by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
I remember vividly the circumstances surrounding my father’s death just about 16 years ago. I remember divorces, retirement, and dealing with my wife’s mother’s death. These are some of “the storms of life” that have affected my life. Fortunately, in all the cases, I seemed to have (a judgment I am making in retrospect) the resources necessary to face and survive the storms. It is only in retrospect now that I am able to look back and analyze how I survived.
What are our resources — on what can we depend — when we find ourselves faced with “the storms of life”? We have the resources, and we prove that we have them time after time after time; however, daily preparation in building our resources is essential, and the more resources we accumulate over time, the more prepared we are to face the storms of life. That is, our resources are enhanced, underscored, and buttressed when we have sufficiently prepared ourselves when times are good. Ezra Pound said, “A slave is one who waits for someone else to come and free him.” The point of this essay is how you can set yourself free — free to depend on yourself and your resources to face the storms of life.
Preparation is the key, but you must remember that quick cures seldom last. That is, the kind of preparation advocated in this essay involves deep changes, and these changes take time and effort and cannot be done spur-of-the-moment or just when the storms hit.
Preparation is like an insurance policy. You pay into it throughout your life, and on a daily basis, hoping, of course, that you will never have to use it. But, during any storm of life, the insurance policy is there to cover you. Some storms are worse than others so in some cases you will need to draw out more from the insurance policy than at other times.
How do you pay into this insurance policy? Financially, you create a “rainy day fund” that you have available. You may even make certain that your actual, real insurance policy for your automobiles and your house and belongings is paid up, current, and available. That seems like an automatic, intuitive thing that everyone does almost without thinking. (Most insurance companies make it very clear when premiums are due.)
There are many other ingredients (besides finances), and no one ingredient is necessarily better or more important than another. They weigh differently in different people’s lives. One may be sufficient, it is true, to get us through, but I would contend that it is probably the aggregate of ingredients working together that provide the assistance and support needed.
After finances, the second major ingredient is having a support group. In a USA Today article, “Happiness is having friends at church” (USA Today, December 7, 2010, p. 7D), a study originally published in the December (2010) issue of the American Sociological Review by Chaeyoon Lim, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was reported. The study’s conclusion, provided in the first paragraph of the USA Today article, states: “Attending religious services regularly and having close friends in the congregation are key to having a happier, more satisfying life . . .” (p. 7D). The study does not report “what aspect of religiousness — church attendance, prayer, theology or spirituality — accounts for this level of life satisfaction”; however, the study does report that “the social aspect of religion and a shared religious connection built around identity and belonging” is a key factor.
What is amazing about Lim’s study is that “90% of the correlation between church attendance and life satisfaction can be explained if you have these close interactions” (p. 7D). What a testimony for involved church attendance, and what a testimony, too, for having such close interactions when it comes to the storms of life. They become your safety net.
Of course it doesn’t have to be just religion or religious connections that will provide the safety net when the storms occur. Making certain you have established and continue to nourish your ties with friends, family, and neighbors as well as co-workers, business associates, and other community contacts is important as well. These are the very people likely to come to your aid when the storms hit. Isolation from these associations cannot offer similar outcomes.
There is a third area of preparation in addition to finances and people-to-people connections, however, and that involves staying informed. You never know when having knowledge and information will prove essential. No, you may not need it; however, survival knowledge or where to go for help may, indeed be all you need to know. Broad bases of knowledge about how others have survived similar storms may be all that is needed.
Read widely, keep your eyes and ears open and alert, listen to the news, be aware of what other people say and do, and always stay informed, up-to-date, and enlightened. Be the sharpest knife in the drawer, the brightest bulb in the fixture, and the highest point on the weather vane.
The fourth area of preparation has been a common theme in many of my essays, and there is a whole chapter on it in my book You Rules - Caution: Contents Leads to a Better Life and that is to be physically prepared. Remember, too, that physical preparation closely relates to mental preparation.
Physical stamina is important because it allows you to do your best when facing the storms of life. Your regular exercising, proper nutrition and body sustenance, as well as your sleep and conditioning will not just help you to be physically fit when a storm hits, but it will help as well to keep you thinking at your best.
Thinking at your best may mean seeking professional medical, psychological, financial, legal, or spiritual help when you realize they may be your best resource. When you are in doubt, you should never endanger yourself by relying only on yourself and neglecting such experts. In these cases, too, it is important to remember that it is how you go about choosing the experts and how you use what they have to offer that counts.
- - - - - - -
At the website Army Well-Being there is a wonderful essay by Rob Schuette, Fort McCoy Public Affairs, “Spiritual resiliency helps soldiers weather life's traumas.” Schuette ends his essay saying, “People can prepare themselves to overcome traumatic events by developing self-confidence, leadership, personal strength, spiritual growth and an appreciation of life.”
At Yahoo! Answers one writer pours out his life in a piece entitled, “After trauma I have literally nothing to do with my life have nothing left and start over continuously..?” What is interesting here is that, first, you will be drawn in to the writer’s plight. Second, read the responses that readers have made. There is some of what I have written about in my essay, but it is also said that there is no way to prepare for such intense trauma. Read it for yourself; you’ll be glad you did.
