Ray’s Daily
October 2, 2020
“To lose patience is to lose the battle.”
Mahatma Gandhi
It seems like we have been isolated forever. I know I miss socializing, getting out and more. My wife living in a long-term care facility, even though close, adds to my loneliness. I am glad that things have loosened up some and that I am staying optimistic.
The pun dents predict a new normal, I just hope that it is not here already. Here is an offering on how to make life during lockdown as painless as possible. It is from the Positively Present blog. I know it is long but I think it is worth reading.
15 Reminders for Keeping Calm During A Pandemic
Here’s a list of 15 reminders I want to keep in mind as we continue to battle the coronavirus globally.
THIS WON’T LAST FOREVER. – Whatever you’re going through right now, no matter how difficult, will not last forever. The impacts of your situation may impact you for a long time (they might even change your life dramatically), but nothing is forever. Things will change. Be grateful for the good times and be accepting of the bad ones.
GOOD THINGS CAN COME FROM BAD TIMES. – You don’t know for sure what the future will hold. Yes, bad things happen, but often they lead to good things. Keep believing good things are coming.
DISTANCE CAN PROVIDE CLARITY. – A situation that changes up your daily routine can distance you from your normal day-to-day life. This can be overwhelming and unsettling, yes, but that distance may also give you clarity on how your activities really impact you. What do you feel relieved to be without? What do you miss the most? Notice these things, and work to adjust your life in the future accordingly.
YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE. – Change begets change. If something disrupts your life suddenly, it might be a sign that you need a fresh start. A good time for a new life is when things have been completely transformed without your say so.
CONNECTION IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE. TREASURE IT. – When times are toughest, you see who the people in your life really, truly are. You notice who is there for you and who is not. You notice who might need your attention and care, who is responsive to your love and affection. Tough times show true colors, and seeing those colors can help you determine who you want in your life.
LITTLE THINGS REALLY DO MATTER. – If you’re missing something you were used to seeing, doing, or being, you’ll start to notice the little things you miss in particular about that person, place, or thing, things you might not have paid much attention to before. Use this a sign to be grateful for what you do have now and a reminder to appreciate the little things once you’re back in your normal routine.
UNEXPECTED CHANGE OFFERS A NEW PERSPECTIVE. – When you’re suddenly swung around, your life changed without permission, you’re presented with a different view of your life. This new vantage point can be overwhelming or upsetting at times, but it is a gift. It’s so rare that we’re forced to step out of our patterns and routines. Pay attention to how you feel and what you now see.
PRACTICING POSITIVITY WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER. – It’s great to be optimistic when things are going well. But it’s also easy. Staying positive when things aren’t great is hard work. It comes naturally to some, but most of us have to practice. This is the time to practice positive thinking.
WHO YOU ARE IS MORE THAN WHAT YOU DO. – When you’re removed from your well-trod patterns and routines, it can be startling to realize that you’re more than what your job is, who you’re related to, and all of the items on your to-do list. A dramatic change forces you to slow down, look around, and do some self-reflection.
IT’S OKAY TO FEEL HOW YOU FEEL. – In any difficult situation (or any situation at all!), it’s important to remember that it’s okay to feel how you feel. Feelings happen, but they aren’t facts. You are allowed to feel any feeling you feel. If and how you act on that feeling is what can be helpful or harmful, but feelings on their own are okay. Accept your feelings and choose actions carefully.
GOOD THINGS CAN HAPPEN (EVEN IN BAD TIMES). – Bad things happen during good times. Good things happen during bad times. If you’re generally in a bad place (or the world is), but something wonderful happens, embrace it. I know it might feel strange, but the world needs more joy, no matter how small. Don’t turn away from joy and happiness in difficult times.
YOU MUST PLAY THE CARDS YOU’RE DEALT. – If nothing else, a dramatic change or difficult situation will serve as a reminder that a great deal of life (where we’re born, who raised us, where we live, the current time period, other people’s actions and reactions) is not under our control. We have to do the best we can, and know that we can only work with what we have access to.
TOUGH TIMES TEACH YOU ABOUT YOURSELF. – Going through something difficult or life-changing is one of the greatest ways to find out more about yourself. You know how sometimes people bond with each other while going through a challenge? You can do that with yourself, too. It sounds odd, but you really can. Use this time to discover who you are and what really matters to you.
PRODUCTIVITY ISN’T LIFE’S SOLE PURPOSE. – Any disruption at all can worsen productivity, but let this low productivity be a reminder that something is off, and that’s okay. You don’t have to be productive all the time. It’s okay to relax.
FIND JOY AND INSPIRATION WHEREVER YOU CAN. – Maybe this kind of self-help article helps you. Maybe you find inspiration while looking at photographs or taking walks or riding a flamingo down an empty beach. I don’t know what your deal is, but you do what brings you joy or inspiration during a difficult time — even if it looks very different than what others call “inspiration.” Find what makes you feel comforted and uplifted and do it often.
~~~
“The ingredients of health and long life are great temperance, open-air, easy labor, and little care.”
Philip Sydney
~~~
She says there is a difference.
If Laura, Suzanne, Debra and Rose go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Suzanne, Debra and Rose. If Mike, Charlie, Bob and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla, Peanut-Head and Scrappy.
When the bill arrives, Mike, Charlie, Bob and John will each throw in $20, even though it’s only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller, and none will actually admit they want change back. When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he wants. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn’t want.
A man has six items in his bathroom: a toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel from the Holiday Inn. The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify most of these items.
A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t. A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change and she does.
A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail. A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed. Women somehow deteriorate during the night.
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.
~~~
“The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three, he was the genius.”
~~~
Mrs. Ogden went to her doctor and said “Please give me a prescription for the Pill.”
“I don’t think you need the Pill at your age.”
“It relaxes me.”
“But you know the ‘purpose’ of the Pill. It’s not for relaxing,” exclaimed the physician.
“I know,” said Mrs Ogden, “but my daughter dates, and every morning I drop one in her orange juice. Believe me, I feel more relaxed.
~~~
“The economy depends on economists about as much as the weather does on forecasters.”
~~~
Little Johnny was walking down the beach, and he spied a matronly woman sitting under a beach umbrella on the sand. He walked up to her and asked, “Are you a Christian?”
“Yes.” she replied.
“Do you read your Bible every day?”
She nodded her head, “Yes.”
“Do you pray often?” Little Johnny asked next, and again she answered, “Yes.”
With that he asked his final question, “Will you hold my quarter while I go swimming?”
~~~
When dog food is new and better tasting, who tests it?
~~~
A woman was on the witness stand, accused of poisoning her husband. “After you put poison in the coffee, you sat at the breakfast table and watched your husband drink it. Tell me, didn’t you feel the slightest bit of pity for him?” the defense attorney prompted.
“Yes,” she replied, “I think there was one moment when I felt sorry for him.”
“And when was that?”
“When he asked for his second cup.”
~~~
“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you’ll ever know.”
A.A. Milne
~~~
Indianapolis, Indiana
Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.
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