believe it, in many respects, has made me a better person. But it has also created inner demons (which is why I say “NO” to the extreme thinking) I constantly have to keep in check. So far, my wife says she has never seen them, so fingers crossed, I’m doing a good job of it. Children today are so coddled it’s sickening. Children today are also so doped up and diagnosed with an unreal variety of “Conditions” that we are creating a generation of piss’n'moan, momma boys and girls. It scares the living crap out of me the generation my daughters will be living in. I have been blessed with children that have common sense and respect. I like to think I played a role in that, and I firmly believe I did. One of my daughters I trust, is being taught the same level of respect and common sense that I teach my other little girl. I haven’t talked to her in what seems like ages (not my choice… that’s a post I leave on “Private” aka my “vent page”). And though I may not agree with her on some things, I know my previous wife has a good head on her shoulders and that she will take care of her. Physically, Spiritually, Mentally and Emotionally. This I know, This I Hope, This I Pray. Amen.
¤ Never be afraid to admit you are, or were, wrong. I struggle with this daily, and must concede, still wait, at times, for proof to be slapped in my face. To those of which I have acted so stubborn to, I was wrong, and I am sorry.
¤ Never be ashamed to say you are sorry. It makes a better person out of you, and, even when it’s the hardest, is ultimately what those who are hurt want to hear… but in earnest. On the flip side, don’t say it too much. It loses it’s meaning in the fog of so many “I’m Sorry” ‘s. (Ever heard the story of the little boy that cried wolf? same concept!)
¤ Find your faults, face your faults, overcome your faults. Yeah, I know, easier said than done. Trust me, no one knows that better than me, and I still struggle with it daily. Start small and work your way to the harder ones. For example. Have a hard time with dates and appointments? Use your cell-phones calender to set reminders, paste a calender up next to your door and use a Red marker to circle the appointments, set your watch, or similar concepts. Then once you have a system worked out, move on to the next fault and create a system that works for you.
¤ Don’t be lazy. I used to pride myself on this one. I was always moving, working, staying active, getting involved and what-not. Somewhere along the line I got lost. I’m still trying to find my way back.
¤ Make a promise, Keep a promise. This applies to everything in life. Bills are a promise to pay for services/product received (If something happens and you can’t pay, CALL THEM!!!). Promise of Ice Cream or increase in allowance after receiving a good report card or Parent-Teacher? Follow up! (Goes back to the setting a good example for your kids… ). This one hit me like a ton of bricks, and now I pay the price, or, with my daughter, work twice as hard to instill this value and reverse any damage I may have created. Yes, I make mistakes, and sometimes it takes me a bit to see the light. I’m dense like that, k?!
¤ If you smoke, do it outside! If not, good for you! Don’t pick it up! But, if you do, try to quit. I’m trying. Hard. But patches and gum don’t work. It’s my one true vice, I struggle with it constantly, and I guess it’s in my head. Yes, the Sun is Mental! *twitch*
¤ If you drink, for God’s sake 1) Do it in moderation. 2) Know you’re limits. 3) DON’T DON’T DON’T Drink and Drive. Call a cab, friend or unlock your car, hand the keys to the bartender and sleep it off in the back seat. Or simply just walk home/motel or friends house. 3) If you’re one of those pissy drunks, that should be you’re clue. Drop the habit cause you’re making an ass out of yourself. No one said I was going to go easy on you, I say it like it is. or 4) Just quit. I know years of heavy drinking can lead to addiction and I’ve seen withdrawals from alcohol. No, it’s not pretty, comfortable or gentle, but worth it in the end.
I have a myriad of other topics I want to cover, but, it’s now 4:30am on Valentines Day. I need to get to bed before Mama wakes up and throws a frying pan at me.
Oh, yeah, one last one to leave you on…
Don’t stay up until 4:30am on Valentines Day writing a blog ;p
No one said I follow all of my own advice.