- - - - - - - - -
Copyright October, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
The true meaning of birthdays: Developing a receptivity to and capacity for wisdom
by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
As I was getting dressed for church, the call came in on my cell phone, and when I answered, a chorus of youthful, cheerful, and well-prompted singers broke into their rendition of “Happy Birthday” to grandpa. What a great way to begin the day — actually, any day — but particularly this one!
That alone could be the true meaning of birthdays, and this would be a very short essay!
When I was young I thought people my age were “really old,” but I have since changed that attitude for some strange reason! (:-) — smiley emoticon here)
Chronological age does matter, and if someone doesn’t believe it, talk to them about what happens to the physical body as it ages. Often, too, chronological age directly affects mental attitude. As my daughter is fond of saying about almost anything (and this time it refers to age): “It is what it is!” She’s incredibly accurate, and I promised her I would credit her with this phrase (now a well-worn cliche!) if I used it.
I don’t really think age itself is that important, but my wife has pointed out two things as I approach another decade milestone: “Do you realize just how many years we have left?” Her second comment was, “We must travel while we still can.”
Both of her comments are true and must be recognized and honored — and obeyed. When you are in good physical health it is hard to imagine life otherwise.
Speaking of life otherwise, we met a lovely, lively, active couple when cruising. With them we felt comfortable, relaxed, and we so enjoyed their company, we decided to visit them on our Lake Superior, Canadian, fifth-wheel trip less than a year after meeting them. The husband had just died and the wife had a debilitating stroke and was wheelchair bound and had difficulty speaking. Situations like this one force you to face an uncomfortable reality.
That doesn’t, however, reflect on “the true meaning of birthdays.” Their true meaning lies in the history, knowledge, and wisdom we gain with each passing year. If you don’t think so, let me explain.
I have found — over and over, I might add — that with growing older comes an additional history one doesn’t have or appreciate when younger. History allows us to see things with greater perspective. For example, I love seeing young people as they look to their future with hope, romance, and optimism. I taught a large (300 students per semester) interpersonal communication class for many years, and I would solicit student responses on half sheets of paper each lecture period. Asked questions about what they wanted, needed, or desired, they would respond honestly and directly. Without any aggregate of events to support their viewpoints, they lacked perspective about how interpersonal relationships worked or the differences between males and females and what such differences mean. Without a history, they did not yet take life seriously nor understand the purpose of knowing and learning as it related to their future.
Through reading, interacting, and learning we acquire the knowledge to resolve conflicts, solve problems, and make decisions. What Sandra Carey said about the difference between knowledge and wisdom makes sense: “Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life.” The older we become the more information and understanding we acquire. It results from experience, practical ability, and skill. But it has always been true that the mere acquisition of knowledge alone, is insufficient, as Carey points out in the quotation above. There is little question about the strengths that knowledge has to offer, but it stops short of wisdom, even though it contributes significantly to its development.
Wisdom involves good, practical judgement, and common sense. Yes, there is a direct, positive correlation between knowledge and wisdom — the greater the knowledge, the greater the likelihood of true and right discernment. One does not guarantee the other, but it certainly increases the likelihood.
If knowledge itself helps supply the information necessary for us to resolve conflicts, solve problems, and make decisions, it is wisdom that helps us decide which conflicts to resolve, the problems that deserve our attention, and the decisions that must be made. Not only that, but wisdom helps, too, discern which resolutions, solutions, and decisions are the best ones. Wisdom, then, is how we make appropriate use of knowledge.
The first clear indicator of when you become wise or when wisdom is revealing itself in your life is when the discovery occurs that you are responsible for your life and for your future. It is a realization that usually occurs sometime during one’s education when you realize that it isn’t your teachers on whom you are dependent, it is you, yourself. That is, whether you learn and what you learn is up to you. Your teachers, just like books, parents, pastors, priests, experiences, etc., are simply purveyors of information.
The second clear indicator of when you become wise or when wisdom is revealing itself in your life is when you acquire a vision and purpose in your life. It is true that others can have an influence in this, but, in the end, it is you and you alone who must acquire, adopt, and accept the vision for your life. Without a vision and purpose, it is possible to wander aimlessly — a characteristic of the unwise and foolish. Vision and purpose are the earmarks of both wisdom and power.
The third and final clear indicator of becoming wise and revealing wisdom is when you take action to realize both your vision and purpose. Not to take action is foolish and unwise. Taking action is the sign of those who not only live with purpose and direction, but they, too, are the ones who will make a difference and bring value to the world.
The true meaning of birthdays is the growth, development, and change we experience as we acquire the history and knowledge that wisdom requires. Wisdom doesn’t automatically come with age, but with determination, persistence, patience, and observation we can make good use of the history and knowledge we acquire and thus develop a receptivity to and capacity for wisdom.
- - - - - -
I thought the definition of wisdom at the Wikipedia website is especially good for this essay: “Wisdom is a deep understanding and realizing of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to choose or act to consistently produce the optimum results with a minimum of time and energy. It is the ability to optimally (effectively and efficiently) apply perceptions and knowledge and so produce the desired results. Wisdom is also the comprehension of what is true or right coupled with optimum judgment as to action. ”
“How to observe to acquire wisdom” is an essay at Ezinearticles by Aasim Gill. Gill’s ten ideas for improving observation are excellent: 1. Be calm. 2. Have the peace of mind.
