-34C
Saturday, February 25, 2023
Waking up yesterday – seeing that temperature on my phone, -34C, is incredible.
Not ‘brrr.. stay under the covers time thoughts’, but ‘bundle up, go for a walk thoughts,’ because this is a day for enjoying – defying obstacles, difficulties, roadblocks and mindsets of negativity.
Not yours, mine.
Not anyone else’s – mine.
Recent weeks have been harsh in some respects – some personal, some professional, some existential, and I don’t mind admitting they’ve got me down, but there are so many reasons to see the flip side.
And this week of positives, new connections, new business progress, problem-solving and moral support has helped, and I want to say this to friends, family and readers.
My problems, looming and complex as they might appear some Mondays, are minor. Compared to previous ‘rodeos,’ compared to so many people I know or know about – these are manageable difficulties. For all of us, however bleak some things appeared on Monday, we’ve reached Friday.
For some, that’s progress. For some, the passage of a few days is the only accomplishment they feel, but when it’s grief they are dealing with as a friend of mine is – dealing with the sudden loss of his son, the passage of a few days is an accomplishment.
Around our community, we see enormous prosperity but plenty of desperation that limits too many people – because they don’t have a warm bed, shelter from the cold, or much good news from the week just passed.
I went for a walk – short, nostril-chilling and life-affirming. Sun was just up, good traction, and no wind!
This weekend will be work filled for me – some time set aside for play, but mostly work befitting the weather, but wherever you are or difficult your troubles, remember others are suffering cold, poverty, loneliness and despair far worse than any of us.
I’ve been told this time of year has wicked statistics for depression and suicide – so let’s be on the lookout for those we know who are looking or acting troubled.
Don’t ask them how they are doing – engage, talk but listen more than you talk, hug, and then you’ll find out how they are. Being supportive and helpful of our fellow humans is work worth doing, so we are better off avoiding the soft, easy platitudes in favour of serious communication. It’s hard to take the first step, but you’ll regret it when you do – and to often caring people regret their inaction enormously when someone they could have helped takes desperate measures.
Though it may be cold outside, this is the time to share the warmth inside – someone’s life may depend on it.