Drifting Along (& I don't mean with cars)

Thank God it's Friday! Literally. This means that after eight hours of work I get to go home and be. Just be. No one is asking me questions or telling me to design something for them. I get to do what I want! I can paint an old window frame or stamp some metal or eat nachos to my heart's content and no one can say anything different.

Of late, those have been my activities of choice. But recently it’s been hard to get inspired. Do you get the feeling sometimes you're just drifting along? -Get up early--live through work--come home-- go to bed- What’s wrong with me? I’m going through life without noticing the changing leaves or the way truffles melt in my mouth or how soft a horse’s muzzle is! (Seriously, have you felt one lately? Smooth as butter!) I know this sounds mushy and sentimental, but lately I have been thinking a lot about it.

I live in a place where money has become the main object of desire (I know this is usually the main object but it’s getting out of hand) and nobody cares how they get it as long as a paycheck goes into the bank. I like to picture it as a rat race…thousands of rats piled on top of each other, biting and clawing and chewing their way to the “oil cheese”. Okay, let’s just get right down to it. What I’m trying to say is that the best place in the world, where I grew up and played sports and learned everything I know, is changing. It’s gone! (No! It can’t be!) No longer can you snap a landscape photo without a rig in it or go to the pub to see friends or even go to the grocery store without pulling your hair out. I can’t even get onto the highway from our approach without waiting for a minimum of 7 vehicles. (This is unheard of!)

In college I loved saying I was from a small town of about 1,500 people, with no stop lights or fast food restaurants. People would always poke fun, but deep down I was the one that was sorry for them because they didn’t get to grow up where I did. They didn’t get to walk through the quiet country or drive really fast over hills on gravel roads to make their stomachs flip-flop. Things like that allowed me to laugh at North Dakota jokes because I know how wonderful it really is (that it’s not all flat and we do indeed have electricity). It's such a great place and I'm ignoring it. I don't snap a million pictures of the sunrise anymore or let the evening breeze kiss my cheek. I'm just trying to survive and stay inside as much as possible. Can you see why I feel like I’m drifting? It’s horrifying and it must stop! (said in a super hero voice) So now I’m on a mission to make the best of everyday life because after all, today is all I have. I can still enjoy the things I used to about where I grew up. They may be a little different but who cares?

So here is my conclusion: you just have to take it all in stride because change is inevitable. Being crabby, sad, boring or happy, it’s up to you how you live your life! Are you gaging yet? Does it sound like I’ve been reading a self-help book or something? It is kind of soppy but you know it’s true! So, enjoy YOUR TODAY and remember to pay attention to the little things in life…because those are the things worth noticing.

 

Something I'll have to get used to...