3. Talk less. 4. See as much as possible. 5. Improve the movement of your eyes by seeing things one by one and slowly. 6. But you must respond to abrupt changes or movements. 7. The mind should be thinking fast and should not be slow or it may make you dull. 8. Act and behave as slow as the intelligence agents do in movies like James bond. 9. They all observe but they take very quick actions because they are using their mind very quickly. 10. During observation take long breaths consistently, gives oxygen to brain as a food and you will think better and fast.
- - - - - - -
Copyright October, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.
As I was getting dressed for church, the call came in on my cell phone, and when I answered, a chorus of youthful, cheerful, and well-prompted singers broke into their rendition of “Happy Birthday” to grandpa. What a great way to begin the day — actually, any day — but particularly this one!
That alone could be the true meaning of birthdays, and this would be a very short essay!
When I was young I thought people my age were “really old,” but I have since changed that attitude for some strange reason! (:-) — smiley emoticon here)
Chronological age does matter, and if someone doesn’t believe it, talk to them about what happens to the physical body as it ages. Often, too, chronological age directly affects mental attitude. As my daughter is fond of saying about almost anything (and this time it refers to age): “It is what it is!” She’s incredibly accurate, and I promised her I would credit her with this phrase (now a well-worn cliche!) if I used it.
I don’t really think age itself is that important, but my wife has pointed out two things as I approach another decade milestone: “Do you realize just how many years we have left?” Her second comment was, “We must travel while we still can.”
Both of her comments are true and must be recognized and honored — and obeyed. When you are in good physical health it is hard to imagine life otherwise.
Speaking of life otherwise, we met a lovely, lively, active couple when cruising. With them we felt comfortable, relaxed, and we so enjoyed their company, we decided to visit them on our Lake Superior, Canadian, fifth-wheel trip less than a year after meeting them. The husband had just died and the wife had a debilitating stroke and was wheelchair bound and had difficulty speaking. Situations like this one force you to face an uncomfortable reality.
That doesn’t, however, reflect on “the true meaning of birthdays.” Their true meaning lies in the history, knowledge, and wisdom we gain with each passing year. If you don’t think so, let me explain.
I have found — over and over, I might add — that with growing older comes an additional history one doesn’t have or appreciate when younger. History allows us to see things with greater perspective. For example, I love seeing young people as they look to their future with hope, romance, and optimism. I taught a large (300 students per semester) interpersonal communication class for many years, and I would solicit student responses on half sheets of paper each lecture period. Asked questions about what they wanted, needed, or desired, they would respond honestly and directly. Without any aggregate of events to support their viewpoints, they lacked perspective about how interpersonal relationships worked or the differences between males and females and what such differences mean. Without a history, they did not yet take life seriously nor understand the purpose of knowing and learning as it related to their future.
Through reading, interacting, and learning we acquire the knowledge to resolve conflicts, solve problems, and make decisions. What Sandra Carey said about the difference between knowledge and wisdom makes sense: “Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life.” The older we become the more information and understanding we acquire. It results from experience, practical ability, and skill. But it has always been true that the mere acquisition of knowledge alone, is insufficient, as Carey points out in the quotation above. There is little question about the strengths that knowledge has to offer, but it stops short of wisdom, even though it contributes significantly to its development.
Wisdom involves good, practical judgement, and common sense. Yes, there is a direct, positive correlation between knowledge and wisdom — the greater the knowledge, the greater the likelihood of true and right discernment. One does not guarantee the other, but it certainly increases the likelihood.
If knowledge itself helps supply the information necessary for us to resolve conflicts, solve problems, and make decisions, it is wisdom that helps us decide which conflicts to resolve, the problems that deserve our attention, and the decisions that must be made. Not only that, but wisdom helps, too, discern which resolutions, solutions, and decisions are the best ones. Wisdom, then, is how we make appropriate use of knowledge.
The first clear indicator of when you become wise or when wisdom is revealing itself in your life is when the discovery occurs that you are responsible for your life and for your future. It is a realization that usually occurs sometime during one’s education when you realize that it isn’t your teachers on whom you are dependent, it is you, yourself. That is, whether you learn and what you learn is up to you. Your teachers, just like books, parents, pastors, priests, experiences, etc., are simply purveyors of information.
The second clear indicator of when you become wise or when wisdom is revealing itself in your life is when you acquire a vision and purpose in your life. It is true that others can have an influence in this, but, in the end, it is you and you alone who must acquire, adopt, and accept the vision for your life. Without a vision and purpose, it is possible to wander aimlessly — a characteristic of the unwise and foolish. Vision and purpose are the earmarks of both wisdom and power.
The third and final clear indicator of becoming wise and revealing wisdom is when you take action to realize both your vision and purpose. Not to take action is foolish and unwise. Taking action is the sign of those who not only live with purpose and direction, but they, too, are the ones who will make a difference and bring value to the world.
