Category: The Senior Side of Life

All about living the third stage of life which lies between 70 and 100

KICKING THE TIRES OF MAY 7 2019

S R Janssen
First thought of the morning

Stay in Bed Until You Lighten Up

Woke up thinking hard thoughts about life and feeling depressed and grumpy. Thought to myself “why bother getting up if I feel like this” particularly if my general goal is to extract as much fun and satisfaction as possible from each day. So I stayed in bed and looked at pretty, saccharine photos and listened to music until I reached a point of feeling better.

Shifting from sour to silly

Both “The Master Key” and “The Great Divorce” emphasize the value of feeling happy, and satisfied, and filled with appreciation. I am experiencing the validity of that for myself more and more each day. Yet, as I type, there is a voice of protest in the background. Speaking for myself, I notice how I cling to my old habits of sour and dour. That which I considered myself to be is revealing itself as nothing but a veneer covering my essential silliness and lightheartedness.

When life requires completion of a task I don’t like, find a way to gain a grain of satisfaction from it.

Kicking the Tires of May 6 2019

S R Janssen

Window Musings

Peace roses on the window sill; the window itself opens to a gloomy day-May haze. I like the windows without the curtains, but they can’t stay bare. After all, I need some privacy when I move about the space at night. And the room will need protection against the blazing glare of summer.

Confusion Generates Anger

I feel confused. The collisions of conflicting thoughts produce waves of angry feelings. I need some clarity now so that I don’t turn this day into a useless muddle. I am clear that I am writing a novel, and I will finish it. Writing a fifty thousand word novel is not such a big deal particularly if it is not an especially good novel. I am not confused now; it just a simple matter of remembering to choose clarity.

Question of the Day

How the hell did I develop the habit of putting off doing the things that I most want to do?