What's In Front Of You

What’s In Front Of You

Hi Everyone,

When I was a kid and I was upset, my Mother used to tell me to “walk, move, tire yourself out, go until you can’t go anymore. Then you’ll be able to sleep.” I don’t sit down much. Movies, reading and writing is about all I’ll sit for. 

Right now what’s upsetting me is how much change there is in my small part of the world. I’m told it’s happening in your small part of the world too. I’m talking about this whole, “IT’S-GONNA-GET-WORSE-BEFORE-IT-GETS-BETTER” movement that’s happening.

One friend called today just to tell me, “Do you believe this weather? It’s crazy everywhere. Tornados in the winter…it’s as volatile as the economy.”  I wouldn’t have called her if I knew how to do Microsoft Excel. It seems to be required for every job that doesn’t involve digging a hole and filling it up again. After listening to her for three minutes, I wondered if I should bother learning Excel. What good is Excel do me if California is just gonna snap off the end of the continent and sink.

So, my question is, if you’re presently not working at a job right now, as I am not, what then should you be doing besides looking for one? There’s a lot of time in between interviews.  What has worked for me in the past and what I shall continue to do is what’s in front of me. And, I’ve added something to that plan, which I’ll get to in a minute.

What’s in front of me are my two kids. I’m doing more for and with them, and it doesn’t revolve around buying things…except Lego’s. We can’t go without a five-dollar Lego once in a while. We go for hikes on sunny days and when the weather is crazy we play Monopoly. My five-year-old son who loves jewelry always wins. My teen son who loves to read will cheat if I’m not watching.  (It started when my Mother, his Grandmother visited.) I am the banker.

Service is always in front of me but when I work I have to say “no” a lot. It’s nice to have the time to say “yes” when a friend asks for help with something. I take pride in my work no matter what it is. I am a pretty good wood worker, a skill that I developed during other down time in my career. I can make a new front door for a friend’s house or put up blinds or build a bookcase.

That brings me to the “something” I’ve added to the “what’s in front of me” plan, and that is to learn new skills. Don’t lose your childlike wonder because you’re too busy wondering when the shit is going to hit the fan.  Instead learn to fix a fan so when the shit hits it, there’s something to see. 
Take a class, teach a class, don’t stop until you’re tired enough to sleep tonight. 

This has been Margaret Smith from the bottom.