Recently I was joking about spending New Years Eve in my living room, but than I thought, I can be such an introvert, I might even decline to attend those festivities. Someone reminded me I better attend.....just so I can make sure 2023 actually leaves and bolt the door behind it!
I have the urge to tell you what a terrible year 2023 was and to go over some of the low lights. I'm not really going to do that, however. I'm leaving 2023 with only one lamentation, how come no one seems to understand that the purpose of a vaccine is to prevent disease? This really isn't about politics at all it's about well, science and basic common sense. If it's making you sick and not even preventing the disease, than stop it. Just stop it!
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. I realize no one is even listening, but I'm saying it just the same.
During 2023 we lost a lot of people near and dear to us, and we have walked through much grief and sadness with grace and peace that only the Lord knows how to deliver. Also sad, many good people have now moved away. It turns it that the 9th circuit of hell is not really conducive to living well and all sensible people have quite wisely, fled the scene of the crime. I kid you not, it actually looks like a crime scene in many places. Once a tourist asked me how in the world anyone earns a living here and I had to fight the urge to quip, bit rash of you to call it "living."
We also stopped buying gas. Well, not entirely, but I took a job near to home, we got electric bicycles, we walk a lot, and I'll be darned if we're going to put one single extra dime in Governor's pockets to pay for his stoopid gas taxes. Highest prices in the nation, sheesh! We aren't purists, we still drive places, but we have made a concerted effort to reduce our contribution to the state coffers.
A bit comical, but much of my life now revolves around legally avoiding taxes as much as possible. Legally, mind you. How much of that purchase is going to be going to the government? $1.82? Yeah, well then we don't need it. Put it back! Alas, my buying power is not very impressive, but I am with holding it just the same.
We've started to grow a few more things and we have plans to expand our gardening practices. I have actually spent 2023 overfed as I usually am, in spite of the outstanding inflation at the grocery store. This is partly due to the generous gifts of people who happen to be such good hunter/gathers and wish to share their bounty. People have been exceedingly kind and generous to us this past year. I am really quite thankful. A sweet woman this summer actually picked me a ton of blackberries just because she was thinking of me. It was so sweet and I have continued to enjoy them from my freezer in my shakes and smoothies. There has also been salmon, cod, smoked cheese, crab.
I kid you not, sometimes it is really hard to properly lament our contemporary world problems when one finds oneself surrounded by smoked cheese and other bountiful harvests.
I'm doing my best to go into 2024 with the same attitude I've held tight the past few years, "God is in the saint making business" and "Jesus didn't come to get you into heaven, He came to get heaven INTO you." Those are two sayings that help me to understand why the world is the way it is and why there is so much suffering, at least in a greater philosophical context. Personally I think we should tidy the place up a wee bit, maybe work to relieve some human suffering, but clearly I've been out voted and over ruled. It just is what it. If you wish to properly rebel against the world's foolishness, try to have a little fun with the misery and enjoy yourself with some cheerful fortitude.
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