Just wondering what everyone’s thoughts on life are these days?
I like chilling out at home, just started taking yoga classes and seeing friends for lunch or dinner. My thoughts on my general well-being are to keep life as simple as possible: eat healthy, fresh foods and reduce stress. As I get older, I try to not have people around me who might have a certain negative agenda. I just want to be around nice people and people who care about me.
My main reason for asking is that I find people here on FR [present company excluded] to be mean and sometimes far beyond what I would consider nice, to the point of having a very negative agenda when I read through threads these days. I don’t know why this is happening, but it seems to be going on everywhere.
I’ve been talking with my DH (yes I am a MRS lj) about this - how people are in anxiety, frowning, scared, angry, etc. And those emotions generally make people not nice to be around. I was thinking - ultimately, the threat of disaster of whatever kind (and we have several looming...) makes people more afraid of the source of all fear - death. So the solution, ultimately, is to depend on God and trust in His protection. Not necessarily that I won’t “die”, since the mortal frame has to end sometime, but that He will take care of me no matter what happens, whether so-called good or bad in the world.
I feel that I am becoming more trusting in God - and realizing that the ups and downs in the world are sort of external to my “real” - IOW eternal - life. One chapter, not the whole book. So I am wanting to be more regular with my spiritual practices, and see the events of the world with a bit of detachment - seeing the wider view, knowing that in the deepest sense, God is in control. He is letting everyone have their free will, to some extent, and so many are terribly misusing it. Well, the law of karma says “as you sow, so shall you reap” and a lot of people will be reaping bitter fruit. But for those with eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts to know, hard times will teach lessons that will be worth it - lessons of humility, kindness to others, understanding that the eternal Kingdom of God is our real home, and that those who harm others for their own benefit will indeed see justice in the end.
Self-sufficiency as much or as little as we can, caring about others, living a prayer life or life keeping God in our hearts - that’s what I’m trying to do. I often feel very sad thinking about all the suffering happening now, and coming more in the future. Whatever little bit I can do to help the people I know - that’s my job description, and to do it for Him, since He loves every soul.
And, I DO need to start (again) exercising which includes yoga, and gather whatever health and strength for what’s up ahead.
And those who act or speak (or write) with envy, meanness, anger, and like to belittle or harm others? I say treat them like a mean dog and stay away from them!!!
People are really on edge these days. It does seem like they are biting each others’ heads off even on FR. It’s frustration, fear, and disbelief, I think.
It’s hard to come to terms with what is happening to the US. Just beyond understanding, unless you believe in End Times.
“Just wondering what everyone’s thoughts on life are these days?”
Life keeps rolling along for me. As my good friend Dean would say “I’m just toddling along on the great road of life”. On the immediate side...I’m healthy, my wife, kids and grandkids are healthy and the remainder of my loved ones are healthy. My sis is healthy in Arizona and my BIL is too. My dad’s health is declining but with congestive heart failure that is not unexpected. My mom, my life-giver, passed away last October after battling Parkinson for 20 years. My in-laws are healthy at 92 and 87. Most all of us (not retired) are working with the exception of 2...one who is anticipating a job soon and one who is idling on unemployment. When you have ALL THIS, the rest is EASY.
I have been on this forum for 10 years and NOT ONE TIME have been in a heated discussion with OR been disappointed, discouraged by another FReeper. After my family and many friends I have had, I consider FReepers and those in the armed forces the finest people on planet earth...despite never having met a FReeper in person. I am encouraged every day because there are so many like-minded people on this forum, in this world.
I am concerned for my republic, my country and pledge my life, honor and non-existent fortune to defend it against every enemy, foreign & domestic.
life...
it has been so fabulous and fascinating that words cannot describe it.
mean and sometimes far beyond what I would consider nice, to the point of having a very negative agenda when I read through threads these days. I don’t know why this is happening, but it seems to be going on everywhere.<<<
My guess is that reality is setting in, they listen and know the real troubles this last election has brought to all of us and that there will not be a silver lining.
I know I feel stressed at times, when I look at the truths this election is giving us.
We love you here and we know that the hard times are coming, we can’t stop them, so we will do our best to meet them headon.
It won’t matter much what is stored in the closet, anyone can whip out a credit card and place a big order, but we must have the needed info in our brains to make it through.
You need a hug, so I am sending three.
Sorry I’ve taken so long to reply to this.
I’m finding myself in the same quandary about life. Trying to reduce the business/political/economic/security stress as much as possible. To effect that, I’ve really cut back on the news. I hate to stick my head in the sand like an ostrich, but I’ve found I can know all I need to with much less Fox and CNN.......without having it drummed into my consciousness so repetively. Less time on FR, too.
I’m spending more time on walks, lunches with friends, entertaining my grandchildren, and Netflix old movies. I’ve also been volunteering at my Dad’s assisted living facility two mornings a week. I started a Scrabble Club there. What fun that is.....and it is so good for the senior citizens. We have one lady, a retired professor, who has rather severe dementia.......until she plays Scrabble. She absolutely comes alive during the games and is incredibly sharp. She beats everyone, including me.....and I’m no slouch. Her daughter told me that the games are helping her tremendously with cognition and awareness. I’m trying to get some of them interested in writing short stories about their lives. That project is showing some promise, too. I really look forward to my time there. I just might have found a new purpose to my own life.
All this is just my way of saying that there can be bright spots in our lives, if we just open up to the possibilities and positives, shut out the negatives......and give of ourselves.