Monday Musings

Before I begin, let me first say thanks to all the new followers! I am so happy whenever someone decides to follow my blog. I hope you enjoy my writing and find some solace or wisdom here. Please say hi in the comments section. I would love to know what brought you here and what topics interest you.

I am excited to write in an unbound, free flowing style today. I am posting  photos I took about a year ago, give or take. This is to harken back to a Pre-pandemic winter, even if for a brief moment. I am so glad that I do not have to relive January 2020 and that the Sun will enter Aquarius tomorrow. While I am aware that a simple change in the Sun’s placement will not end all the suffering, I am eager for more future oriented energies. However, I recently mused that the Trump administration benefited from all the Earth (  Capricorn and  Taurus) placements. Without so much Earth, I could have predicted more chaos, scamming, and impulsive reckless actions. No, I am not a fan!

I love my country. My ancestors travelled far to get here and not on the Mayflower. They left to escape economic hardship, oppression and discrimination. While they all arrived between the late 19th century and early twentieth century, many were left behind. I do not know many details but have heard some of them perished in the Holocaust.  I read the books Night and Man’s Search for Meaning in school and they were difficult to get through. The horror never left me entirely. I recall picturing myself in these situations. I doubt I would have had the strength to find the light. Fortunately I did not have to endure that level of darkness. Yet I am acutely aware that my country has dabbled in Authoritarianism and Fascist actions. I have been on high alert, if I am being honest, for over four years. I know people who operate like Trump and I know his chart. Why are people surprised at what he does? He is being his authentic broken self. I pray we get over the finish line to inauguration without any more bloodshed, but I am quite doubtful.

My country is flawed and so are its people. Being human implies imperfection, so it is what it is.  Martin Luther King was a man with some issues but stood for non – violent activism. I wonder what he would say about America if he was alive today. Americans tend to get all excited over sports teams and picking sides. We tend to drink too much and get carried away. I do not like that aspect of  my country. I think some of this division is due to decades of loss, disappointment, and erosion of the American dream. There are few true heroes for people to emulate, especially children who need decent role models. Families struggle with so many problems today, way before the 21st century began. Suicide is up, opioid addiction has been skyrocketing and life expectancy is lowering. Most of us are doing worse than the generation before us, not better. I like the idea of more goodies in exchange for the taxes I pay. For those who do not want a stimulus check or unemployment benefits. why don’t you donate the money to a charity or gift it to someone in need? It is harder and harder to succeed in this rigged economy and that is a fact.

I took a walk today and I am glad I did. This makes 2 days in a row, wow! I need to walk and I have not been wanting to go outside. I tend to do well walking in the winter, taking in the brisk air and becoming energized by the cold. I did feel better and hope to walk longer distances this week. The GI system responds well to movement as does one’s nervous system. I did not take any pictures today. My focus was to clear my head. I did okay with my mission. I hope to keep walking daily so I can become stronger and more “alive” in my body.

I learned a bit about history today in an unexpected place. While reading an article for my art class, I found out some interesting information on La Belle  Époque. This is a period between 1880 and the outbreak on WWI in 1914. It was nostalgically characterized in one of my favorite films Midnight in Paris. While I knew about the culture and lavishness of the era, I did not know of the politics. There was an anarchist faction who envisioned utopia and wanted to end of economic disparity of capitalism. I definitely see a parallel between that time period and today, minus the blending of anarchy with utopia. I see the 21st century playing out with both philosophies, but the anarchists tend to be more conservative extremists and hate groups. There is no place for violence or hate in my utopia which is why I transform those thoughts when they enter my field, regardless of their source. How has your Monday been?