After a long hiatus, I've decided to try blogging again. I'll still include photos of family and what we're doing, but my focus will be more on what I'm doing with my life and the wisdom men of my age are supposed to have.
Carroll and I stayed at the apartment of Amelia and Quoc for two nights this past week. Rebecca and John joined us. Between the end of a delicious dinner and Quoc's birthday cake, we went for a walk. I had fun walking in the middle of First Avenue East, the main highway link into downtown Vancouver. Normally this road keeps four lanes filled with noisy trucks and cars but not while a pipeline was replaced and the street repaved. Neighbours are planning a lunch party the next day with tables down the middle of this thoroughfare.
Perhaps time away from home with family makes it easier for me to share an insight that has been growing recently. Back home, I'm faced with my reality of personal weaknesses.
We all make mistakes and choices that bring sorrow and regret. That's a given in this world of ours. I tend towards discouragement when frustration sets in, usually with myself and my weaknesses. While I'm working on those weaknesses I like the thought I read recently that more important than failure is how we react to failure. The suggestion was made that we try to jump from failure to failure with enthusiasm, not discouragement. When I get blocked in my desires I tend to shut down and do nothing, like watch TV. I'm not happy when I'm doing nothing. So what to do?
One of my strengths is persistence; so I keep trying. What I'm trying to change is to quit letting weaknesses stop me from enjoying life. Example, when I can't get my computer program to do what I need, instead of getting all frustrated, go on to something different, knowing that I'll come back to it tomorrow with a fresh perspective--like checking the help feature. That something different can be fun or easy, time with other people or a different task I know I can accomplish without frustration.
So I don't give up but accept that I'm not going to succeed on this task right now. I go on to something else where I can generate a feeling of enjoyment or accomplishment. Then I'm likely to get back to the difficult task sooner without getting all frustrated. Life is simple and it's complicated. I have more to say about happiness--later.
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