Tuesday, March 23, 2021 (Day 82)
Meditation Music: Teach Me to Whisper: Liquid Mind (7:03) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cocj364brdY
Question: What are you most grateful for about your home right now?
Answer: I am most grateful that we have a roof over our head. I spent a semester homeless at the University of Delaware, where I actually crashed in dorm lounges and friend’s rooms. One friend let me keep my stuff in his room; luckily, I didn’t have a ton of stuff, so I didn’t take up much room. I also had a locker in the rec center on campus, so I had a place to take a shower when needed. I was really good at computers, so my “side hustle” was helping people write computer programs for their classes, which covered meals and partying needs. Although it was hard at times, I learned to be thrifty and resilient, which I still use today. I appreciated the good people that helped me along the way, so when I graduated from college, I used my graduation money to throw them a big party at a club. I believe that experience really framed how much I’ve lived most of my adult life, since I was built to be mobile/portable/transient. Yes, I have stuff today, but nothing that I can’t live without. Having heat/air, water, a clean bathroom, a bed, and all the little things (like a fridge) are pretty big when you don’t have them for a short period of your life. I am truly grateful for everything that I have in my life right now.
Other Stuff
I decided to read something a little different this morning. Instead of reading something on self-help/personal development, entrepreneurship, or something to perfect my craft, I decided to read the book, “A Delightful Little Book on Aging” by Stephanie Raffelock. Although I’m 58, I’ve noticed that the body takes a little bit longer to recover, I don’t seem to move as swift and easy as I did even 10 years ago, and that competitive juice that used to drive me has turned into my need to accept things as they are, good and bad. This book talks about it in a positive light. And there’s a statement she makes in the book that resonated with me as I was working out this morning:
“Getting older presents a clear and simple choice: you can resent what life takes from you and miss what life is presenting, or you can let go of what is past and embrace the gifts of the harvest.”
The fact that I can still play tennis, play golf, walk/run, bike, and think cognitively and creatively, is a gift that keeps on giving. It’s a great time to be alive!
Here’s a link to the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Delightful-Little-Book-Aging/dp/1631528408/
The Dream Dean 