Thoughts for Thursday

+ I’ve written about this before, but it bears repeating. Don’t question if something is normal. Instead ask the question, “Is this healthy?” Normal means “typical, standard, usual, expected,” according to the dictionary. Think about a lot of awful things that were once considered “normal.” Slavery. Smoking in airplanes. Women needing men to co-sign for loans. Lawn darts. . . . . The list goes on and on. Familiarity often breeds acceptance. When making decisions, plans, actions, always ask yourself, “Is this a healthy choice for me? Am I supporting something that is healthy?” Let “healthy” be your arbiter. “Normal” changes all of the time.

+ Joan Didion once said, “A writer is always selling somebody out.” I think this is the biggest struggle in writing. Even if you’re a novelist, you are still getting your ideas from observations and experiences from your real life. And your perception of things is your reality, even if others have a completely different perception. I never want to “sell anybody out.” Writing is my peace, not my weapon. It’s a fine line we writers walk. And now that there are so many forms of social media, I think that Joan Didion’s statement also applies. Kids can’t give their permission to air funny, embarrassing videos and antics. It’s a conundrum, for sure.

+ This is from a sign that I saw recently (it’s a good reminder. My grandmother used to always say “tend to your own knitting”): “Better worry about your own sins, ’cause God ain’t going to ask you about mine.”

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:

1714. Would you ever live in a treehouse?

Monday Fun-Day

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“I’ve already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be.” – Joan Didion

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do, are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“Don’t compare yourself to people who pretend to have it all together.” – Turtlebreezee

“Self care should be a daily practice, not an emergency procedure.” – love yourself (Twitter)

I find Mondays to be good “listening days.” I just put my head down, keep it simple and reflect on how I would like for my week to go. Mondays, tend to be good “find myself and center myself” days. When I go full bore, and I try to get all of my weekly chores done on a Monday, that always ends up being a lesson in frustration and futility. Mondays can be “fun days”, if we keep our expectations in check and our equilibriums finely tuned. May today be an excellent Monday!

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.