28 06, 2020

Change Is Ripping Away the Past

2020-06-27T19:37:42-04:00

Fierce winds are blowing the sloshing water up onto the dock and a thin mist of water keeps spraying me, making me nudge my old green Adirondack chair back farther and farther. It’s rare to see whitecaps on this little lake in the wilderness. Amazing to me, the birds are flying overhead, twirling and diving into the thermals of air, as if they’re at an amusement park on a roller coaster. It makes me wish I could fly. Wheeeee.

Deep, rich greens fill the distant shore as the tops of the trees are splashed with warm morning light. It’s early here, and it’s just me, the birds, and the sunlight. Everyone else is nestled in their cabins in their little brass beds and flannel bedspreads. 

Erratic

This has been a week of weird weather. We’ve had massive thunderstorms and gully washers of rain, thunder that rattled the old cabin, winds that have toppled sailing boats, and cold fronts that took us from 90-degree heat to warm blankets and cold nights for perfect sleeping.

The Value of Storms

Life, like challenging weather, always sees some benefit after the damage of the worst of storms. And though the world at the moment carries with it lots of challenge, lots of turmoil and unrest, that’s not always a bad thing. It may seem like it, but I can guarantee good will come from what we perceive as bad. Rain brings nutrition and removes pollen from the trees. Winds clear out dead trees. Even lightning brings fire to forests in need of rejuvenation and new growth. 

Challenges bring about growth, and each of us will make adjustments in our thinking about how we perceive certain things. 

What have you faced in your life that seemed like a bad thing at the time, but turned out to be for the better?

Stop and think about what is upsetting you at this moment.

Is it fear?
Is it the unknown?
Is it anger?
Is it frustration?

We are creatures of comfort, and we squirm a little anytime someone makes us step outside of our comfort zone.

Change is the enemy for most, and we, as humans, will fight change to the death.

Your Favorite Chair

Imagine for a moment you are sitting in your favorite chair. It’s your comfort spot. It’s where you go to be cozy, to feel secure, to read or watch TV or converse with your family. Like an old pair of slippers or your favorite pajamas, it’s an extension of who you are. Then a burglar sneaks into your house when you’re out getting groceries. They don’t take the jewelry or the money or the expensive stuff — they take your favorite chair.

You feel violated. Part of your cozy world has disappeared. You search the city, you call the police, but alas, you find yourself on the hunt for a replacement for your perfect chair. But nothing compares, they don’t make that model anymore, a new chair won’t be broken in. 

Then one day you find something you feel is a decent replacement, and after a couple of days you turn and say to your family, “I should have changed chairs years ago. This is so much better, supports my back more, and is so much more comfortable.” All that drama over the old chair only to discover that you should have bought a new one five years ago.

Clinging to Old Ways

The world as it was is an old chair. The old world is something we cling to, the change is something you might not like, and it’s something that makes you uncomfortable. Yet, days, weeks, maybe months from now, you’ll have a new level of comfort. Things won’t be the same, but they will be just fine … just different.

The Big Embrace

Change may be the enemy for most, but embracing change can be the best thing to ever happen to you. Just like problems should be embraced as opportunities or lessons, change should be embraced as a chance to adopt a new outlook.

The key to embracing change is to become aware of what you’re resistant to and ask yourself if, maybe, a new outlook would serve you.

A Different Perspective

Start by putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. Ask yourself how they must feel. Ask yourself if changing your mind might be the right thing to do.

The Old Person’s Motto

I can remember being a teen and hearing old people say, “This world is going to hell in a handbasket” (whatever that means). “These kids today are going to ruin our world.” I told myself I was never going to be like that. 

The Young Person’s Motto

If you’re of a certain age, maybe you remember thinking your parents and grandparents were wrong, and that you were going to change the world. And you did. Now, maybe it’s happening to you. It’s the cycle of life.

What good can possibly happen with all the change? Maybe it’s worth pondering. I’m sure there is an answer.

You’re always just one decision away from a new outlook and a changed life.

Ask yourself if you’re looking for happiness in the same place you lost it. 

Like It or Not, It’s Happening

Our world is changing. Everything is impacted. It can be pretty overwhelming, but it will be easier if you stop clinging to the way things used to be and know that things change, and that everything will be all right.

