Y'know...I've been in a rut...(I think...)
...Working my ass off, running around at 212 mph, the occasional restful evening with cooking or watching a movie, and then start it back over again....
I played 2 hours of tennis yesterday, and decided to start reading again...while soaking my sore body in a hot bathtub...figured it was as serene as I could make it without necessarily sleeping on my couch...
But lately, I've been running for the roses, but haven't taken the time to necessarily stop and smell them...given the fact that I boast that I work to live, and not live to work, it seems somewhat hypocritical of me, given the happenings of the past 3 months...
Going out this past weekend was passe' even though it was Halloween and I dressed up like Daniel LaRusso, my 80s hero...I still looked good (I even had the bonsai tree patch on my back)...nonetheless...I need something new...
My dad, who continually seems to always know what I'm thinking/feeling, sent me and my other siblings this email this morning...As I was filling out my weekly status report for my meeting (which I am listening to on the phone right now), I read this and smiled, thinking, yet again, he just....knows...
From : Vijay Gopal
Sent : Monday, November 1, 2004 6:39 AM
To : ank
Subject : Fwd: so true - love papa
do not take the minor tasks that you can perform for granted. If you can run down the stairs - say
thanks.If you get food on the table - say thanks. If you can see objects - say thanks. If you can lift
things - say thanks. if you can run, play golf w/o anything hurting - say thanks. In a nutshell, you have
been blessed with the biggest gift i.e. of life.God has trusted you to nurture it. If you don't
value/abuse ( e.g. smoking,drinking,excessive sleeping or excessive underrest, being sedentary, fast foods i.e. garbage in garbage out ) it - it will come back to haunt you.At every step of life - make sure it is the right step.
every waking moment - be thankful and love,enjoy lifeto the fullest!!! the only way you can do that is when you are firing on all 8 cylinders.
love
papa
...he accompanied it with this quote...
"When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself.
- Tecumseh, Shawnee Chief
I love Native American sage-ery....It just seemed to be some more fuel to help me not necessarily get out of whatever funk this is...I thought these words were beautiful...life can be what we make it...be thankful, be aggressive, be smart and strong...but it also made me realize that sometimes, we overcomplicate things and don't enjoy the simple life as we should...perhaps that is it...
Perhaps I'm just due for a change of routine - maybe that's why I am flying out to DC tonight for a few days, KY next weekend, and heading home for Thanksgiving...
Regardless, I'll find my own Private Idaho soon enough - guess I'm just a city boy with a country heart...something in the air seems to be telling me to expect some major change soon though...
...perhaps it's not a rut after all....:)
What a beautiful, sweet email from your Papa. Isn't it amazing how intune parents are sometimes despite many miles. It used to drive me crazy but now I find it so compforting.
And hey, without all the downcycles, how would we ever really enjoy the highs?
ooommma. Feel better!
Posted by: ranj | November 13, 2004 at 12:52 PM
yeah - sage parental advice does get much better the older you get...I dread my own kids not listening to me and having to watch them learn through their own mistakes rather than "cheating" from their dad and learn all the tricks I know about getting through life...:)
I guess...c'est la vie ?
:)
A
nice pics on your fotolog, by the way...
Posted by: Ank G | November 14, 2004 at 01:25 PM