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 |   Exploring the future through the present. One day at a time. |
I really intended to continue to participate in "Blogville "  these last two weeks. Some great prompts to encourage and inspire, and plenty of time to dig in and explore. However, as an acquisition editor for an online magazine, I had to set time aside to pick next month's stories, edit them, and send off acceptance emails. It doesn't take a lot of time, per se, but it does take focus. Plus I needed to finish writing a chapter of my latest WIP to present to my writers group. Although this entry is not a part of the popup, I do have thoughts. This one pertains to my son who will turn fourteen in less than a week. An hour ago, I dropped him off at our church where he along with nearly 30 other middle-schoolers will be taking a trip to Terry Peaks, a ski resort in South Dakota. It's the first trip he's taking without at least one of his parents going with. I'm a bit saddened by it, although I'm also excited for him. I know he'll have a great time. But as a mom, sometimes my first instinct is to protect that little boy I gave birth to. How can I continue to do that if he's two hundred miles away? Yet that's not my job, at least not anymore. Sure when he was little, I needed to make sure he didn't come to harm. But that's not my only job. It's also to teach him to be self-reliant, independent. To teach him how to protect and provide for himself when he becomes an adult in only four short years (!). To show him through mine and his father's actions how to protect and provide for his own family when he gets married and has children (hopefully). Anything less I see as abuse. Strong words, I know, but that's how I see it. The main reason is because his parents have far fewer years left on this planet than he does (again, hopefully). Once we're gone, he's literally on his own. If we don't prepare him, he'll never be successful, and he can never protect and provide for himself or his future family. I've seen too many adults whose parents didn't let them take wing and fly, fearing so much they'd instead crash on the ground. Helicopter parenting is one phrase people use. It's a real struggle for them to deal with even the simplest things life throws at them. So while I already miss my son, and am trying not to think of the days when I'll see him less and less, first after he gets his drivers license and starts building his own life once he graduates high school, I am also proud of him. Proud that he's willing to leave his parents to take a trip two hundred miles away. |
| Of me. Per the prompt from "Round 2 Blogvillian Pop Up! January 3-4 POST HERE " I had three choices. Write about my day/week/holiday, a genre short story, or taboos. I already wrote two taboo-ish entries recently, and it usually takes me more than a few days to write a story--short or otherwise. So we're left with a day in the life of me. I'll keep it short so as not to bore you stupid. I could write about my holidays, but even those were pretty much non-happenings. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years were spent at home with just the three of us (my husband, son, and me). Oh, and our yellow lab, Ruckus. Because my son has way too much "stuff" as it is, for the second year in a row, I purchased him a bunch of Lindt chocolate for Christmas. He loves the stuff. Plus I don't have to worry about him getting bored with it, and it ends up collecting dust in the corner of his room somewhere. He also shares, so of course I chose the kind of chocolates I prefer... I just finished reading "The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher" by by Andrzej Sapkowski. It (along with "Sword of Destiny" apparently) are the introductory novels for the rest of the Witcher series (which the Netflix series is based on). I enjoyed it a lot. It's a quick read, but what I found most interesting is each chapter has a complete story arc inside the main arc, some of which are twists on common fairy tales such as Beauty and the Beast. Of course that means I now have to read the rest of the series... Instead of buying another book, however, I need to read the hundred (not much of an exaggeration there) others I already own. I decided to read next the first book in yet another series called "His Majesty's Dragon" by Naomi Novik. This one is an alternate history of WWII where the British use dragons to help them fight the war. Interesting premise, don't you think? It certainly beats trying to make my rather dull life sound interesting! |
| I’m sure plenty have been posting about so-called New Years Resolutions. I never did like the idea of making them, and for several reasons: People too often don’t follow through, or quit after only a few months (such as resolving to exercise more), and if a change is necessary, why wait until the first of the year to do it? Why not start the minute you think about it? That said, I get it. With a new year comes reflections of the past year and a feeling of renewal. And renewal often means making certain changes to one’s life. And since I love words, I decided to look up the etymology of “resolution.” The phrase “New Years Resolution” apparently first appeared in the 1780s and was “… in reference to a specific intention to better oneself … they generally were of a pious nature.” (See: https://www.etymonline.com/word/resolution) The last part surprised me some. I kind of doubt most New Years resolutions today are of a pious nature… Not to say they’re bad, per se. I’m sure most are ma a desire to better oneself, but less religious and more secular. At least in general. I’m sure plenty of people’s resolutions are to study and live more intentionally according to scripture. Another derivative of “resolution” is “resolute.” From the same page above, resolute means a “steadfastness of purpose.” Resolute is not a word I would generally use to describe myself. I’m a bit flighty at times, my attention constantly shifting toward that new, shiny thing. I have more unfinished stories and blog entries than I dare to count. To be resolute requires discipline, a trait I’ve always sorely lacked. So perhaps the main reason I don’t like New Years (or any other time of year) resolutions is because I know I will fail at every one I try. No sense in disappointing myself on purpose. This new year (just like every other year) will yield enough disappointments without adding one more. Huh. I really didn’t intend to write such a sour entry. Still, if the past two years are any indication of what’s to come, I’m a bit leery of what 2022 will hold and am purposefully holding back any positive inclinations. I fully expect society to get more insane and the powers that be will get even more power-hungry and unhinged with mind-boggling mandates and laws. All that said, I do believe “resolute” should be the word of the year. If we value what we still have and want to gain back what we lost over the last two years, we need to stand firm and refuse to bow before the powerful. Why? Because we are millions strong whereas those in power are not. If enough people refuse to comply to the things they find morally repugnant, politicians will have no choice but to back down. That’s my one hope (if not expectation) for the new year. What’s yours? |
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