Roll with the punches
My late husband was a boxing fan. He enjoyed sparring with my eldest grandson. Several times I would hear him say, “Roll with the punches.” When I asked what it meant, he showed us how to do it. It seems that when somebody punches you, lean back in the same direction as the punch. I hope I got that right.
Every day life comes at us with different small punches. A helper drops a dish and it breaks. A driver does not arrive on time and one gets to be late for an important meeting. A grandson calls up from a clinic and calls you to ask his mommy to fetch him. You offer to fetch him since you are nearer his school. He snaps at you and says: “I don’t want you. I want my Mommy!” So many things can go wrong in a day. How does one cope?
We can fortify ourselves by being at peace with ourselves. I find the times from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. the best time to be in God’s presence. Try looking out of your window just a few minutes before 4 a.m. You will notice that everything around you, especially the trees, are still. Immerse yourselves in their serenity. If the moon is still up, you get treated to the beauty of God’s creation. After a brief meditation of 25 minutes, a tiny breeze comes wafting up and the leaves of some trees start fluttering to acknowledge the refreshing wind.
The sun then starts coming up and the birds start calling each other. This transition from stillness to life is what energizes several people and the rest of the day can be faced with vim and vigor.
Lately, I’ve been taking care of myself and enjoying what I feel is worth doing. I have to apologize, though, to my friends who request to be added as a friend on my Facebook account. I’m very sorry to confess that I am really computer and smartphone illiterate. The only reason my kids opened a Facebook account for me is because they can message me when they download pictures of their families.
I rarely open my laptop or my phone. It is actually my caregiver who encodes my article for me. They say senior citizens are just stubborn individuals who refuse to learn. I totally agree.
Today, I find joy in reading. I’ll take a book anytime over any TV show.
Life has lately sent me raw punches. However, with faith, prayer and trust in our ever loving Father, the effect of the bigger punches can be lessened. Happy Fiesta Senior to all who are with us today.