If you’re lucky, it’s just a day. If not, it’s a season of life. Welcome to what inspiredSplinter and The Earthside Trilogy, folks - and a lot of other books, TV shows, movies, songs, videos, and other artistic endeavors that are hailed at brilliant, inspiring, and relatable. You don’t decide to destroy people and the world (or even part of it) if you’re happy and well-adjusted. And yet, so many people can relate to the art inspired by anger, frustration, fear, or depression. We all have those times when we see the worst in life, people, and/or circumstances and wonder at God’s grace and mercy for not wiping this crap out and starting with a cleaner slate.
Fortunately for me, it was just a busy weekend while recovering from a cold. But still, it created enough spiritual/internal warfare to inspire this entry.
There are times when the world isn’t good to you because it just doesn’t care. The world owes you nothing, and the people in it are so consumed by their own needs and wants that they can’t spare some altruism for yours. And so the clash happens, and you wind out with arguments, disagreements, resentment, and scifi being written (wink). The ugliness of life contributes to the beauty of art sometimes, but that still doesn’t mean that we relish life treating us like crap.
I have learned that there’s one thing you can do when the world doesn’t appreciate you, and that’s to appreciate yourself. If others are too busy granting favor and grace to “better people,” then treat yourself good. Reprioritize based on what matters to you, not to others that can scream loud enough to annoy you. Don’t give a crap about running late. Take yourself out to lunch or dinner. Take a long bath and say to hell with the “to do” list tonight. Read (or write, revise, or edit) another chapter of that novel you love. Pull out an old CD that speaks to you and listen to it all week. Wear your favorite shirt or shoes regardless of whether it’s “good enough” for today’s weather or events. Give up giving a crap for Lent. Now there’s a good one!
The bottom line: when the world stops respecting you, respect yourself. You have to give to receive, and if you aren’t receiving it, then things are out of balance, and it’s time to correct it.Why? Because it’s vitally important to be at your best when the world around you is at it’s worst. The only way to set things right is to get right. It’s all an inside job. Get right inside, and the outside has no choice but to reflect it.
That being said, I do believe I hear a ham sub calling my name for lunch today, and some cross stitching (that didn’t happen over the weekend) is in my future.
That’s all today. Take care, and have a good week.
Bye!