Last night, I read the last column, written by Jill Summerhayes, of the Cambridge Times. I was astounded that they terminated her column due to the fact that she spoke about family and values opposed to the general interests of the community. It is a growing community after all, who wants to hear about her life?
General interests? What are our general interests and how does the exterior noise of the events around the world affect the true meaning of life? Sure, these issues make great discussion around a table. They make for great debates on radio shows, such as the Jeff Allen Show. However, at the end of the day, how much we allow the external stimuli to affect our life is up to us.
I always read her column and at times, it appeared to be a little too “Little House on the Prairie”. However, she was older and wiser than myself and probably views life at a different angle than I. With age, comes experience and appreciation of our gifts. I enjoyed her columns because it was a “Good News” piece, opposed to the daily turmoil that we face on a daily basis. How many columns of Harper and the government can one person take?
So after reading this and having a terrible day with my family in general, I decided to write as I always do. I realize that our general interest should be our family, friends, our personal goal’s to succeed and the hurdles we must leap over because of external stimuli. This is for you Jill and I know that you will experience continued success what ever you pursue.
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In the Game of Life, there are winners and there are losers. There are people who proclaim the game a draw, way before their time. They realize that they must succumb to the notion of just playing the game like the norm. Win or lose, it’ll all end the same.
Love finds us and flourishes. There are moments where we couldn’t love another more until we realize the profound truth that it isn’t reciprocated. Personality and goals have changed so drastically we couldn’t imagine loving them for one minute longer.
Our careers are bright. We strive to be the best that we can be, only to be replaceable or disposable in times of economic struggle. The bottom line for success is earning a penny, saving a penny is true prosperity.
Our children are our world. We witness them growing up and drift away creating a life of their own. Some rebel against their childhood, while others have accepted it and move forward. We see siblings drift apart as their family grows and distance is sometimes a factor. The closeness and love through childhood is a distant memory of their past.
Our friends are our lifeline to happiness and laughter. We eventually watch many of our friendships drift apart due to the evolution of our lives, through sickness or turmoil.
Our parent’s grow older. We witness the transition from young and energetic to old and feeble. It is a sad yet tangible truth that no one is invincible.
When I reminisce about life, I realize how important it is to live our best life now. Times change and regret comes all too quickly. Embrace the moments that we have with one another. Hold dear to the fact that we strive to be the best today without a thought of monetary gain tomorrow. Accept the gain as a prize and not as deserved! Prepare for the worst, but think of the best.
Take lots of pictures and video to remember the times, where hugs and kisses from you, were your children’s first thoughts of the morning. Watch them often as you see your children grow and drift away. Tell them lots of stories of years gone by around the dinner table.
Never look back regrettably, but be onerous to any wrong doings of your past mistakes. Say you’re sorry and mean it. A man once informed me that accepting guilt is one of my worst traits. I see it as an asset, I just learn to analyze quicker whether it was my fault or not.
Love your siblings unconditionally. They are the link to fond memories of the past that some may never remember. They too came into this world with faults, accept them and move on. Otherwise, one day you will have to say goodbye with turmoil still lingering.
Appreciate friendships new and old. Facebook is a tool where we don’t have to say “I wonder what happened to Joe? I really liked Joe, I wish we would have kept in touch.” It is a gift that allows us to remember our past fondly without the pretence that we must rekindle each and every relationship as it was then.
Most of all, love the one you are with, whether the love is infinite or for a short period of time. Accept who they are and love them unconditionally. Love does not always last forever, but live each day as it may. Have no regrets if love changes. It just wasn’t meant to be forever. Always hold each loving experience dear to your heart. After all, there were good times.
Be honest, live well, and laugh a lot. Never lose the child in you. The external stimuli will weigh a person down but if we can muddle through the dark woods, we will eventually reach common ground where we can be thankful for those misgivings. Life experiences and a positive outlook make us who we are today. Most importantly, it will also instil who our children will be tomorrow.
Now if that isn’t general interest, I don’t know what is!
