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 |   Second blog -- answers to an ocean of prompts |
 "Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself." CHARLIE CHAPLIN  Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you. David Whyte        This is my supplementary blog in which I will post entries written for prompts. |
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| Prompt: "There's just something beautiful about walking in snow that nobody else has walked on. It makes you believe you're special." ` Carol Rifka Brunt Have you ever been the first footsteps in the snow after a storm? Do you remember if you felt special? Do you remember the fresh smell? ---------- Have I ever been the one with the first footsteps in the snow? Well, of course. Many times over. Years ago when we lived on Long Island, NY, we had a two-acre backyard, and when the snow covered it and everything else, I had to walk on it, if not for anything but to get the wood for the fireplace from the shed. I have to say, despite the cold, those experiences were once in a million; especially, when the full moon rose over the all-white landscape at night. Eerily beautiful, I should say! When I walked on that fresh snow, every step I took left a mark, a signature of my presence, with my footprints creating a narrative, a unique path that narrated my trek through the snow. This freshly blazed trail was a fleeting monument to my walking through that path, as it was inevitably erased by time, wind, and more falling snow. The sensation of fresh snow underfoot was always a textural delight. It could be powdery and light, or densely packed and crunchy, offering a satisfying resistance with each step. The chill of the snow seeping through my boots woke up my senses, reminding me of the winter's cold reality. I know if I had to do that very thing at this time, in my old age, I wouldn't dare do it. Where I live now there's no snow and therefore, less art. Walking on that fresh snow and breathing its clear, clean scent was like experiencing a living art piece – it was an ephemeral, dynamic, and interactive experience. It was a moment of peace and tranquility when I felt I was part of something bigger, something very beautiful as if it were a silent dialogue between me and the untouched beauty of that winter landscape. . |
| Prompt: Random words for inspiration on this first Friday in January: snow, wind, mountaintop, survival, pickles, colorful, seat, and a bikini. ----------- on the *mountaintop so high, *survival's *seat, cold and bold, *snow and *wind hugging the sky, nature's dare, as if a tale, told. fancy crystals in winter's embrace, *bikini dreams in frost's domain like frozen *pickles in icy grace... where's the warmth in heart's refrain? wind whispers secrets to the peaks, that chill in the air, a test of might, a snowflake dances and landing it seeks on this vision dressed in white. my wishes for spring lie in the frost my *colorful dreams, now empty quests, nature's lessons I easily lost, yet, this silenced day, I find my rest. . |
| Prompt: "The only thing then being talked about is not being talked about." Write about this in your Blog entry today. ============ Such a paradoxical statement! Any conversation or discourse has to have a primary subject. But here, the talk or its content refers to an iffy thing, in other words, something...i.e. what the talk is about... is not being explicitly mentioned or discussed. If what that certain talk could be about would be made clear, my answer would be clear, too. This makes me wonder if, when a topic about a person is sensitive, controversial, or uncomfortable, and the other people are dancing around the issues, why would anyone want to be talked about? In which case, wouldn't it be better not being talked about? On the other hand, if the word "talk" refers to being loved and considered and honored and all those nice things and then some, yes, any one would like to be talked about. Then, isn't it a fact that when people discuss censorship, taboo, or the limits of free speech, they are talking about the concept of not talking about something? See, such paradoxical statements could be interpreted in so many ways! . |
| Prompt: "Life isn't as serious as your mind makes it out to be." Write about this in your Blog entry today. ----------------- I really think living is a dance like the tango, but if life is my tangoing partner, it is the partner who doesn't dance well. Not that it doesn't know the steps but it does missteps on purpose to keep me on my toes, while I am already on my toes. So, why does life do that? It must be because it is the strict examiner of souls or the harsh beater on people. Just the kind of thing miners do to gold mines. To extract the gold from all the impurities, they beat their diggings up and exert all sorts of cruelty on them. What I wrote in the first paragraph above was my mind thinking about life, and there was some truth in what I said there, too. A lifetime, with all its twists and turns, often appears as a serious and challenging journey. I and others do navigate through that journey's complexities of relationships, work, and personal growth, and we face moments that seem weighty and important. On the other hand, in the grand scheme of things, life might not be as serious as most of us, or people like me, often perceive it to be. Let's imagine we are in space, watching the entire universe, if we could. Even our solar system is just a tiny speck in the vastness of the universe and our planet is a nothing. In the grandeur of the cosmos, our daily worries and problems will seem trivial, then. The grandeur of space and time can serve as a gentle reminder that our troubles are just fleeting moments in the infinite tapestry of existence. That is why I need to think I have to travel through life with a light heart. There is also