TD10-7 Life used to be so much simpler

Were we really meant to live like this?  Life used to be so much simpler.

The power went out last night.  As I was searching for flashlights, candles and matches I realized how dependent I am on electronic gadgets.  No TV, no internet, no lights, no microwave, no stove.  It was getting dark, I needed to make dinner, and it really got me thinking about what people did before electricity once it got dark.

The only light would have come from candles and/or lanterns.  Stoves and furnaces would need wood or coal.  Air conditioning, uh… nope.  Icebox for anything cold.  I guess at night you either went to bed or read by candlelight… maybe hung out and had a conversation.

Humans are a funny species.  As children we basically do whatever we want for a while, at least until school starts, then we start to get a regimented routine going.  This follows most of us into the workforce when we leave school and get a job, where we spend most of our lives until we retire and basically do whatever we want for a while again.

What if we shrunk everything down and didn’t need so much stuff, wouldn’t life be simpler?  I think it certainly would, but would that necessarily be better?  Maybe not.  Live in a small house, no electronics, no car, low overhead.  If we learned to live simply we might live more enriched lives.  Or is it more enriching to be a part of all the technical gadgetry that has become available to us?

I’m not sure there’s a right or wrong answer here.  I’ve got people inside my head voting for both sides and neither would win by a landslide.  Perhaps moderation is the key – keeping a balance between simplicity and technology.  I don’t know.

I do know that I was greatly relieved when the power came back on.  Flipping a light switch and having it turn the light on after a blackout is a great feeling.

TD10-6 My dog is so happy

I have a small dog named Cosmo.  I’ve been told he’s an American Tunnel Terrier, but there doesn’t seem to be much information on that breed online at all so I’ve often wondered if there really is such a breed or if it’s made up, but I digress… he’s similar to a Boston Terrier I guess.

We rescued him from the Fond du Lac Humane Society after he was involved in a pet hoarding case.  Sixty animals were left for three weeks in a house with no food or water.  He almost died; he was ten pounds when they pulled him out.  His healthy weight is around twenty five pounds.

I’ve had dogs my whole life, I love them.  This is by far the mellowest dog I’ve ever had.  It took him a while to come out of his shell after the harrowing experience he went through.  We have to give him medication daily to control seizures now because of it.  We’ve had him for years, though.  Now he’s a member of the family.

Mornings are probably my favorite time of the day.  One of the things I can look forward to is that Cosmo starts every day extremely happy.  Not ever being known as a “morning person”, I should be so lucky.  No matter what ridiculous time I have to get up – 4am, 5am… he’s up, bounding with energy, happy to see me, ready to play, ready for breakfast.  Just waking up to a happy dog is good for the soul.

I start every day making him breakfast, then taking him out.  He sits by me wherever I am as I get ready for my day.  I usually watch TV before going to bed, once I hit the couch there is a dog on my lap pretty much demanding to be petted for a while.  Once he’s had enough, he’ll go to the loveseat and just lie there next to me the rest of the night.  Petting a dog every day is also good for the soul.

Dogs can teach us more about life than we could ever teach them.  They’re loyal and loving.  They’re naturally playful and happy.  If you’ve ever owned a dog and been sad, sick, or crying, where’s your dog been?  Right there with you, licking your tears away.  Unconditional love.

Our dog is a happy dog and I thank God every day for allowing our lives (and the lives of all my former dogs) to connect.

TD10-5 First Love

April 1, 2014

10:14PM: Write ten minutes a day: go!

Love.  Remember toying with the idea?  Wondering what love was, how you’d know if and when you were “in” love with someone?  Your first love?  That initial feel of it all while it’s showroom fresh… wow.  You can remember that, right?  No one forgets their first love.

I don’t actually remember the first time I said the words “I love you” to someone, but I do remember the first woman I ever loved.  I was totally infatuated with her.

The first two women I ever loved I lost in no small part because of my alcohol and drug addictions.  Every time a relationship went sour it closed a part of my heart that left less for the next person.  Which might be the reason why nothing feels like first love does.

10:24PM: Write ten minutes a day: stop!