Change is a river of new ideas that will push out the old and stale and bring in the new. Step up from the comfy chair and try on some new ideas. You might find them to be refreshing and invigorating, and even more fulfilling.

Eric Rhoads

PS: Please read this. I have a special favor and an urgent need.

The past 100 days have been, in many ways, the hardest of my life. I’ve had some really bad days and a lot of fear, but instead of cowering in a fetal position and avoiding my responsibilities, I’ve adapted. Pivoting has forced me to try things I had been resistant to, try new things that I never would have tried. Some of those things have turned out to be things I should have done a decade ago. 

As you may know, I feed my family from the proceeds of my small family-owned business. I’m not some big corporation. I know my employees, I know their kids’ names, and I take great pride and responsibility in making sure they can provide their families a good life. It rips my heart out when I have to disrupt that, which I had to do about 100 days ago to some very wonderful and loyal friends who work with our company. 

Since the in-person event business makes up the lion’s share of our ability to support these team members and their families, you can imagine that not being able to have that income has been devastating to our little company. In response to some who don’t want to travel (or can’t) and those who maybe don’t have the money or time to travel to one of our live events, if they’re allowed to occur, we created a virtual (online) event called PleinAir Live

PleinAir Live will take place July 15-18 (and the 14th for beginners) and is bringing the world of international plein air painters together as a giant community. I have the top outdoor landscape artists in the world teaching, giving critiques, talks, roundtables, and demonstrations. Names like Scott Christensen, Jill Carver, Sherrie McGraw, Kathryn Stats, Joe Paquet, John MacDonald, Kevin Macpherson, and many many more. And we’re tapping into the brilliance of the best instructors overseas with teachers like Roos Schuring from Holland, Leon Holmes from Australia, Haidee-Jo Summers from England, and Antonin Passemard from France.

This will truly be the first time the entire plein air painting community from all over the world has come together for one live (virtual) event. We will paint together, we will connect you with new friends, and we’re doing it for 1/10th of what you would spend to travel to the Plein Air Convention.

This event will not only get you truly involved in the plein air community, plein air painting, and learning from the best of the best, it will also help me keep my little family intact in case our in-person events are forced to reschedule or cancel.

It would mean a lot to me if you would attend. I know you’ll be glad you did, and you can do it for less than a nice meal out for four. But it will last as a lifetime memory, and it’s historic. And since most of us have not gone out much in the past three months, the money saved from staying in will make it easier. Please consider attending PleinAir Live

It’s so easy. You sign up at the website, and we send you a link to get into the event. It’s that easy. On the days of the event, you just click on your link and you’re watching on your phone, your tablet, your computer, or even your TV. 

It’s a little uncomfortable being so direct about how this will help us survive. If we’ve given you some joy or value over the months or years, and if you love or want to learn about art, this will make a big difference for us and our ability to continue doing all the things we love doing for you. 

Even if you just sign up for the beginners’ day and nothing else, it will make a big difference. 

Thank you for your consideration.

Change Is Ripping Away the Past2020-06-27T19:37:42-04:00
21 06, 2020

Your New You

2020-06-19T11:32:21-04:00

Sponges bounce below my bare feet as I walk atop deep green moss and thick pillows of soft pine needles, making my way to the front dock. Startled by my presence, a family of loons sends out a series of emergency calls to warn others on the lake, which is still as glass. Chirps of other birds fill the tall pines at the base of the lake as soft ripples splash up against the dock.

Handmade in 1904

My chair is an old Westport Adirondack chair, crafted in 1904 according to the stamp on the back. This dock has been its home for 116 years, and it’s seen the rise and fall of tuberculosis, and the 1918 pandemic. Then, like now, families escaped to the woods to ride it out and distance themselves from the cities.

Coming Changes

Sipping my hot coffee as I stare out over the lake, I wonder who, over the years, has been seated in these chairs and what conversations they had. Last night, some friends, properly socially distanced, visited as we shared a toast and celebrated being free enough to gather. We meandered on to topics about how our lives and our cities will change. No one knows; we can only guess.

New Appreciation

These two young executives who work for mega-firms in New York City talked of how they have discovered new things about themselves, about the unnecessary hustle and bustle of their busy lives, their newfound appreciation and the challenges of working from home, and how they plan to redefine their lives going forward. Neither will be returning to an office until 2021.

