23,010 days

Twenty three thousand and ten days.
That's how many times the earth has spun on its axis since my arrival sixty three years ago.
I'm not sure which number sounds older.

The thing that I am pretty sure of is that I have fewer days or years left on this planet and I should probably make the most of them. I suppose that making the most of them will mean many different things to different people -- making money, taking trips, having adventures and hobbies to pursue, drinking fine wines or expensive bourbons, driving nice cars, etc., etc.
I'm much less ambitious than that.

Making the most of my days is more about living in the moments that happen rather than making moments happen. It is difficult to express how much enjoyment I get from watching hummingbirds at the feeder or feeding from the flowers we've planted.
I'm a lousy gardener, but there is a peaceful kind of satisfaction in harvesting a handful of green beans for a dinner side or picking some cucumbers and tomatoes for a salad.

I do cherish the moments that I get to spend with good friends and there are certain people that seem to connect and lift my spirit more than others. But there is also a peace that I treasure in being alone. 
I doubt that my remaining days and years will yield much influence, inspiration, or wisdom upon the world around me. I don't think that is my calling or purpose. I doubt that I'll be spreading a ton of joy or buckets of happiness -- you have to enjoy being around people for that kind of stuff. 

For the most part, I think my 23,010 days have been well spent. I've met some great people and learned some good lessons. I hope to continue learning daily lessons and enjoying each moment as it presents itself.

John

For those that are interested: The Milky Way galaxy spins at around 270 kilometers per second or 168 miles per second and takes 200 million years to complete a single rotation. While I have journeyed around our sun 63 times (584 million miles per orbit), in the grand scope of things we have barely moved.

No Monday Motivation

It's Monday morning and I am sitting in a beautiful garden coffee shop in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta. In the week that I've been here, I have realized that life isn't much different for me. I'm just retired in a different place.

Sure -- there are different places to go and different foods to eat, but I basically just read, relax, scroll the internet, smoke cigars, etc. I do enjoy having a pool and will have to up my efforts to convince Chris of getting one at home, but basically life isn't too different. 
I feel a little bit bad that I am not really motivated to do a lot of touristy kind of adventures. I'm pretty content to stroll along the beach or sit next to the rooftop pool in relative peace and quiet. And by quiet, I mean the kind of quiet in my head that says all is well. There are certainly plenty of sounds to actually hear, but most of that is just background cacophony to the calm feeling of a good life.

I would still love to move to Mexico. I have since our first visit here many years ago. I would love to be free of the political noise of the US and the constant divisiveness of the society. I don't understand why everything has to be an us against them situation.
However, I am learning to be content with my place in life and the urge to move is actually less strong than it once was. That's not to say that I wouldn't move here in a heartbeat; it's just not as much of a desire as it once was. 

So not only am I feeling little motivation on this Monday. I'm also feeling like I don't really need or want any motivation. I am content to enjoy the moment, the day, the present.

John

Words of Wisdom

I'm not offering any today. I'm seeking them.
What have you got for me?
I'm talking about real gems; not the smart-ass kind that I might offer. If you were to boil all of life's experiences and lessons into one pearl of wisdom -- what would it be?

I was asked this question recently. My answer was -- Be kind.
It seems like a no brainer, but very few people seem to understand its importance and effectiveness. It's a lesson I should have learned much earlier in life since I grew up in a household that had the kindest person I know. I just never paid enough attention to the great benefits of kindness and the impact that it has on the giver, the recipient, and even on those that observe or hear about it later. 

I'll admit -- sometimes people make being kind difficult for me. Sometimes the best I can do is walk away and not be an ugly person back. I don't think that's truly an act of kindness, but it often feels like it is.

Anyway --
Help me out here. I'm still working on being a better person and learning about wisdom, love, living in community (ugh), and contributing something worthwhile to society.
What is the gem that you would share?

Meditate on that for a time and let me know.

John

Fire on the Mountain

At least that's what this cloudy morning sunrise looks like in Puerto Vallarta today.

