CARPE DIEM -- WITHOUT THE CARPING

I've gotten into a pattern of "meditative walking" for about an hour or so each day. I live in such a beautiful area of Marin County, CA that I can step out my back door and onto a wooded path and walk as far as I'd like. With relaxing music in my ear buds I let my mind wander. Lately, it has been wandering repeatedly to this place that says I should be writing - writing partly to tell stories, but primarily to focus my own thoughts and concentrate on how to face a significant challenge in my life.

I try to keep out any negative thoughts and welcome the positive ones, as well as opening myself to all the positive energy heading my way from family and friends. What I don't want to do is get stuck in that whirlpool of negativity surrounded by blame, whining and self-pity.

I've always had, in general, an optimistic view of life. When beaten back, I've tried to work harder to overcome. When I've made mistakes, I've tried to learn from them, and when I have complained, I have tried to follow the complaint either with alternatives to the problem or at least some means of coming up with a viable improvement. That was the "cheese" to go along with the whine.

I've always been building and/or renovating. Old cars, old houses, both old and new boats, bicycles, furniture, gardens…  It seems like I've had a focus on how things can be better, on an improved future that grows splendidly from, but respecting, the past. One of my biggest challenges now is to pull that focus much closer -- to see how good things are today. I can still build, I can still renovate, but I need to do so seeing that what I am doing today is what counts and accepting the greater impermanence of all things, including myself.

So, in the course of my writing, I will be attempting to catch, distill and understand the thoughts that float up in my mind during my daily walks. There won't be any complaining, no whining, so no need for the cheese.