The true meaning of birthdays is the growth, development, and change we experience as we acquire the history and knowledge that wisdom requires. Wisdom doesn’t automatically come with age, but with determination, persistence, patience, and observation we can make good use of the history and knowledge we acquire and thus develop a receptivity to and capacity for wisdom.
- - - - - -
I thought the definition of wisdom at the Wikipedia website is especially good for this essay: “Wisdom is a deep understanding and realizing of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to choose or act to consistently produce the optimum results with a minimum of time and energy. It is the ability to optimally (effectively and efficiently) apply perceptions and knowledge and so produce the desired results. Wisdom is also the comprehension of what is true or right coupled with optimum judgment as to action. ”
“How to observe to acquire wisdom” is an essay at Ezinearticles by Aasim Gill. Gill’s ten ideas for improving observation are excellent: 1. Be calm. 2. Have the peace of mind.
3. Talk less. 4. See as much as possible. 5. Improve the movement of your eyes by seeing things one by one and slowly. 6. But you must respond to abrupt changes or movements. 7. The mind should be thinking fast and should not be slow or it may make you dull. 8. Act and behave as slow as the intelligence agents do in movies like James bond. 9. They all observe but they take very quick actions because they are using their mind very quickly. 10. During observation take long breaths consistently, gives oxygen to brain as a food and you will think better and fast.
- - - - - - -
Copyright October, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
When the day is done
By Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
It doesn’t take that much to convince me that I’ve had a successful day. One day I repaired a hole in the side of my daughter’s house. Although it was only 3-inches by 3-inches by 1 1/2-inches deep, it took a couple of hours to cut a block of wood to fit into the hole, shape a piece of aluminum flashing to cover the wood piece and more of the rotting wood, screw the flashing to the wood behind one of her gutters with treated screws so they wouldn’t rust, and then seal the area with silicon to protect it from further water penetration.
One day my wife wanted a 24-inch round table about 24-inches off the floor to use for her “Decorating the Tree” Christmas scene. I had an extra 3/4-inch piece of plywood, and it took almost three hours and four different kinds of power saw (a jig saw, a bench saw, a handheld circular saw, and a 10-inch radial-arm saw) to cut the round table, make a 3-inch wide box-support for the legs, cut the legs into the same sizes, attach the legs to the box, then attach the box and legs with metal angle braces and wood glue to the underside of the table. I cut the round table with a jig saw, but I left one right-angled piece so the table would fit into a corner of our dining room and would not move left or right if accidentally hit.
Some days it’s the completion of a couple of book reviews; on some days it’s finishing an essay or two; there are days, too, when I have finished reading two newspapers and some magazines; on some days I have raked all the leaves in the yard, and on yet other days I have paid all of the bills and balanced the checkbook.
What do you say when the day is done? “Thank goodness it’s over,” “My work is not done,” “I have so much more to do,” “I sure look forward to tomorrow,” “I hope tomorrow is much better,” or “It just can’t get any worse than this.” I know, it depends on the day and what happened.
The point, however, is a simple one. It is the accumulation of days that make a life. A positive, substantial, contributing life is made up of similar kinds of days. It can’t be otherwise. The question is whether we simply want to complete a day, or do we really want to make that day count.
There are, of course, examples of people who had spectacular moments that determined their life like when one of their movies or songs becomes an outstanding success, when their YouTube video gleans a spectacular audience, when someone wins the lottery, when an experiment results in a finding that makes a life-changing contribution, or when an inheritance allows a unique or unusual opportunity to contribute to the well being of fellow human beings.
These are, indeed, unique situations, and although they may “make a life,” they are outliers and should (must) not determine the plan for anyone’s life. You cannot make a life out of waiting to win the lottery, get a large inheritance, obtain a huge insurance payment, or otherwise become rich.
For most of us, it is what we do on a daily basis that not only must be our concern but must be the ingredients of the food that makes up our lives. The question becomes, how important is it to you to “make each day count”?
You can change the life you have or you can change your life for a positive, valuable future, but to do this requires that you change 1) your attitude, 2) your goals, and 3) your commitment.
So often, it is much easier (easier than changing attitudes, goals, or commitments) to just relax, sleep, or be lazy. Why should life be about accomplishment? Success? Striving for change?
The point is, and it can be summed up so simply: When all is said and done, have you left this world a better place because you have lived? What is your contribution? What difference has it been that you have lived in this world — occupied space on this earth — at all?
And the point is that your contribution need not be one of those life-changing, earth-shattering, monumental accomplishments! You don’t have to be a headline in the local newspaper, recognized for an award by a business or local organization, or been featured in a video on YouTube. If you look at such accomplishments or recognition as your sole goal in life, you are likely to be disappointed.
It is, indeed, the daily, small, sometimes seemingly insignificant, things that we do that count. If they were not what is important — if these were not the things that counted — if these were not the factors that make up a life — where would most people be? How could they justify their daily existence?
By being an active person, taking action on a daily basis, and working hard at every task in which you engage, you ARE making a difference. Think, for example, the effect this can have on your own psyche. Think, too, the effects it can have on your children or grandchildren. How about your neighbors, neighborhood, or community. Your activity, too, can affect others around you — whether it be a spouse, friends, or other family members.