The rooftop is closed between 11pm and 9am, so I stepped over the chain and grabbed a quick photo this morning. I don't know how strict they are about violating their rules here, so I just grabbed my sunrise pic and left. 

I didn't get much reading done yesterday. I did manage to buy some cigars and enjoy one while sitting in the rooftop smoking area. Maybe I'll get more reading in today.
Maybe not.

No big plans for the day; maybe a walk across the river and along the beach there. I should probably check out the shops in that area. I took a late night walk (about 9:30) last night and grabbed three al pastor tacos for 60 pesos (about $3.50 US). They were delicious. The street vendors have some really good food at incredibly low prices. Sitting on a plastic chair on the sidewalk or street with a plate of food in your lap isn't a great dining experience, but this particular vendor is only a few blocks from the apartment, so I just got it to go and ate here. 
I may be a regular there over the next few weeks!

I'm still managing to get into conversations with strangers. One couple was sitting next to me at a local brewery bar. At one point during the conversation the guy mentioned that his wife says he's often unapproachable -- like our conversation meant she's wrong. Then I reminded him that he was the one that started the conversation, so...
I've had conversations with that couple from Texas, a couple that owns a brewery in New Orleans, a guy from Tennessee, and a guy from Springfield IL. Plus an expat that now lives here (I guess that's a little redundant, isn't it?).
They've mostly been good, pleasant conversations, but they do leave me wondering -- WTF? Why are these people talking to me?

sigh

I guess I'll see what today holds for me.

John

Buenos Días!

Good morning from B of Bros Coffee!
I decided to take an early morning walk for coffee today. I saw this little urban garden coffee shop while walking Monday night and thought to try it out this morning. It's right around the corner from the bakery with the tasty pastries, but I'm going to skip those this morning. 
Coffee and keyboard will suffice.

Yesterday was another easy day in paradise. I spent some morning time in the rooftop pool getting a little exercise. It was nice because nobody else was up there. I'll probably do the same today. As a matter of fact, I'll probably try to find a decent cigar and spend most of today up there -- you know, healthy exercise, not so healthy cigar. It's about balance, right?
I haven't really done as much reading as I was hoping to do. So I plan on getting caught up a bit today. I'm pretty sure I'll have a large glass of tequila, lime, and sparkling water to stay cool while enjoying the view and book.

I don't think that you could really call it eaves dropping as I can only pick up a few words, but I am enjoying the interaction between a couple of young customers and their friends that are working. If there is a constant between languages and cultures it is laughter. My Spanish vocabulary is so limited that I really only recognize a few verb conjugations and an occasional word or two. I have a difficult time shifting from listening to the rhythm of English to the rhythm of Spanish -- plus I still have to hear, understand what I'm hearing, and translate in my head. I need to find some Spanish speakers at home to help with hearing and understanding in Spanish without the translating to English step.
I also need to be better about listening to my recorded Spanish lessons. 

Honestly, there isn't a great need for knowing Spanish here. Because it is a resort/tourist town most of the shops speak or understand English well enough. For me it is a matter of courtesy to learn a little of the language and make an effort to adapt to their culture and country. 
Plus learning something new is always a good challenge.

Today I am contemplating my contentment with life.
I appreciate that I can be content and wonder about the downside to contentment.
Is there one?
Should I be more purposeful about daily productivity?
Does contentment allow me to share my journey in a way that is beneficial to others?
What have I learned on this journey that allows me to be content while others continue to strive for more?
Just thoughts that are in my head this morning.

Hasta mañana, amigos!
John

Sunrise was a bust

Sorry. No sunrise pic this morning.
I was awake early enough and hoped for a rooftop pic as the sun rose over the mountains behind me, but it is the beginning of the rainy season in the tropics and the early morning sky to the east was a solid overcast. 
On the bright side (well, on the shady side) maybe that will keep it a little cooler during the day. 
I ran into the same overcast problem when looking for a beach sunset pic last night.