Redefined

We are living in the year that disappeared. I saw a shirt on social media that said “2020 Sucks,” but I disagree. In spite of all the fear, negativity, danger, and uncertainty, sometimes it takes getting hit by a freight train to get our attention and make us redefine our lives. And we would not be doing ourselves a service if we allowed this year to pass without buckets of meaningful and personal change. 

Up in the Air

I for one have realized my addiction to travel. I’ve always loved it, but not being able to get on a plane at the drop of a hat for a meeting has made me rethink my future. No, I don’t fear getting on a plane, I just did that a couple of weeks ago. What I fear is not living my life with the level of quality intended.

Face it, many of us have become addicted to the dopamine or adrenaline created by the stimulation of social media, of a fast-moving world, of always needing something to do.

Reconnected

Most everyone I know is telling me they crave the life they did not know they were missing, that returning to their life from 90 days ago would feel like a tragedy. They have reconnected with their families on a deeper level, they have had time to pursue things that time never permitted, and through those moments, have found themselves inside new hobbies or interests. We, for instance, have taught tens of thousands of new people interested in learning to paint.

A New Me

One woman sent me a note that said, “Because of you, I found myself. Because you were doing live Facebook broadcasts daily, I accidentally tuned in, did not know you, but something you said encouraged me to try painting. I had never considered it, and now, with your free lessons, I’m painting and I’m a new person.”

It wasn’t me or anything I did, it was her. She finally tuned in to her inner voices to explore an interest she did not realize she had. Maybe I was a nudge, but the action was all her own doing.

What is your action?

Will you return to the former you, or will the book on your life have a new chapter about a new you?

Have you stopped to think about what you discovered about yourself that you don’t want to lose?

Have you realized what you don’t want to return to?

There is, it appears, a mass exodus from the cities to the suburbs and small towns. It’s not just the fear of being stuck in a war zone due to riots, or the fear of being in an overburdened medical system in a big city, it’s because a different quality of life and quality of relationships have been discovered. I’ve had several people tell me their city life is ending and their homes are for sale or they have already moved out. Others in small towns are talking of soaring real estate prices due to new interest in a simpler life.

Though it may sound a little awkward, isn’t this what life is all about? Deeper relationships? Getting to know your neighbors? Being in a place where life isn’t running at high speed?

I’m fortunate to be in a boat-access-only place on a little lake in the middle of the wilderness. It’s only taken me 35 years to be able to afford such a place, and I cherish it. But I now wonder about my winter months and where we will land. Small towns are more appealing than ever.

Where Will You Get Off?

That freight train called COVID-19 has stopped at a station many of us have not visited for years, if ever — the village of relationships. The only question is, will we stop here to settle or get back on the roller coaster?

I can’t make that decision for you. I’m sure you know where your heart lies. But I think the world will soon sigh a breath of relief, and all of this will be behind us. And as you take a big sigh, you’ll realize that everything is going to be all right after all.

And like this old 1904 Adirondack chair that has seen it all, we too will be able to tell our grandkids what we lived through, and how in our darkest days it did not seem like we could ever get through it, but we proudly made it, picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, and realized that we’re capable of anything.

I’m proud of you. 

Eric Rhoads

PS: We all have our unique stories. I hope you put yours in the comments below.

And if you’re one of those people who wants to find a new you, I can offer you a lot of free painting advice and instruction. You can see some resources below.

Also, last week I announced what we think is a historic virtual event, the first time in history anyone has brought the world of plein air (outdoor) painters together worldwide. Plein Air Live is already seeing massive registration from all over the world. Check it out at PleinAirLive.com. And we have a beginner’s day you may want to attend if you are curious. You don’t have to sign up for the whole event, you can attend just the beginner’s day.

Your New You2020-06-19T11:32:21-04:00
14 06, 2020

The Power of Dreaming

2020-06-12T09:39:07-04:00

Roaring thunder is echoing off the distant mountain and the lake acts like a giant amplifier, making the booms even louder. The old porch is shaking with each blast, and the rain is slamming loudly on the roof above. Rain is driving sideways like arrows trying to penetrate the screens, yet somehow the water isn’t coming in.

My dream was to one day have a porch like this. Sitting here in a storm is one of my favorite things; it’s as if I’m defying nature, nestled and secure in my little wooden shelter.

Did you know there is a difference between goals and dreams?

