Out of Sync Part One

This morning I exchanged colored napkins for a wedding shower that didn’t match the “watermelon” theme. To be honest, even I could see that the hot pink napkins I chose was not working with the pretty shades of red print chosen to use on the tables. Yesterday I had to exchange the cups bought for the same occasion. I particularly wanted the clear glass-like plastic cups for the shower and not the opaque ones used for picnics. Not the ones bought for the shower. So, I thanked the person who had bought them and as I received the opaque cups, told myself it didn’t matter. Nonetheless, after spending too much time in the customer service line at Wal-Mart, to traipse back through the aisles of the large department store only to find out they in fact didn’t carry a clear plastic cup, was more than I could stand at that time. Therefore, I left with the refund cash in hand and the smug confidence that I would locate the perfect clear cup.

Making subsequent stops at Target, Hobby Lobby and the party store at the mall, I thought I was going to have to repurchase the original opaque cups I had returned. Why was I so obsessed? Problem is when you know that the less desired cups cost was only $5.00 for 100 cups; it makes spending $15.00 for 100 a strain.

Tired from all the walking in and out of stores, my next stop was Kroger’s to do grocery shopping. Much to my surprise and pleasure, there on the shelf of Kroger’s were clear plastic cups, in 50 count packages for only $1.00 more than the opaque cups. Joy! Also, to add icing to the cake, the cups were the perfect 16-ounce size.

Why do we let insignificant things like napkin colors and clear or opaque cups bother us? Things that are not in sync really bother me and they shouldn’t.

Life is Never Simple

Life is never simple. As much as we'd like for it to be with all the technology available to help, it still isn't easy. In fact, the more we invest in technology, the less use interact with humans face to face. You read the right, but before you get upset, let me explain. It is not that I think the hi-speed Internet or fast texting will replace humans, but it doesn't allow us to linger.

This morning I listened to a sermon/talk by a preacher in San Antonio, speaking on our fast paced lives. His speech was connected to a real-life addiction of this preacher. He was addicted to adrenaline. The chemical produced by the adrenal gland that causes heart rate to speed up and energies to heighten. We often experience a sudden adrenaline rush when we encounter high emotional moments of life. This preacher confessed his first burst of true adrenaline rush was in college when he made a 4.0 on his grade report for the semester. It felt good and the remaining semesters he worked as hard as possible to attain the same 4.0. He was a driven man to keep doing better and better. As he married, became a minister for one of the largest churches in the Arlington area and started a family, his work drive did not let up.

After a long time of keeping up an inhuman pace, keep late hours at night working and early morning breakfast dates, his drive hit a wall. He began to stress, he didn't sleep for a month before visiting a doctor and he was in deep depression and trouble. His visit to a doctor taught him that he was a workaholic, a person driven by the adrenaline rush he got from successful work. He was tired though and in dire need of sleep. He was ready to do what he had to in order to get some sleep. The doctor prescribed a sleep mediation and advice to set limits. He needed to go home after work and rest, relate and sleep. Not work. After finding his rhythm in the evenings, he found that he enjoyed is neighbors, his family and was much more relaxed. The preacher reported that it took around 2 years for him to be able to relax, but now he is a much happier person.

When we hear that someone has an addiction, we don't normally think about additions like preacher's. We then to think more about addictions to smoking, alcohol, drugs and gambling. Those are addictions that are more in view of others. This addiction to work too much, push our bodies past it's warnings to slow down, and ignore our spouse's pleas to just be with the family is a real addiction. The younger a person is, the less he or she thinks about their addiction to work, but as we age, the warnings come out in how our body reacts to the fast paced schedules we force on ourselves.

Fortunately, that is not my addiction. Of course, a bit more drive in my life would help me get some work done around here. Instead I'm addicted to other stimulus. There are drinks, foods, and times of sheer laziness that affect my life when I am stressed or blue. Overcoming an addiction takes dedication. Action, perseverance, and prayer is what it takes. Lots of prayer!

Growing older and diet

The thing about aging is that the body and mind goes through changes. I no longer get to eat like I used to. My stomach reacts violently to spicy foods. There goes pizza, spaghetti sauce, fried shrimp, cake frosting (yes I know pure sugar, but yummy!), bananas, and other beverages and foods I used to enjoy. Notice all the commercials for stomach antacids, sleep aides, and antidepressants? That's because the baby boomer aged people who are now needing all the help they can get. And I have to admit, I've taken all those meds since turning 50. Now that I'm closer to 60 than I am to 50, I don't take them as much anymore. I am learning to eat healthier and live with less stress. Getting out of my career in education of 30 years helped, but also self educating myself did to healthier ways of eating has helped too.