Golden Lucy's Spiral Journal

Going on 87...Savoring and Surviving the Senior Years

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Rambling and Reflecting

Lucy’s busy head is busier than ever today---filled with ramblings. It’s been sooo long since I’ve posted and I can’t thank you all enough for continuing to visit and send encouragement. The flare-up of my old shoulder injury has been more debilitating than ever before.

Thanks to my pain medication I’ve been operating in the “Food good. Fire bad!” mode for the past two weeks. Physically this means I can still feed myself and wipe my own bottom but forget the typing--even with my functional sinister hand. Unfortunately the brain never stops. It’s very frustrating. Especially now that I’ve discovered the world of blogging! Thanks to the blog community I always feel I have someone to talk to. So here goes---while my bum arm is making nice.

Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement has come and gone. I used the day for both reflection and resolution---reflecting on my innumerable blessings and resolving to be more grateful and forgiving of others. This last part isn’t easy for me. I’m a worrier and a list-keeper. I’m never completely satisfied that things are where they should be. (I know these things, after all!) I’m trying, in the next year, to be grateful instead of worried. I doubt it will work but I’ll try.

Now for the forgiveness part. I’m happy to work on forgiving myself and others---except for the current political administration. I’m having a terrible time letting go of my bitterness and outrage when it seems to be refueled on a daily basis. The latest bit of kindling came with the publication of Woodward’s “State of Denial.” Mr. Woodward may well be adept, even slick at making the most of political scandal but there’s no denying he deserves kudos for verifying what so many of us have long suspected. While I realize this GOP administration may not be more ethically reprehensible than some of the Demigogs, Woodward's book gave George W. and Company a well-deserved drubbing and I for one cry, Hear! Hear!

The Mark Foley brouhaha also gets my dander up. I have absolutely no problem with his homosexuality but I have a real big problem with pedophilia. When I heard his lawyer explain Foley had been molested as a teenager---as if that somehow explained or excused the man, I hit the roof. Does that mean that young members of our family, who were starved, abused and slaughtered in the Holocaust should have been entitled to do the same to other innocent young people? I think NOT.

Enough rambling and ranting. I don’t want to leave you all on a crabby note. My wish for everyone in the coming year is that all your days be filled with peace, health and goodwill. And if some days the magic doesn’t work, that you never give up!

In case anyone is wondering, the photo is a shot of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. People write prayers on notes and stick them in cracks in the wall. I thought it was a very contemplative picture.