I’ve found that goals are intentional, and often related to dreams — but dreams tend to be random, often not formalized by the process of goal-setting.

Which do you think is more powerful? A set goal or a random dream?

In Trouble for Daydreaming

In fourth grade at Harrison Hill Elementary I was sent to the principal’s office for daydreaming, not paying attention in class. Most of my school years were considered unproductive because of my horrific grades, which had to do with not paying attention, not wanting to be there, being bored, and being in a better place inside my head than in class.

Drifting into Dreamland

Today, though I’m a better student because I pursue what I want to learn, I still drift off when a speaker stimulates a thought that then circulates inside my head, getting louder and louder as I explore the possibilities. Before long I can miss a couple of hours of content because the idea is being played out in my head. And frankly, that’s the value of going. 

No Life Without Dreams

Dreams have been the foundation of my life, which has been a machine gun of ideas sprayed across the world. If I think about something, I’m thinking about it as if it has already occured. I envision my life when that dream takes place, and I see myself doing what it is I’m dreaming. Events like the Plein Air Convention and the Figurative Art Convention were dreams where I saw myself on stage, presenting the most brilliant minds in painting. And when those dreams came true, the first versions were exactly as I pictured them, faculty and all.

Dreaming Isn’t Goal-Setting

I’m big on goal-setting, but I’m bigger on dreaming. Because dreams, I think, reflect what you really want, and sometimes goals are what we think we should want. They’re often rooted in family responsibilities like paying bills or raising enough money for college (we’re facing that now).

Where do your dreams take you?

Others tell me they don’t dream, or they don’t have vivid dreams. Still others don’t daydream. I’m guessing they do, but they’re not embracing it for what it is. It’s not useless folly. 

Ending Dreams

Young couples have dreams. One day we’ll have a family, three kids, two dogs, a little house with a white picket fence. And most of them get those dreams. Then they dream of their kids growing up, college, grandchildren, etc. And those dreams typically come true, though they are out of their hands and in the hands of their kids. But sometimes those dreams end there because of the limits we impose on ourselves.

Squashing Dreams

Before quarantine times, I was with someone whose child was telling me about his dreams of doing something big and great, and his mom chimed in and said, “Stop that foolishness. Our kind are not meant to do such things.” I was mortified and wanted to speak up, but did not out of respect to my hosts.

Are you squashing your own dreams or the dreams of others because you feel undeserving?

Brilliant Dreamers

You may think that someone like Elon Musk has something we all don’t have. We may tell ourselves that his brilliance is possible because he is a billionaire, but the reality is that he is a billionaire because of his dreams. Unlike most, he has trained himself to dream big, not place any limits, and explore endless possibilities. We all tend to give ourselves reasons things can’t be done, yet if you eliminate the limits and dream big, you will surprise yourself with what you’re capable of accomplishing. 

Dream Till You Believe It

I’m a big believer that goals without actions are just a to-do list that never gets done. It’s action that moves things forward. The value of dreams is that when we envision something in detail and continually repeat those thoughts, we begin to accept that the impossible is possible. The brain tends to help us seek and find ways to do impossible things. 

Like most, I have limits. I catch myself continually telling myself all the reasons something can’t happen. But once I catch myself, I try to change my thinking. It’s very deliberate.

What is one big dream you’ve always wanted to accomplish?

Now, what are you telling yourself about that dream? Here is a typical list:

  • It’s too big for me
  • People like us don’t do things like that
  • I don’t have the degree or education
  • I don’t have the talent
  • I don’t have the money
  • I’m not good at the things needed to accomplish it
  • I’m too young
  • I’m too old
  • I don’t have much time left

Dreams are the place you write the next chapter before you accomplish that chapter.

Napoleon wrote, “Small plans do not inflame the hearts of men.”

I have confidence that your dreams can come true. I can’t tell you how; I never really know how, when I first start. But the more you think about it, envision yourself in it, the more the answers will come.

Eric Rhoads

PS: I was dreaming recently during our quarantine. I thought that there is a whole world of artists who have been coming together on my daily videos (noon Eastern @ericrhoads on Facebook and Instagram), and it made me dream of creating the first worldwide artists’ event in history. Something where all the plein air painters (and wannabes) gather virtually in a global plein air event.

At first, my brain told me it was too much work, that it would be impossible. Then I started thinking about the time, the money, the challenges, the tech, and I almost stopped working on it. But then I realized it’s a dream that can change lives and that I could not let anything get in my way.