Being a well-read, well-informed, knowledgeable, and conversant citizen who is willing to talk, share, and communicate — if this is where you place your emphasis when it comes to being active — you can have an enormous influence on others.
What do I say when the day is done? First, I love to go back and look over what I have done — whether it’s fixing a hole in a house, constructing a small table, cleaning windows, vacuuming the house, cleaning up the kitchen, or re-reading an essay or book review. No task is too small not to appreciate it. Second, I always appreciate having the physical strength and the mental ability (all still fully intact) to continually accomplish new things. Third, I go to bed with the feeling, “I am satisfied,” “I am fulfilled,” “I am fully alive.” These are not only the thoughts at the end of each day, they are the thoughts, too, that provide a restful sleep in preparation for another day of activity.
For me, it is as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote in the final four lines of his famous poem, “The Day is Done”: And the night shall be filled with music
And the cares, that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away.
- - - - - - -
At the Family Education website, there is a wonderful little essay entitled, “Consider Yur Legacy,” which ends like this: “When we're wondering about whether or not our daily efforts are worth it, our legacy might be at the core of that concern. If you knew today was going to be your last, how would you spend it?”
At HubPages.com, Mqubas has authored an essay, “Your Journey Ends With Your Legacy,” which begins with the paragraph: “We are all travelers in this world. We are all walking and running every day unknowingly. We start our daily journey by rising up from our bed and ends by retiring to the same bed. We wake up in the morning and brush our teeth, have a cup of coffee or breakfast and proceed with our daily chores. Even though we have different works, at the end of the day, we are always compelled to answer one question: and that is if we have reached our goal successfully, whether we really finished that day's journey or not with victory.”
- - - - - - - -
Copyright October, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.
It doesn’t take that much to convince me that I’ve had a successful day. One day I repaired a hole in the side of my daughter’s house. Although it was only 3-inches by 3-inches by 1 1/2-inches deep, it took a couple of hours to cut a block of wood to fit into the hole, shape a piece of aluminum flashing to cover the wood piece and more of the rotting wood, screw the flashing to the wood behind one of her gutters with treated screws so they wouldn’t rust, and then seal the area with silicon to protect it from further water penetration.
One day my wife wanted a 24-inch round table about 24-inches off the floor to use for her “Decorating the Tree” Christmas scene. I had an extra 3/4-inch piece of plywood, and it took almost three hours and four different kinds of power saw (a jig saw, a bench saw, a handheld circular saw, and a 10-inch radial-arm saw) to cut the round table, make a 3-inch wide box-support for the legs, cut the legs into the same sizes, attach the legs to the box, then attach the box and legs with metal angle braces and wood glue to the underside of the table. I cut the round table with a jig saw, but I left one right-angled piece so the table would fit into a corner of our dining room and would not move left or right if accidentally hit.
Some days it’s the completion of a couple of book reviews; on some days it’s finishing an essay or two; there are days, too, when I have finished reading two newspapers and some magazines; on some days I have raked all the leaves in the yard, and on yet other days I have paid all of the bills and balanced the checkbook.
What do you say when the day is done? “Thank goodness it’s over,” “My work is not done,” “I have so much more to do,” “I sure look forward to tomorrow,” “I hope tomorrow is much better,” or “It just can’t get any worse than this.” I know, it depends on the day and what happened.
The point, however, is a simple one. It is the accumulation of days that make a life. A positive, substantial, contributing life is made up of similar kinds of days. It can’t be otherwise. The question is whether we simply want to complete a day, or do we really want to make that day count.
There are, of course, examples of people who had spectacular moments that determined their life like when one of their movies or songs becomes an outstanding success, when their YouTube video gleans a spectacular audience, when someone wins the lottery, when an experiment results in a finding that makes a life-changing contribution, or when an inheritance allows a unique or unusual opportunity to contribute to the well being of fellow human beings.
These are, indeed, unique situations, and although they may “make a life,” they are outliers and should (must) not determine the plan for anyone’s life. You cannot make a life out of waiting to win the lottery, get a large inheritance, obtain a huge insurance payment, or otherwise become rich.
For most of us, it is what we do on a daily basis that not only must be our concern but must be the ingredients of the food that makes up our lives. The question becomes, how important is it to you to “make each day count”?
You can change the life you have or you can change your life for a positive, valuable future, but to do this requires that you change 1) your attitude, 2) your goals, and 3) your commitment.
So often, it is much easier (easier than changing attitudes, goals, or commitments) to just relax, sleep, or be lazy. Why should life be about accomplishment? Success? Striving for change?
The point is, and it can be summed up so simply: When all is said and done, have you left this world a better place because you have lived? What is your contribution? What difference has it been that you have lived in this world — occupied space on this earth — at all?
And the point is that your contribution need not be one of those life-changing, earth-shattering, monumental accomplishments! You don’t have to be a headline in the local newspaper, recognized for an award by a business or local organization, or been featured in a video on YouTube. If you look at such accomplishments or recognition as your sole goal in life, you are likely to be disappointed.
It is, indeed, the daily, small, sometimes seemingly insignificant, things that we do that count. If they were not what is important — if these were not the things that counted — if these were not the factors that make up a life — where would most people be? How could they justify their daily existence?
