Raven's View

Almost 30 years ago, I bought a house and started accumulating 'stuff'. As we all do - just ask Thoreau. In 2010, after my kids moved out and the cat died, my financial advisor said I could stay in Sn'Orleans in a three-bedroom house if I wanted to, but I'd have to take in a boarder. Nope. So I sold my house, sorted through stuff, threw out and sold a lot of things, and found a two bedroom apartment downtown. Three years later, I moved everything to another two-bedroom apartment, including boxes I'd never opened. Now, another move, to a one-bedroom. I briefly considered putting some things in storage, to be sorted 'later', but I'm a little older, a little wiser, so I did a selective purge. Much of this was things I knew were there - still taped in boxes for much of it. But there were few surprises too - some good, some bad. Some were repacked to be dealt with later - I hope. Some were discarded as not wanted on the voyage.

I'm lighter now, with less bothersome 'stuff'. 

I'm passing this on, as it might encourage people that it's ok to get help to deal with things. I found it on The Facebook, but not everyone has access to that.

Many people have difficulty dealing effectively with sadness in their life, more so in these stressful times. And left as-is for too long, it can drag one into depths that bring things to a stop. Yes, you can feel sad. Yes, you can - and should - seek help.

Most people do have friends and family and therapists and ministers available, but if they are not being open with those resources, or themselves, little progress can be made. Maybe this has been a lifelong pattern with them too. Maybe they see it as a 'competition', as Piglet suggests. Maybe it's a reluctance to face themselves, maybe it's pride, maybe they like the attention it brings - I don't know. Hopefully, this will give them a new perspective.

Well, today my mood about moving to a new place is one of occasional excitement. Defcon 1.5?

When I got my eviction notice August 19th my reaction/mood was of surprise, soon followed by anger, of Defcon 5. Seven years as a more than ideal tenant, and I'm out! Just like the previous place had turfed me after 3 years. But I added some understanding to my mood, as in both cases it was the landlord or family moving in, which is allowed. In this case, he and his girlfriend were both facing a winter working from home in a small one-bedroom apartment. Okay, I got it, but my next reaction was still one of panic.

We are a social animal. Some more so than others, but we prefer groups, we like physical contact.

COVID changed that, hopefully not permanently though. I do wonder what socializing will be like a year from now - I assume we'll all be vaccinated and safe by then. Will we slowly emerge out of our burrows, blinking in the light, reluctant to approach each other? Or will we act like one big happy family, with big goofy grins, hugging friends and strangers with abandon?