Plein Air Live will take place on July 15-18, with a new plein air beginners’ day on the 14th. Five days total where the world gathers, paints together, learns together, and celebrates our passion. You’ll be part of a historic moment, and you’ll be connected with people you never before knew. And no travel, no expenses. All in your safe home.

Already the response is phenomenal, and frankly, technology may limit how many can attend. So if you go to PleinAirLive.com and fill out the form, we will ticket people in the order they came in. No obligation, but once we announce details, you’ll be glad you are holding that possible reservation.

This is one of my big dreams. There are others. I fully intend to live my dreams. I hope you will too.

PS 2: Here is a link to all the free video samples we’ve posted the past almost 80 days. Enjoy.

PS 3: The world, at the moment, is filled with hurting people, and they also have dreams. Let’s all remember to listen to the dreams of others and help them live their dreams.

The Power of Dreaming2020-06-12T09:39:07-04:00
7 06, 2020

A Summer of Joy

2020-06-05T17:13:37-04:00

Glitter has been sprinkled all over the water, and the light is blasting it to reflect like lasers into my retinas. The sound of a mild slosh hits the old wooden dock, and the 50-year-old metal rowboat with peeling green paint and a maroon Evinrude outboard stands ready, with poles hanging over the sides awaiting today’s fishing expedition. 

Brilliant Morning Light

The tops of the trees are orange, while the shaded part of the pines remains deep greenish-blue as the trees eagerly await a sunbath when it rises further. The mountain in the distance is looking especially inviting today, as if to say, “Come, climb me on the first day.”

We arrived here in paradise late last night, ready to go into our two-week self-quarantine after breathing the mask-filtered air on an almost empty airplane. But oh! What a place to be stuck. A boat-access-only cabin that was built 140 years ago, and we have nothing to do but absorb its silence and dust its shelves. I’m ready.

Thirty Years and Counting

If I were counting, I would guess this is summer number 31 for me on these lakes. I first visited in 1988 or ’89 and never wanted to leave. I fell in love with the smell of pines and the stunning scenery of the mountains. These lakes have become my muse, first for photography and then, many years later, the joy of painting. Though I want to see the whole world, this is a part of the world I want as a constant in my life, a place to go for some mental downtime.

A Sea of Paintings

Last summer, as we were driving in from the airport, I saw things with fresh eyes and made a list of a hundred different spots I wanted to paint. Yet I barely painted all summer because moving into the old cabin and doing repairs and projects consumed all my time. Yet again this year, I’ve set my sights high, in hopes of painting daily this summer. Time will tell.

Stuck Inside

Like you, I’m tired of being stuck inside, and like you, I’ll self-isolate for a couple of weeks after arriving and avoid situations that put anyone else at risk. Thankfully, the wilderness does not put me in touch with anyone for miles if I’m out painting, fishing, or hiking. So, to the extent you can in your situation, try to get some fresh air and some time outside if possible.

Taking Care of Your Mental Health

Each of us is in a different situation, a different place, with different circumstances. But all of us have had to face things we’d never imagined were possible. We’ve been stuck inside, we’re not exercising as much, we’re not getting a healthy dose of social activities, and we’re eating differently. And with the double whammy of quarantines and unrest, we’re filled with uncertainty and fear. Perhaps we should consider what Roosevelt meant with his “nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Fearing fear is actually a wise thing. They did not have the science data we have now, but It turns out that fear triggers massive releases of cortisol in the brain, which actually impacts your thinking ability and launches you into a fight-or-flight mode. According to Psychology Today, “low-grade cortisol baths” seem to be the biggest immune system culprit of all. These “baths” are smaller influxes of cortisol all day long, primarily due to a stress-dominated thought process … “When added to the concept that your brain, in many ways, doesn’t know the difference between what you vividly imagine (or worry about) and what is real, you can see the damage your panic may be wreaking on your risk of contracting a circulating virus.”

They go on to say, “When stress, anxiety, worry, overwhelm, depression and isolation are left unchecked they actually reduce the effectiveness of your immune system and make you, and those around you, much more susceptible to getting sick.”

