a positive life

If you use my blog roll, you may have noted that I moved it to the bottom of the sidebar. There were a couple of reasons for that. Some of the blogs I recommend were not updating with new entries. To make it easier for me to find them, I opened the list to show all. It no longer matters how long the list goes as it won't overpower other info in that sidebar. When I have time, I am visiting new blogs as I come across them. Recommendations are always welcome. If you comment here a few times, I'll be checking your blog to see if it's simpatico, with shared interests in creativity, nature, art, writing, and philosophy of life.

As part of this shift, I am (temporarily or otherwise) moving links, from blogs that have turned basically political, to the sidebar of my own political blog-- Rainy Day Rant, which seems a better fit. I also went searching for new blog links to add there-- particularly of a partisan right slant, since most of what was there leaned or was virulently left. I figure this will be an ongoing adjustment to get the right blogs listed where political, often partisan, ideas and issues are explored.

Blogs can be important places to discuss issues, debate differences, and attempt to make points that will help others better understand what is happening-- as they see it. I believe it's useful to see how the 'other' side thinks. That is though one main thing with a blog-- they are how someone thinks, opinions. 

Blogs, none of them, are a place to go for facts-- although they can sometimes direct us to facts. In a time like this, even with mainstream newspapers, it's wise to check anything political multiple places. False facts are everywhere and coming from the right and the left. If it sounds too good or horrible to be true, maybe it's not.

I've made a point before and it's even stronger now that politics aren't for this blog. I might write about important cultural issues but won't be posting on politics at all. Many who read this blog come from outside the US. Others want a place free of vitriol, a place that can inspire them. That's what I want when I spend time thinking on an idea for here.

For me, politics is why I have the rant, but even there, I try to explore issues in a way that is more about understanding than propagandizing. I'm a moderate. I have strong ideas on certain issues, but they don't fit partisan boxes (which often makes me unpopular with left and right). Because of also being a writer, process interests me as much often as result. I can get worried or angry but am trying to keep it in proportion to what I can actually change.

I get it we are in a turbulent time. The latest imbroglio over who can temporarily or even permanently travel or move to the US is a good example. Globalists and nationalists see that issue very differently, and both believe they are right. As caring people, we can agree to disagree. Issues are seldom as simple as we might want to think.  When I wanted to write about the subject for the rant, I learned some things about our immigration and refugee policies that I hadn't known. It's complicated.

The thing is-- living in a state of constant anger and fear is bad for health. In a time of great change, which is where not just us but the world is, some of those emotions are bound to be a problem-- more for some than others. Some of us find it easier to let things go as a part of our temperament. I do understand the upset. The United States has a new leader who is an unknown quantity, being defined mostly by his enemies, while he is trying to instigate major changes in policies that one third of the country liked as they were; one third despised; and one third tried not to know anything about.

So for me, I am not sure how bad things are. It is a bummer when a person cannot trust the news to tell us, given how they have already operated. That might be their fault-- or maybe they are being manipulated by someone savvier than they are. In an uncertain time like this, I am a glass is half full kind of gal-- not saying it's always easy.

Lamb pictures make a person feel good, but being a shepherd has its ups and downs with losses as well as joys. I could write here about the tragic stuff (raising livestock gives me a huge stock of such stories), but what would that help anyone? 

I believe in what I posted above-- as much as possible, think on the positive to live a positive life. 

If thinking or acting on something can change a future action, then it can be necessary to live with the uncertainty and negativity for awhile-- just don't keep it there when there is no action possible and it's a matter of finding personal equilibrium. The ewe below did not have triplets. Lambs in the beginning have a hard time staying with the right mama. Eventually it works out... for most of them.

If you haven't already read this book, [7 Habits of Highly Effective People], I recommend it. The best lesson I got from it was to put my main effort into areas I have control. So trying to be responsibly informed (not easy today), letter writing (when we think we know), joining effective groups, pulling lambs, checking fences, all might need to be done. The outcome of our actions isn't always (or sometimes ever) in our control. 

I've had to apply that especially where it comes to my books. I can put them out there, do all I can to get them seen, but I can't control whether they will be seen or how others view them. To be happy, I have to do what I can and then let that result go. Currently, I believe the world (not just the US) is giving us plenty of practice in doing that.