~Sun
16Feb2010:
¤ Treat animals like you would treat your children: Self explanatory, I think. Even if the animal is not yours, they DO feel too. They feel pain, suffering, depression, joy, love. I grew up in a family with several pets’. Some I spent my entire youth with, others came and went. I have had Dogs, Cats, Birds, Ferrets, Pigs, Horses, Cows, pretty much you name it. I may not be ‘Textbook’ taught my knowledge of animals, but experience is my insight. How can a person show remorse, caring or compassion when seeing the falling tears of an infant, yet, show anger, frustration or complete and utter detachment of emotion when you see an animals eyes water? I know not all animals can ‘Cry’, but I cannot help but care for, tend to or nurture an animal, whether a pet, stray or otherwise, when I hear them whimper, cry or (and especially when) I witness their eyes tear up. It is their only way of showing/telling you they are in pain, they are suffering, they are depressed or breathe with a heavy heart.
– A recommendation to us all: Learn to Love like our pets. Learn to measure your love of any or all things, against the love your pet holds for you.
I nearly dispatched one of my cats tonight. For something that drives me near mad. He sprays. And recently he has done so throughout our home. We have spent countless hours cleaning to try and get the smell out and ‘punish’ him by refusing to let him back in. His sister, within days, becomes so depressed, she doesn’t eat, doesn’t leave her spot on the stairs, doesn’t respond to our attention. It’s near heart wrenching. She has been with him her whole life. Has never been beyond our porch (to scared to venture further) and, even though he plays Alpha Male at times and assails her for no reason, they immediately cuddle, clean and make up. For over 5 years this has been the case, and she is such a sweet friend and member of our family, we cannot bear to see her like that… so, in the house he is allowed again. Though each time, with a more wary eye than the last.
And though we have had him fixed, yes, it is still possible for them to spray. (There’s a difference between a ‘mark’ of his desire to procreate [another cat is in heat near by] and a territorial mark). At, what I know true to be the brink of letting him live, and breaking his neck, a shot of pain ran through my veins. Not purely physical, yet, not purely psychological nor emotional either. It’s something I have never felt. I instantly let him go and chased him out the door. My hands are stained, but not by someone, or some animal, that is innocent. So this, in all actuality, scared the shit out me. I wasn’t defending myself. I wasn’t defending anyone. I wasn’t fighting for the cause, or by order. That time has long since gone. So What in the Hell am I doing? Am I that out of it that something as simple as an animals instincts and course of nature causes Crimson Blindness?
I spent the next 2 hours outside in the pouring rain with my Beagle, Joey (who has been with him since Joey was first brought home 3 years ago), to search for him. When I was just about to head home, literally, tears in my eyes and thoughts of “My punishment is: not knowing what his condition is. Dead? Alive? Injured beyond healing? Laying cold, wet and hurt in a puddle somewhere I missed and unable to move? (Adrenaline would have led him running, yowling and jumping, like he did when I turned loose of him, well beyond the still of his heart)”. I would have never forgotten. Or Forgiven. An innocent animal, pet, friend, family member. Died, by my hands, not out of compassion, as you would for a dying, ill or injured animal. But out of rage. Anger. Shear “Crimson Blindness” as I call it.
I found him on my way back home, Joey by my side. Hiding in the shadows, staring at me with the look of unknowing. Unknowing as to what I would do. This friend of mine has been with me long enough to feel what I feel. If I hurt, he hurts, and comes to my side. At times, to my lap. (Which, by the way, a rare occurrence). If I am angry, irregardless the reasons, he steers clear of me. If I am jovial or excited, he plays on the porch, or with the myriad of toys strewn about the house. Or, he brings me ‘presents’ from the mysterious mice farm, located somewhere around here… still haven’t been able to find it, but it’s existence is something I am certain of.
I knew he hurt, as I am sure, he knew so did I. But with the knowledge of ‘Cat Lives -1′, and I was the culprit. He, ever so carefully, came to me. He wouldn’t let me come to him. I don’t blame him. It had to be on his terms. To be sure.
My friend may not be inside, but he is home. And, from what I can tell, not physically hurt. I’m sure he will be wary of me, and I don’t blame him for it. I’m just glad my friend is safe.
Now I must ensure he is safe… from me.
I never said I was perfect. And I kindly direct you back to my line on Learning. Please, read, and reflect on it with me. I’m knee deep in the refresher course.
~Sun
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