It appears to me we are all rushing — always in a hurry.
These days, there are so many things that must be done — and
so little time in which to do them. “At the end of the
day,” there is still a lot to do and time has run out.
Did you ever wonder how your parents managed to get everything
done (without electronics) and still have time left?
Think about it. There was time to go bowling every week, time
to get together with friends and play cards once a week. Some
parents even had time to go out dancing or to the show.
Times
have changed over the years, but give or take a second or
two every 10 years, there is still the same amount of
time in a day. It just doesn’t seem to ever be enough. Not
enough to visit with friends or neighbors, watch a daily soap,
stop for a few beers with the guys or have afternoon tea with
the girls. Let’s try to gather up a little extra
time.
Watch
your soap once a month. You will never know you missed anything.
Stop running out to shop so often, some
people
shop daily, they don’t want to miss a sale or want to use
a coupon. Often, when you rush out to the store, the item is
sold out and you have to make a return trip to get it with
a rain check (maybe). Think about those items on sale or coupon
offers — do you really need them NOW? Is what
you may save worth the gas you spend to get them, especially
if you
make two trips?
One answer to where the time goes is evident: Coupons and BIG
SALES were not as prevalent in the past, and the person who
did the shopping only made the trip once a week. Husband and
wife often went together and enjoyed a lunch or dinner on shopping
day. This was actually time and cost savings: The shopping
and dinner combined saved time and the gas to travel was spent
once.
When you save time, you have it to spend. Take a leisurely
walk, ride your bike, play with your kids. Visit a farmers
market for your leisurely stroll. Pick up some fresh veggies,
eggs, chicken, baked goods and fresh flowers to brighten things
up around the yard. The greatest thing about a farmers market
is the people you encounter. The craft vendors are a delight,
sharing their secrets of how they make their goods. What I
enjoy most is meeting up with old friends and grabbing a seat
at the picnic tables provided to chat about old times.
This
is the fourth of July weekend! We have all looked forward
to it so get out and enjoy your
surroundings.
Take a ride
along the shoreline, stop at one of the roadside
parks and enjoy
the beach or just gaze at the lake. Stroll through
the paths in the woods — some are still
pretty wet so be careful.
As
you drive the country roads near wooded areas, you may get
a treat as a fawn is feeding with
its mom or
just bouncing
around. You may also see a buck or two. If
you are a hunter, it’s nice to be reminded
of what they look like.
Most
towns in the Thumb celebrate the 4th in a big way... Parades,
tractor pulls and best
of all
giant
fireworks!
If you are not
lucky enough to visit a parade or fireworks
display with little kids, then sit by someone
else’s kids and observe. This
will make your day — the kids love
the 4th!
As I see it, we were saddened this past week by the loss of
one of our own, but we need to be grateful for what he gave
his life for: Our independence.
May you all have a safe and happy holiday.
And if you FIND THE TIME, HAVE A BLAST.