another point, which has to do with life's unpredictability and fleeting moments, actions, and ideas. Change is the only constant, and circumstances can shift unexpectedly. How can I or anyone else depend on anything that constantly changes? Taking all these things into consideration, happiness means letting go of the burden of being too serious. This is where I rely on humor, as it plays an important role in showing me the less serious side of life. At times, humor and a good laugh can become the best remedy for the stress life throws my way. Finding joy in simple things, appreciating the beauty around me, and connecting with others in a genuine way also help. Embracing the idea of life being flippant--or that life isn't as serious as I often think--allows me to appreciate the present moment and reminds me of my sense of gratitude for being alive. In a nutshell, that gift of life is all each one of us have, until it lasts. . |
| Prompt: What makes you appreciate the passage of time? Tell us about an accomplishment, event, or realization in 2023 that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. ------------ Appreciate time? That man-made measure of counting the days and weeks and months and years? I guess some measure of time was needed at one point in the history of mankind because we would all keep our time in our own very special ways. For example, I usually keep time according to what happened in my life as in, "It was after the time I graduated...that..." or "The year we visited Paris..." or "Before the time when my older son or younger son was born..." Go and explain that to someone who doesn't know my life! My personal biases aside, appreciating the passage of time means leading a fulfilling and meaningful life, as time is a constant force that shapes our experiences, memories, and relationships. To appreciate time we first and foremost learn to live in the present moment without judgment. Did I say judgment? Look who's talking! Between us, I'm sick of my own judgments and do I live in the present moment? Nope, although I try very hard. Although I very well know that by immersing myself in the present, I can better appreciate the nuances of life, whether it's the beauty of nature, the warmth of a conversation, or the taste of a favorite meal. On my plus side, I try not to anticipate the future too much. Never mind the advice of the stoics that we should anticipate the worst, so whatever happens we won't fall apart. Also, not dwelling on the past is on their agenda, too. How can I not? I've lived so many decades. Should I throw all of those years and good and bad times out the window, too? I do agree with the reflection and gratitude advice; however, it is the product of religions and not the stoics. Please, don't think that I don't like the stoics. Seneca is my favorite, not to mention Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus and others. In 2023, re-reading them helped me stand on my own two feet greatly. Coming back to reflection and gratitude, whether through journaling or quiet contemplation, acknowledging the passage of time can lead to a deeper appreciation for the journey we've traveled and the lessons learned along the way. I don't do setting and achieving goals that many are so fond of. Well, let's say I used to do that and if I didn't live up my expectations, I ended up beating myself real badly. At the end, I learned to say 'maybe I'll work towards this and that' and that loose determination worked better for my needling psyche. Anyhow, I don't do goals anymore, except for the daily ones, which I write down on a piece of paper and put it on the fridge's door. Anyone who watches me secretly may think I'm hungry all the time for the many trips I do to the kitchen just to stare at the fridge's door. Well, anything that works! Whatever else that works for appreciating time--such as embracing change, connecting with loved ones, and cultivating hobbies and passions--I do all that to some degree because I need to prevent burnout and help myself with my overall well-being. I think what I do, in general, helps me in to appreciate time not as a mere measurement but a source of richness and meaning in my life. After all, all those years I've lived should mean something, at least to me, shouldn't it? . |
| Prompt: 2024 What do you expect from 2024? What or who will you turn to when you want to learn more or do more in the coming year? In what ways does 2024 excite or captivate you? ------------ Not much really! I can't expect anything from any year, except for no bad things happening. As for learning new things, I turn to myself. Factually speaking, if I don't make the effort, no one or no one thing can teach me what I need or want to know. As to getting excited about 2024, I just hope the world survives, one more year, the stupidity of its inhabitants. Predicting the future with certainty is challenging as it depends on various factors including technological advancements, geopolitical events, and societal changes. To tell the truth, I am hoping and possibly expecting continued progress in technology, science, and various industries. I would like to see innovations in areas like artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and healthcare to continue shaping the world. I would also like to see much improved geopolitical situations, economic conditions, and public health, because as it is, there is too much strife between countries and people, too much poverty, and public health is on all the politicians' back burner. Yet, I think, what still works is WdC, and for that, I'm very thankful for the the owners, mods, and all the writers, artists, and readers on this site. See, despite all the negative opinion I have of the world as it is, I too can believe in the treasure at the end of a rainbow.  . |
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