By being an active person, taking action on a daily basis, and working hard at every task in which you engage, you ARE making a difference. Think, for example, the effect this can have on your own psyche. Think, too, the effects it can have on your children or grandchildren. How about your neighbors, neighborhood, or community. Your activity, too, can affect others around you — whether it be a spouse, friends, or other family members.
Being a well-read, well-informed, knowledgeable, and conversant citizen who is willing to talk, share, and communicate — if this is where you place your emphasis when it comes to being active — you can have an enormous influence on others.
What do I say when the day is done? First, I love to go back and look over what I have done — whether it’s fixing a hole in a house, constructing a small table, cleaning windows, vacuuming the house, cleaning up the kitchen, or re-reading an essay or book review. No task is too small not to appreciate it. Second, I always appreciate having the physical strength and the mental ability (all still fully intact) to continually accomplish new things. Third, I go to bed with the feeling, “I am satisfied,” “I am fulfilled,” “I am fully alive.” These are not only the thoughts at the end of each day, they are the thoughts, too, that provide a restful sleep in preparation for another day of activity.
For me, it is as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote in the final four lines of his famous poem, “The Day is Done”: And the night shall be filled with music
And the cares, that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away.
- - - - - - -
At the Family Education website, there is a wonderful little essay entitled, “Consider Yur Legacy,” which ends like this: “When we're wondering about whether or not our daily efforts are worth it, our legacy might be at the core of that concern. If you knew today was going to be your last, how would you spend it?”
At HubPages.com, Mqubas has authored an essay, “Your Journey Ends With Your Legacy,” which begins with the paragraph: “We are all travelers in this world. We are all walking and running every day unknowingly. We start our daily journey by rising up from our bed and ends by retiring to the same bed. We wake up in the morning and brush our teeth, have a cup of coffee or breakfast and proceed with our daily chores. Even though we have different works, at the end of the day, we are always compelled to answer one question: and that is if we have reached our goal successfully, whether we really finished that day's journey or not with victory.”
- - - - - - - -
Copyright October, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Lake Superior (Gitchigoomie)
by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
Our confusion was not whether or not we wanted to take this trip around the north side of Lake Superior, it was, rather, which way to go. We could start from the east and proceed west and then farther west through Canada, or we could travel west first (north through Michigan, then west through Wisconsin and Minnesota) then east along the north side of Lake Superior. The latter was our choice.
Why Lake Superior? Lake Superior contains ten percent of all the fresh water on the planet Earth. Its average depth is 483 feet, it covers 31,700 square miles. and by surface area, it is the largest lake in the world. It contains as much water as all the other Great Lakes combined, plus three extra Lake Eries. Also, there have been about 350 shipwrecks recorded in Lake Superior. Why not Lake Superior?
With one night in northern Michigan (Indian River), one night in Wisconsin (Iron River), and two in Minnesota after driving through the towns of Two Harbors, Beaver Bay, Silver Bay, Tofte, Lutsen, and landing at Grand Marais with its shops, galleries, and cafes around a Lake Superior harbor. On one of the days in Grand Marais, we traveled the entire Gunflint Trail.
We crossed the border into Canada northeast of Dulluth and just beyond Grand Portage and then drove through Thunder Bay to Nipigon, Ontario. One of the problems we discovered along this route was the limited number of campgrounds that included full hook-ups (30 amp electricity, water, and sewer) that accommodated 5th-wheel campers.
For the next two weeks (as we traveled close to the shore of Lake Superior and beyond) we encountered rain for all except two days — sometimes intense downpours. Not only did we have to set up and break camp in the rain, in a couple of campsites we had trouble escaping the wet clay or sloppy mud. Also, the rain prevented us from any extensive exploration of the territory we traveled.
We arrived at Nipigon early enough to explore the little town of Red Rock then drive Route 11 (we were told it was scenic) north for about 5 miles. Route 11 was truly scenic driving right along the edge of Lake Nipigon while enjoying the wooded hillsides to our right; however, we had just driven 166 miles along Lake Superior, and the scene was not dramatically different — besides, we were tired.
Farther along the trans-Canadian highway (after passing through the little towns of Rossport, Schreiber, Terrace Bay, and Marathon), we drove around the Pukaskwa National Park (away from Lake Superior) through White River, Ontario, to Wawa. We chose Wawa as a destination and the RV Resort & Campground (a 3-night stay) because there weren’t a lot of other choices for campgrounds. Also, we were facing the Labor Day weekend and thought we better secure a place before the crowds of weekend campers would fill the campground. Although there were some additional campers over the weekend, it didn’t come close to filling up.
Wawa is known for its 28-foot-tall metal statue of a Canada goose which was built in 1960 and stands at the information booth a couple of miles east of the city. Wawa takes its name from the Ojibwe word (wewe) for "wild goose." The town itself is small and rural. Their farm market on Saturday morning consisted of one truck, but as many as ten people stood in line for the fresh produce.
While at Wawa we visited “High Falls” of the Magpie River then, too, “Silver Falls.” On the next day we drove through Lake Superior Provincial Park visiting Old Woman Bay, Katherine Cove, Agawa Rock, and the Visitor Center — a very pleasant drive and then a hike down to the Agawa Rock, even though the sky was overcast and threatened more rain.