My walk last night took me past Eulo's Bakery (that might have been intentional), so this morning I am enjoying a couple of pastries with my coffee. One of the very noticeable things about Mexican pastries and desserts is that they are far less sweet than what we are used to in the US. 
I like the less sweet treats so much better.

I am usually not much of an early morning breakfast kind of guy, and I seldom have sweet breakfast foods like pancakes, waffles, or pastries. It was a nice exception this morning, but I doubt that it will become a regular habit. I typically wait until noon or so before I start eating.

I can see that the sun is shining through the clouds now and pretty soon I'll head upstairs for a morning swim and a little exercise to start the day. I've been trying to talk Chris into getting a pool for home. I'm pretty sure I would make good use of one. 

I hope to get in a couple of walks around town and down to the beach. I managed to get my steps in yesterday, in spite of taking it pretty easy. Maybe I'll do the same today.
I found myself in a long conversation with a guy visiting from Tennessee while I had a late lunch at Monzon Brewery yesterday. His wife was getting a massage and he was passing the time at a local brewery. Sounds a little familiar (except for the part about talking to strangers).
Then a young guy came over to chat for a bit while I was relaxing by the pool. Both were decent conversations but left me kind of wondering -- Do people need to express themselves to other people so much that they talk to complete strangers? Or do I just look like a lonely old guy in need of some company? It just seems a little weird.

As one of my older, more experienced cousins once shared with me -- There are no days off in retirement. 
So I am off to enjoy another day of retirement -- poolside, beachside, or wherever I find myself today --
I am thankful for this very privileged life I have.

Adios, amigos!
John

Connections -- past and present

I'm scrolling through FB memories and it's the time of year when a lot of posts from past kids' and youth camps are showing up. They are good memories from a past life. I know that I no longer fit into that world of evangelicalism. It's a little sad that there isn't a similar environment for kids in my present theological setting, but the truth is I wonder how long it would last without some kind of corruption and mind control/indoctrination seeping in.

I was always careful in such settings. There was never an "altar call" where kids would come forward to "be saved." I always wanted those conversations to be one-on-one with a cabin counselor or with me. I'm pretty sure that if I wanted to make a show of it, I could have had most of them up on the stage or down on their knees saying the magic prayer to get them into heaven. Personally, I never want to have to answer to God for that kind of child manipulation.

I've long been more of a relationship with God kind of end game rather than a ticket to heaven when you die kind of guy, and I don't think that sits very well in the evangelical world. I'm still very much a Jesus follower and look to him for my connection to God/Creator/Higher Power/or whatever your name for God is. I'm kind of sad that I don't have any of those old connections anymore. We shared some fun times and served well together for that season of life.

     * * * * *

Today I deal with a different kind of uncomfortable connection.
I was invited to be a part of a kind of input group for the renewing of our church's downtown group at 425 Walnut. There's been this chat on messenger today and I'm once again wondering how I fit in this group of energetic and creative young minds. Maybe I'm just the token open-minded old guy. 

I get that I have a way of making people feel comfortable and (maybe) even safe around me. It isn't unusual for people that I don't know well to share very personal things with me. Most people mistake my easy nature for being very comfortable around large groups of people -- I'm not.

I've learned to cope by keeping my focus on a few individuals rather than the large group. In fact, being able to move from one person to another in small conversation isn't so bad. It is often easier than just having one person that you run out of things to talk about. I'm not much of a small talk person.
That's not to say that I can't or don't have long, meaningful conversations with people; just not usually in those kind of group settings.

Assessing the value of connections, both past and present, can be an interesting process. I tend to go with my gut. Letting go of past relationships can be difficult. Often, even toxic relationships offered us something of value. 
And relationships shouldn't just be about what we gain from them. I think the best relationships are formed by what we contribute rather than by what we take. 
Okay, the best relationships are probably in what we share with one another, but you get what I mean, right?

I should probably work on having more of those.
Maybe I'll reach out and make a connection with a couple of people today -- one past, one present.
Maybe not.