Not only does fear impact our physical health by weakening our immune system, causing cardiovascular damage, ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome, it can accelerate aging and premature death. Fear also creates memory impairment and tends to “lock in,” making things worse by increasing anxiety. Fear causes brain processing impairment, which results in erratic decision-making, increased negativity, explosive behavior, and impulsive reactions. All of this then leads to fatigue. It seems to me that with COVID-19, our immune systems have to be our highest priority.

My Downward Spiral

This week I found myself glued to the TV, staying up watching protests and rioting until two in the morning, worrying about my community and our own safety. I stopped sleeping, tossing and turning all night. Laurie pointed out I was not myself. I had become grumpy, irritable, and negative, and I realized I was falling into a negative spiral. I was not my normal upbeat self. I was suddenly depressed, then started having some wine to self-medicate and escape, and of course I felt bad the next morning. I was defeated.

A Moment of Clarity

Upon awaking with a slight hangover and little sleep it struck me that I had to snap out of it, and not let my emotions drive me further down. I knew I had to lead my family, and with my daily broadcasts, lead my friends in the art world. So I worked hard to elevate my mood (yes, dancing like no one was watching with some loud music in my studio). I committed to eating right, exercising more, getting up and getting to bed earlier, and insulating myself from all the bad news. Though I check enough to get a minute or two of basic information, I’m no longer watching the TV news, no longer watching the unrest unfolding, no longer allowing that to dominate my thoughts. I’ve pulled away from social media and am unfriending everything negative.

Your Number One Priority

Your health, your mental well-being, has to be your number one priority. Without it you can’t make good decisions, can’t take care of your family, and can’t provide the emotional support others need. And if you allow your thoughts to destroy your immune system, you’ll fall deeper into the spiral and could get infected with the virus. 

Is it time for you to consider the toll all this negativity is taking on you?

Once I got to the woods, to the lake, I realized just how keyed up I was, and how getting away has been such a relief. I did not know how badly it was impacting me till I changed my perspective.

Enough Is Enough

Psychologists tell me that worry and fear are usually unwarranted. We tend to amplify the story and then ruminate about it, but most of what we worry about, we cannot change. Change what you can, but don’t worry about the rest. So I’m officially declaring this the summer of joy. 

The Summer of Joy

You deserve joy. You deserve laughter, fun, walks in the woods, time doing what you love with those you love. You deserve hugs, silliness, and happiness. And, after all you and I have been through, we need it and appreciate those things more than ever.

A Shield

I for one refuse to allow anyone to destroy my joy. I’m going to protect myself by avoiding the news, avoiding social media (other than my daily broadcasts and reading the comments), and taking another break from all media. If the world ends, I’ll eventually find out. Meanwhile, life will be better and I’ll be happier.

Happy Socks

Joy is not up to someone else, it’s up to you and me. We control our joy. We may get it from the actions of others, but we can get it by simply looking into ourselves and pulling it up like a great pair of happy socks. The media and social media are robbing us of our joy. If you want a summer of joy, you may want to consider a summer away from the things that are feeding fear. Just something to consider.

Control Your Reaction

Right now things feel like there is no end. No end to the virus and its possible return, maybe a lifetime of masks and distance. No end to the protests or the causes of the protests. We can’t control those things, but we can control how they are controlling our emotions and feeding our fear.

I want the best for you, I want you healthy, happy, strong, and vibrant. It’s OK to run from the fear, to hide out and put your head in the sand for a while, and consume yourself with fun distractions. In fact, it’s healthy.

Here’s to a summer of joy.

Eric Rhoads

Distractions: I have lots of them if you want to learn about art.

  1. Free lessons for beginners at www.paintbynote.com
  2. Free daily broadcasts of art instruction samples at 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. on YouTube Live (@streamlineartvideo), and I’m live daily at noon on Facebook and Instagram (@ericrhoads) and on Youtube (@streamlineartvideo)

Last summer I wrote about taking a digital holiday, getting away from the negativity of social media and all media. Today, social media and TV have become unbearable, and because of fear, fatigue, and explosive behavior, things are worse than ever.

I’d like to invite you to join me in putting my head in the sand. No, I’m not ignoring real issues we have to deal with, but our mental health is at risk.

I for one cannot sit night after night stimulating fear in my system. I’m not willing to allow current events to destroy my health, my life, and my mood.

And the reality is, I’ll change what I can change, but beyond that, my worry is a fool’s game.

A Summer of Joy2020-06-05T17:13:37-04:00