Just an observation about the north side of Lake Superior. Please remember, however, as I make this observation, we drove the length of it without stopping very much. We were close to the lake many times, and the combination of trees, hills (with changing fall colors), and lake views was beautiful — even though most of our trip was under cloudy skies and rain. There are a lot of trees and views of the lake, but there is little else. Small towns are few and far between, and even though gas was available, often we would fill up just to make certain we would not run out before the next opportunity (not knowing for certain where that might be).
From Wawa, we drove east away from Lake Superior toward Larder Lake, Ontario, then from Larder Lake to Mont Tremblant where we camped at La Diable at a campsite that overlooked a river.
After Mont Tremblant, we headed for Quebec City where we stayed at Camping Transit, a large, well-advertised, camping location. We traveled about 15 minutes into Levis, then down through town to the St. Lawrence Seaway waterfront where we took a 15-minute ferry ride (without the truck) across to Quebec City. For about an hour-and-a-half we walked through the old city — and promised ourselves we will return some day.
The name Quebec is an Algonquin (Kébec) word meaning "where the river narrows." The city was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, and it is one of the oldest cities in North America. I learned from reading Wikipedia that: “The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) are the only remaining fortified city walls that still exist in the Americas north of Mexico, and were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 as the 'Historic District of Old Québec.’”
One unusual and yet prominent characteristic of Quebec City and the entire province of Quebec, too, is that everyone speaks French. That may not be unusual, however, most people we encountered do not speak English as a second language and those who do, do not speak it well. In addition, all of the signs in Quebec are in French with no English subtitles or translation. This may not seem important, however, we were traveling in late summer/early fall when a great deal of road construction was going on. Instructions about how to proceed through construction areas (we were towing a fifth wheel) were all in French. When you leave Quebec going east, all the signs in New Brunswick are in English once again.
When we left the area of Quebec City, we did not have a specific destination. We found a “campground” called Cozy Cabins and Motel in Woodstock, New Brunswick, where we set up our camp in a field overlooking the St. John River. It turned out that the Motel, although not advertised on the motel marquis, was a popular (but small) gambling hall with slot machines and an active bar.
From Woodstock we proceeded to St. John, New Brunswick, where we stayed one night at a campground (Rockwood Park Camping) high above the city. After visiting with a friend we acquired on one of our Caribbean cruises, we haded for the U.S. border in Maine and stayed at Sunset Point Campground just outside of Harrington, Maine.
What was interesting after our two weeks in Canada is that when we crossed the border into Maine, the skies cleared, there was no more rain, and with the exception of a single thunderstorm and heavy rain, we had clear skies and no more rain for the remaining two weeks of our vacation in Bar Harbor, Maine, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, and Woodstock, Vermont.
- - - - -
The Lake Superior Circle Tour website offers everything you want to know about the area from accommodations, adventures and activities, local attractions, boating and canoeing, camping and resorts, casinos, towns and cities, restaurants, family fun, fishing and resorts, local marinas, and shopping. It is a terrific website.
Although we did not take the complete Circle Tour on this trip, you can find a great map of the Circle Tour at the website supported by Lake Superior Magazine. Scroll down the webpage about half way to where it says “Map of Lake Superior Circle Tour,” and click on the map there.
At RVLifestyle the feature article by Frank and Lucy Spence, “Exploring Ontario's Parks: There’s so much to see and do in central Canada!,” proceeds from Sault Ste. Marie around Lake Superior in the opposite direction we traveled; however, they include many more specifics about each park and campground along the way.
Copyright October, 2011 by And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.
Our confusion was not whether or not we wanted to take this trip around the north side of Lake Superior, it was, rather, which way to go. We could start from the east and proceed west and then farther west through Canada, or we could travel west first (north through Michigan, then west through Wisconsin and Minnesota) then east along the north side of Lake Superior. The latter was our choice.
Why Lake Superior? Lake Superior contains ten percent of all the fresh water on the planet Earth. Its average depth is 483 feet, it covers 31,700 square miles. and by surface area, it is the largest lake in the world. It contains as much water as all the other Great Lakes combined, plus three extra Lake Eries. Also, there have been about 350 shipwrecks recorded in Lake Superior. Why not Lake Superior?
With one night in northern Michigan (Indian River), one night in Wisconsin (Iron River), and two in Minnesota after driving through the towns of Two Harbors, Beaver Bay, Silver Bay, Tofte, Lutsen, and landing at Grand Marais with its shops, galleries, and cafes around a Lake Superior harbor. On one of the days in Grand Marais, we traveled the entire Gunflint Trail.
We crossed the border into Canada northeast of Dulluth and just beyond Grand Portage and then drove through Thunder Bay to Nipigon, Ontario. One of the problems we discovered along this route was the limited number of campgrounds that included full hook-ups (30 amp electricity, water, and sewer) that accommodated 5th-wheel campers.
For the next two weeks (as we traveled close to the shore of Lake Superior and beyond) we encountered rain for all except two days — sometimes intense downpours. Not only did we have to set up and break camp in the rain, in a couple of campsites we had trouble escaping the wet clay or sloppy mud. Also, the rain prevented us from any extensive exploration of the territory we traveled.