John

Pride

It's June
and it's Pride Month.
Over the past several years I've become much more acquainted with, an ally to, and even a friend to many people in the LBGTQ+ community around Springfield. Even just five years ago, I knew few people that were a part of that group. Today I have nearly as many queer friends as straight ones and I refer to them as -- get this -- my friends; not my gay friends, not my lesbian friends, not my trans friends -- just my friends.

The thing about Pride Month is to bring an awareness to everyone of the injustices that are faced by the community. Contrary to what you've been told -- there is no agenda, no one is trying to indoctrinate your straight kids, and nobody is trying to get preferential treatment of any kind. Everybody just wants to have the same rights, privileges, and choices that the majority of people already have.

There was this dude that lived a couple of thousand years ago that taught us to treat others the way we'd like to be treated. He taught a lot of good stuff and I've found his teachings to be a good foundation for life. While this one seems pretty simple and straight forward, so many of his followers have a very difficult time with it when it comes to how they treat the LGBTQ+ community.

It's no longer just suppression or unfair treatment. Today's militant right is about actively harming people in the queer community. They are passing laws that make it legal to withhold healthcare. They are encouraging rage and violence against the community. Politicians in the state of Florida are even issuing warnings -- Don't come here. You are not welcome.
If you are supporting these kinds of actions, you need to re-evaluate your humanity.
If you are silent about these kinds of actions, then you are complicit.
My friends are in danger because of self-righteous religious bigots and their ignorant, hateful behavior.

Be aware
Be kind
Be an ally

John

Class Dismissed!

The 10-week group Reading the Bible as a Storybook has come to an end.
YAY!

It was good for me. Not only did it allow me to share my perspectives on the Bible and on several bible stories, but it got me back to some critical examination of the Bible. 
I probably should have kept better notes on the stories we covered and questions that were asked and discussed. While doing so would make a repeat class or a follow-up class easier, I'm not sure that I really want to be the person to lead another class. Most of the time I felt like I was struggling to find a place somewhere between teacher and facilitator.
It wasn't pretty.
Giving up control made me feel unprepared as a teacher, and I've never felt very comfortable as a facilitator. It's not really my thing. It was, however, nice to make some personal connections to The Venues. It's been a while.

This morning's meditative time is reflecting on where and how I best connect to God. Looking out at the gathering clouds on this last day of May and hoping for a little of the forecasted rain is a thread that weaves through the tapestry of connection to the world around me and to The Creator. 

This moth was resting on the front window this morning. Such a beautiful little creature!

And the walk out to the front porch to take the pic led me to this beautiful sunrise pic...

"...thy kingdom come...
...on earth as it is in heaven."

I really believe that the story of the Bible is the story of God (through Jesus) bringing heaven to earth. 
I really believe that our story continues to be a story of connecting God to the people around us -- by the way we live and the way we love. 

John

Monday

It's summer!

Well, not officially, but it is Memorial Day weekend in the US and that is pretty much the summer kickoff weekend. As usual, we have no plans for a Memorial Day observance or gathering with others. Other than a moment of personal reflection, today is just another Monday in the simple life of John.

If you are one of the few that follow my other blog (I haven't been linking it to social media recently), you'll know that I've managed to lose 15 pounds since May 1st. A part of my meditative balance has been to bring the body element of mind/body/spirit back into balance and harmony with the rest of myself. It's weird how much easier it seems to connect mind and spirit to nature than to bring the physical body into connection. It's probably more a lack of practice on my part than anything. I know that many people have a normal kind of regular physical connection where body and nature are in regular communion with one another -- not so much for me.

But it is summer (sort of) and I am ready and willing to make more of an effort along those lines. The simple mindful connection that watering plants and gardening brings is a good place to connect with earth and remind myself of our connection with all of creation. I'm using an active meditation this morning as I contemplate the life giving power of water to the flowers and vegetation in the various garden spots around the yard and in pots on the porch and deck.

Have a good week.
It's summer!

John