A Frame of Mind

If we can prevent the government from wasting the 

labors of the people

under the pretense of taking care of them, 

they must become happy. 

 Thomas Jefferson

Constitutions have to be written on hearts, not just paper.   

Margaret Thatcher

The real tragedy of the poor is the poverty of their aspirations.

Adam Smith

 

It's raining.  No, I am not in Wyoming.  It rarely rains there.  I don't know when I was last so embraced by the music of the rain.  Standing still within the small, elegantly designed, custom stainless steel walls  of the bathroom, I listen as water pours down on the angled skylight.  In the moment, awake in the night, I'm transported dimensionally to my childhood and a perfect world, where every worry was, and is, washed away.

Because some conversations today reminded me of the complex world we live in nowadays, it is overwhelmingly wonderful in these quiet moments to be reminded that such a calming, tranquil place still exists.  In much the same way. over the last few hours I myself have been literally transported through space and time itself to another state.  Instead of the confusing blankness I encountered this week while wondering why I felt unable to find my blogging subject, I lie awake thinking about having so much to blog about that I don't know where to start nor where to stop.  

My blogging journey found it's nemesis this week.  In the blink of an eye it seems, thanks to the United States postal system and the abundantly flowing business ideas of my spouse and son, each day another influx of mail was deposited on the top of unfinished work.   Each day brought a challenge to face it with focus and determination.  Undaunted at the impossibilities presenting themselves, I waded through it for hours and made some satisfying progress.  Then blog day came.  Couldn't imagine anyone wanting to hear about by bookwork battles. 

Instead, would you like to hear about a two hour visit with my seat mate,  a cardiologist who travels the world and bowled a near perfect score in a tournament in Las Vegas just this week?  Or would you like to hear about a thirty-two year old Republican who oversees and promotes the work of an energy efficient weatherization program funded by grants and administered by the University of Washington.  Maybe you would like to hear about a 13 year old who is wondering if he made the varsity tennis team, or listen to his little sister hop from playing an out of tune ukelele to performing several enthusiastic piano solos.  I could tell you about being inspired by my own sister who did a complete about face in seconds from possibly planning on going out to eat at her most favorite restaurant to fixing zucchini lasagne for 8 at her house, besides serving Hors D' Oeuvres, without blinking an eyelash,  or about the warmth of welcome into their home by my brother-in-law and the willing dinner guest/ helper, and conversational contributor my 21 year old nephew turned out to be.  If that wasnt't enough, I could tell you about the creative advice shared by the talented program administrator and a 29 year old self-employed videographer with dreams of being a bonafide documentary and movie maker who also happens to be a passionate Democrat that spends his summers fishing in Alaska. 

So I am like the dry earth soaking up this refreshing rain, enthralled by stimulating conversation, actions and energy, by young people, children, adolescents.  Although feeling like I probably presented a bit of an underachiever, I am inspired by a  talented 76 year old widowed cardiologist who travels all over the world, has four grown children, is good at many sports, who still works three days a week,  scoffs at the idea of retiring and is happy to hear that we have something in common.  One of the thoughts I will carry home again is to allow their stories to energize my own appointment with my known destiny and goals, to live a meaningful life in juxtaposition with seemingly endless paperwork, but refreshed and conquering it well, as I have before.  This after I have only been here a few hours.  Truly inspiration is abounding here.