We arrived at Nipigon early enough to explore the little town of Red Rock then drive Route 11 (we were told it was scenic) north for about 5 miles. Route 11 was truly scenic driving right along the edge of Lake Nipigon while enjoying the wooded hillsides to our right; however, we had just driven 166 miles along Lake Superior, and the scene was not dramatically different — besides, we were tired.
Farther along the trans-Canadian highway (after passing through the little towns of Rossport, Schreiber, Terrace Bay, and Marathon), we drove around the Pukaskwa National Park (away from Lake Superior) through White River, Ontario, to Wawa. We chose Wawa as a destination and the RV Resort & Campground (a 3-night stay) because there weren’t a lot of other choices for campgrounds. Also, we were facing the Labor Day weekend and thought we better secure a place before the crowds of weekend campers would fill the campground. Although there were some additional campers over the weekend, it didn’t come close to filling up.
Wawa is known for its 28-foot-tall metal statue of a Canada goose which was built in 1960 and stands at the information booth a couple of miles east of the city. Wawa takes its name from the Ojibwe word (wewe) for "wild goose." The town itself is small and rural. Their farm market on Saturday morning consisted of one truck, but as many as ten people stood in line for the fresh produce.
While at Wawa we visited “High Falls” of the Magpie River then, too, “Silver Falls.” On the next day we drove through Lake Superior Provincial Park visiting Old Woman Bay, Katherine Cove, Agawa Rock, and the Visitor Center — a very pleasant drive and then a hike down to the Agawa Rock, even though the sky was overcast and threatened more rain.
Just an observation about the north side of Lake Superior. Please remember, however, as I make this observation, we drove the length of it without stopping very much. We were close to the lake many times, and the combination of trees, hills (with changing fall colors), and lake views was beautiful — even though most of our trip was under cloudy skies and rain. There are a lot of trees and views of the lake, but there is little else. Small towns are few and far between, and even though gas was available, often we would fill up just to make certain we would not run out before the next opportunity (not knowing for certain where that might be).
From Wawa, we drove east away from Lake Superior toward Larder Lake, Ontario, then from Larder Lake to Mont Tremblant where we camped at La Diable at a campsite that overlooked a river.
After Mont Tremblant, we headed for Quebec City where we stayed at Camping Transit, a large, well-advertised, camping location. We traveled about 15 minutes into Levis, then down through town to the St. Lawrence Seaway waterfront where we took a 15-minute ferry ride (without the truck) across to Quebec City. For about an hour-and-a-half we walked through the old city — and promised ourselves we will return some day.
The name Quebec is an Algonquin (Kébec) word meaning "where the river narrows." The city was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, and it is one of the oldest cities in North America. I learned from reading Wikipedia that: “The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) are the only remaining fortified city walls that still exist in the Americas north of Mexico, and were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 as the 'Historic District of Old Québec.’”
One unusual and yet prominent characteristic of Quebec City and the entire province of Quebec, too, is that everyone speaks French. That may not be unusual, however, most people we encountered do not speak English as a second language and those who do, do not speak it well. In addition, all of the signs in Quebec are in French with no English subtitles or translation. This may not seem important, however, we were traveling in late summer/early fall when a great deal of road construction was going on. Instructions about how to proceed through construction areas (we were towing a fifth wheel) were all in French. When you leave Quebec going east, all the signs in New Brunswick are in English once again.
When we left the area of Quebec City, we did not have a specific destination. We found a “campground” called Cozy Cabins and Motel in Woodstock, New Brunswick, where we set up our camp in a field overlooking the St. John River. It turned out that the Motel, although not advertised on the motel marquis, was a popular (but small) gambling hall with slot machines and an active bar.
From Woodstock we proceeded to St. John, New Brunswick, where we stayed one night at a campground (Rockwood Park Camping) high above the city. After visiting with a friend we acquired on one of our Caribbean cruises, we haded for the U.S. border in Maine and stayed at Sunset Point Campground just outside of Harrington, Maine.
What was interesting after our two weeks in Canada is that when we crossed the border into Maine, the skies cleared, there was no more rain, and with the exception of a single thunderstorm and heavy rain, we had clear skies and no more rain for the remaining two weeks of our vacation in Bar Harbor, Maine, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, and Woodstock, Vermont.
- - - - -
The Lake Superior Circle Tour website offers everything you want to know about the area from accommodations, adventures and activities, local attractions, boating and canoeing, camping and resorts, casinos, towns and cities, restaurants, family fun, fishing and resorts, local marinas, and shopping. It is a terrific website.
Although we did not take the complete Circle Tour on this trip, you can find a great map of the Circle Tour at the website supported by Lake Superior Magazine. Scroll down the webpage about half way to where it says “Map of Lake Superior Circle Tour,” and click on the map there.
At RVLifestyle the feature article by Frank and Lucy Spence, “Exploring Ontario's Parks: There’s so much to see and do in central Canada!,” proceeds from Sault Ste. Marie around Lake Superior in the opposite direction we traveled; however, they include many more specifics about each park and campground along the way.
Copyright October, 2011 by And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
