Annoying Simplicity

Don't Bother Me Kid
Don't Bother Me Kid

Okay, my wife says I march to the beat of a different drummer. And after 50 years, I’m finally okay with that. It’s who I am – who I want to be.

Are ya with me?  Are you cool with who you are? With the way people judge perceive you?

No, really, are you?  Most people are, right? Because most people are pretty “normal” (whatever that means).

But if you’ve ever felt sort of out on the edge, the fringe so to speak, it’s a fairly lonely place to be. And it takes guts to be out there.

Had to tell you all of that to tell you this: “You didn’t give enough consideration to yesterday’s challenge to have a convincing answer today.”

How do I know? Because I live on the fringes, an outsider. Outsiders know. Wish it was explainable.

So, may I ask you, again, to take yesterday’s challenge more seriously today?

You know what, don’t even worry about. It’s far too much to ask of an adult, in mid life, to have an immediate, and convincing answer to the most basic of childhood questions.

Just tell those precious young minds to run along, and not to bother you.

Is Love All That Matters?

Mid Life: A Celebration or Crisis?
Mid Life: A Celebration or Crisis?

Is it?

I mean seriously, humans have complicated life, in a noble attempt to simplify it. Haven’t we?

Perhaps greed is the underlying thread that has made simplicity so complex.

No matter, we continue our search for the meaning of life and the peace we hope to gain from embracing it – if only it would be revealed to us.

Tell you what, I’ll reveal it to you tomorrow and all your challenges will vanish.

Meanwhile, mull on this overnight:

If a child asked you, “What is the meaning of life?”, what would your immediate answer be?

Merry Midlife Christmas

Merry Midlife Christmas.

“I have no gift to bring, pa-rump-a-ba-bum….”

“….that’s fit to give a King, pa-rump-a-bum-bum….”

While thinking about what to write on a day like today, it’s incredibly humbling, and immensely joyful and glorifying to know that “I got nothin” on a day like today.

“Shall I play for you, pa-rump-a-ba-bum…..”

Thankful for Pushy Women

Who loves pushy women?  I mean, who is completely thankful for pushy women?  What am I talking about?

Women who pushed the boundaries of what people thought women could do.  I don’t know what motivates or inspires you, however, it would seem that we all have more in common than we think.

Most people know and understand this simple truth – there are people who push the boundaries of what’s possible. They make the impossible, possible.  How can we not be thankful for that?

Wednesday in Alaska, I was simply walking through the Anchorage International Airport, and saw a picture on the wall, walked over to see what it was, read the description, gave thanks for Susan Butcher’s life, and then shot this short jeffnoelmidlife You Tube video:

Stuck?

Little bit. Maybe it’s the cold. Maybe not. Maybe it’s the time difference. Maybe not. Maybe it’s writer’s block.  Maybe not.

Whatever it is, I’m thankful for it.

What?

Thankful for writer’s block?  As a writer, are you telling me you’re thankful that you can’t write?

Absolutely!

The simple fact of addressing something honestly can be liberating. Plus, the fact that most of the time writing comes easy, well, that inevitably will lead to days where it doesn’t.

So, I’m abundantly thankful for both sides of the coin.  Are you? Make it a great, and thankful, day.  Because if you don’t, who will? If not today, when?  Carpe diem.