Monday, December 11, 2017

Just offering

 Holiday letters, do you do them ? I have never done one, that but have received a couple.  A sort of year in review. Having never tried to do that I believe it would be a struggle. Would I have a years worth of news ? No, I think it would be fairly brief, hardly an anthology, more like a shopping list. Of course that does depend upon what the I am willing to share. It's not that I have secrets, it's just that I don't share what I think of as boring news. Do you really want to read about my health issues ? I don't think so. I consider myself fortunate when I don't have dramatic or traumatic news ! When life just goes along smoothly it is a blessing. Those everyday blessings do get shared however, it is just that I post to Facebook. Yes, I do enjoy that social media platform. I enjoy it when they post my " year in review " even though they want to sell me something. It's fun to look and be reminded of the experiences. That's why I like it though, because I lived it. If I were to share that with someone that wasn't involved it wouldn't be near as entertaining. I'm thinking it is the same with those holiday letters. They wouldn't be much fun to the recipients, unless of course you were to pack them full of gossip ! Everyone loves gossip. Yes, you do. I haven't done much worthy of gossip and the people I have the " dirt " on you wouldn't know anyway, so that's no fun.
 Do you have holiday friends and family ? You know, those that get a card and maybe a brief phone call. I have a few. It isn't that I don't think of them throughout the year but I wait for an occasion. I have no explanation for that other than laziness. Yes, there are times when I am too lazy to make the effort. What does that say about me ? I'll be the first to tell you we should all make time for our friends and family. I'm certain I have written more than one blog about that very thing. It is easier to write or talk about it than to actually do it. It's that way with a lot of things. Well, I'll consider myself admonished and promise to do better in the future. I should tell you I don't do new years resolutions either. Old dogs and new tricks ? Not very likely, but possible. I do have a habit of taking life for granted. I have awoken every day for 23,521 days in row, so can you blame me ? Yes one day that streak will end and I'll begin another. The next one will be for an eternity ! I wonder if I will become complacent about that ? Maybe that is what happened to the Devil ! Hmm, something more to consider.
 About those holiday letters though, I guess my year has been pretty boring. Same old thing almost every day. I really shouldn't complain about any of that. I don't believe we are supposed to be entertained all the time. The times we are not entertained we should be productive. I admit to wasting a great deal of time on entertaining myself. Yeah, think social media and watching television those sort of diversions. Are they accomplishing anything constructive ? The majority of the time I would have to say, no. In these modern times, with all the modern conveniences, we have become lazy, complacent in life and the living of it. That's why we have " outdoor " activities. We do subconsciously miss those activities that used to keep us alive and have created " sport " to replace them. Some of us hunt, fish, kayak, ski and all those type of things. There is an element of danger in those activities, and it is that element that we crave. Others among us center their efforts on " crafting . " Crafting doesn't necessarily hold the danger element, but gives us a sense of survival. Yes, we are making these things, whatever they may be, as a replacement for survival skills long since made unnecessary by modern technology.
  I find myself preoccupied with thought. What will be my contribution ? Is a contribution necessary ? Well I think my lot is to leave an offering, more so than a contribution. Offerings may or may not be accepted. Contributions are those things people create to the betterment of man. They are the practical things, accepted and utilized by all. Offerings are everything else. Offerings are those things that are either accepted or rejected on an individual basis. I'm thinking music, art, those things labeled the humanities. Some would argue that those type of things are contributions and I can understand that. It is true if you are the one " offering " that contribution. You would want everyone to acknowledge and accept that. That action is a validation. As for me, I am making an offering. I'll leave it to others to decide if it is a contribution. I do encourage others to " try it, you'll like " it. I wouldn't be normal if I didn't. I know, who told me I was normal.
 What has all of this to do with holiday letters ? Well a holiday letter is a year in review. Even in my most momentous year I would barely have more than a few paragraphs. Guess I could just jot down a few bullets. Holiday letters are supposed to be informative aren't they ? I just don't have much to tell you about on a personal level. I wouldn't feel right telling you about anyone else, shouldn't they do that ?  I tried to envision my highlight reel for 2017. Nothing comes to mind, nothing I would consider a highlight anyway. My greatest pleasures have come from seeing the accomplishments of others. Boy, that sounds self serving now doesn't it ? Getting " likes " on Facebook doesn't qualify as a highlight but I do enjoy them. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I didn't do anything in 2017 to brag about.   

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