There seems to be so much madness in our world today. Wednesday morning a man was seen praying, standing on top of his car in traffic. Not long after there’s a car chase and crash on the University bridge. It took hours to clear the bridge. We had to take an alternate route to get home. We were lucky not to be on the bridge when it happened. It’s dangerous reading the news in the morning. News of violence so near can and has colour the rest of my day.
My mood can turn on a dime. When it happens, it is usually not in the right direction. It’s good for me to recognize this. I can pause, breathe and think about how I will deal with it. Byron Katie’s The Work came to mind. I’ve learned to ask my own questions. What if I don’t have this feeling? is what I asked myself today. And how can I rid/change it?
It’s difficult to protect oneself from the bad stuff because we all live in the same world. So I’m turning to my keyboard and my cuppa Orange Pekoe for comfort. My tea, of course, is not black. That would offer me no joy. This morning the scale at the gym told me I gained a pound. I try not to feel crestfallen. I think of it as a pound of muscle. I do feel trimmer. I’m adding more aerobics to my workout. Today I did 50 skips of jump rope and 10 minutes of the bike. My goal is to work up to 100 skips at one go eventually.
It helps that today was bathed in sunshine. Taking my father out for coffee helps, too. It gives me a sense of purpose. Seeing my pink door as I drove off helps, too. Sunshine and colour are good for the heart.
onethousandandtwo 
I love the pink door. It looks bright and happy. As for mood, I’m trying not to let my mood match the dreary weather. It’s getting dark earlier and earlier, which is very Unfun.
50 jump rope skips is great along with 10 minutes on the bike! Just take it a day at a time. I don’t watch TV and hardly hear any news except what I see online. But yes it’s a scary world, I keep thinking back on the old days when everyone helped each other. Seems like those days are gone for the most. But your pink door made me smile, it’s such a happy entrance!
Hi Lily,
I noticed the solar panels on the roof of your home. Maybe you can tell us about them some time. How do you keep the snow off of them in the winter and how big is the battery that they are charging? How long do the batteries last?
We have 32 panels on the house initally and have added more on our garage last summer. No batteries. Our house is too high to scrape snow off but the garage roof is reachable.
Lily, I really felt this. The world can feel so heavy at times, but it’s good that you catch yourself and know how to ground again — with sunshine, colour, and small joys like tea and time with your dad. You’re doing the right things, even on the hard days. Sending warmth your way. 💛