Summer 2023 has begun

I could smell these roses

I took this picture inside the lovely home I visited last Tuesday. The juxtaposition of these flowers with the ones seen outside caught my eye. It was raining lightly as we walked for most of the time, but I didn't mind, the coolness made it very comfortable for me. I'd much rather have clouds and a little rain than sunshine without any relief. However, as the summer wears on, I will adapt at least a little to the heat. Or, I should add, I always have so far.

This past week, I finally finished paying for my hearing aids, which I charged on my credit card, and now I'm thinking about the laptop I will be purchasing soon. It will be the same thing I've been using for awhile now, but upgraded and hopefully faster and easier to type on. This one has the blasted "butterfly" keyboard that has caused me some grief; the keys want to stick and I've found a way to fix them when it happens, but it's an annoying keyboard and I'll be happy to get a new replacement. The only bad part is that since it's an upgrade, there will be lots of new bells and whistles, with new and different ports and whatnot. They always do that whether you want them to or not. I'm in no hurry, obviously. I've had this laptop for three years now and can go a little longer with it.

I received my monthly massage on Friday, and the therapist told me she will be raising her rates soon, but doesn't know by how much. Although she doesn't really want to do it, her studio rent is doubling and just like the rest of us, other essentials in her world are increasing in price. I will continue to get my regular massage whatever the cost, however long I can afford to do so.

I ran across this quote and found it to be inspiring and perfect:

Your days are short here; this is the last of your springs. And now in the serenity and quiet of this lovely place, touch the depths of truth, feel the hem of Heaven. You will go away with old, good friends. And don't forget when you leave why you came. —Adlai Stevenson II

 Ah, yes, dear Adlai, you are right. I didn't know what I wanted to say next, but after  quick visit to brainyquote.com, you were right there to say it for me.  I especially love the line about touching the depths of truth and feeling the hem of Heaven. One wonderful part of having lived a long life is that I know exactly what that means. Just for fun, I went to Wikipedia and read the biography of Stevenson. He was someone I had heard about when I was young, and I would have voted for him when he ran  against Eisenhower if I had been old enough. But I wasn't; the first vote I ever cast was for Kennedy in 1961. I think Adlai Stevenson would have made a great president. Eleanor Roosevelt was a close friend of his and a believer in his abilities.

The politics of the world have been weighing me down as I visit the newspapers I follow daily. First the loss of those five men in the Titanic sub disaster, and now the situation going on in Russia, which is so fluid and unsettling that by the time I finish this post it might have changed again. So I'll leave it and concentrate on trying to keep myself on an even keel. That's really all we have any control over — our own internal equilibrium. I can't change anything outside of my own situation, and if I think of what the Buddhists say, it's all illusory and constantly changing anyway.

I was really fortunate in my early childhood, believing that I was the center of the universe and that everything revolved around me. My parents doted on me, and until my baby sister was born, I truly felt invincible. Then she became the one they doted on, and I was relegated to big sister status, no longer the only one they loved. I think I turned into a little bit of a brat, until I grew accustomed to the enormous change in my status. I did learn to appreciate and love the interloper, but it took me awhile. Firstborn children are the only ones I think who might have understood this toddler's dilemma.

These days, I spend most of my time following a pretty strict routine. Each day of the week has its own makeup, and Sundays always start here, with this post. I've been doing this long enough that it's very disconcerting if I cannot sit propped up in bed and ruminate about life during this time. Then, after having gone to breakfast with my friend John, the rest of the day is varied, depending on the weather. Since the pandemic altered my daily routine and made me seek out new avenues to satisfy my need for companionship, things have changed but are now settled into a new pattern that suits me quite well. Losing my friend Melanie due to her moving away has caused me to rejoin the Senior Trailblazers, and I've already made some new friends there.

I do sometimes let myself fall into what I think of as the "old age doldrums," when I awake in a grumpy mood and don't feel my usual ebullient joy at facing a new day. There are many ways that I choose to change things up, mostly by looking for serenity in the world around me. There are so many wonderful things to focus on, if I allow myself to do so. And there's of course the internet, which gives me a chance to see what Dr. Google says about how to find serenity. Here's what I found just now:

• Accept what you can't change or control. You can't actually control your mind and simply tell it, “Be more peaceful” — just as you can't control life. 
• Practice forgiveness.
• Practice mindfulness meditation. 
• Make time for yourself. 
• Keep a journal. 
• Get back to nature.

Oh, yeah! I do most of those activities already, and I just needed to be reminded of all these delightful ways to rediscover my own personal serenity. How about you? Do you have ways to buoy yourself up from the doldrums? If so, I'd love to hear them. 

For now, I think I'll wrap up this eclectic post and get on with my day. I have enough time before I need to get out of bed to visit my virtual family and see what you've been up to lately. And then a quick perusal of the news of the day, and I'm ready to spring out of bed and see what this irreplaceable special day has in store for me! I do hope that the coming week will bring peace and serenity into your life, and that you will continue to be well. I wish you all good things, dear friends.