Babbling

It is SO hot today. And it's just going to get hotter as the weeks go by. I made the mistake of walking a few blocks at midday and was pretty sweaty by the time I got home. And, although I used "pretty" in the previous sentence, there was really nothing pretty about it.

I did a little walking later in the afternoon, too, which was not quite so hot. An old man came toward me, riding a bicycle. Our eyes met, and I gave him a gentle half smile. I have learned to pull back and not engage so much here, wary of rejection. His old face broke into a huge smile, shattering into a thousand wrinkles. I couldn't help but smile back just as broadly as I could. That smile stuck on my face a good block or so. I don't mind THAT kind of warmth!

I have been thinking very random things today. Stream of consciousness? OK. Here goes:

I really want Mel Gibson to become a Christian. I mean, really truly know Jesus, like a friend. I see him wrestling and struggling with the idea of a personal God in some of the roles and movies he's done. I mourn for people who have come so close: Mark Twain, Van Gogh, etc., and just missed (or rejected) the final step or two that would have led them into relationship with Him. Thank goodness C. S. Lewis came, after a long journey, to grasp the hand of God and walk with Him. What would the world be like without his writing???

I think my generation is getting the shaft. We don't even have a proper name. We're stuck between the boomers and the post-moderns. What do they call us? Busters, which isn't very inspiring. Or Generation X. Pretty descriptive, as in no, nothing, zero. X. Here's an example of what I mean. Our organization recently went through a MAJOR re-branding. Who was making the decisions?? Boomers. Who are they targeting?? Post-moderns. Who felt totally disenfranchised? ME! No one really even cared about what an almost-forty-year-old wanted in an organization. X X X. That's all we are.

To revisit an earlier blog topic: cropping. I saw some beautiful flowers and a wrought iron balcony today, and zoomed in to get the shot without unsightly blemishes. I had to zoom in pretty far. Then I took a regular shot, just so you all would know what I was really looking at. Just for fun. Just so you can appreciate the creative seeing it requires on my part to find beauty here.

And I wonder if I should study art therapy. I wonder if it would combine my love for art with my desire to help people find release and renewal. I am not a counselor, by any means. But I truly believe that the act of creating has a healing, restorative effect. I'm curious about it. Couldn't hurt to find out more about it, really.

Finally, for those of you who read my blog yesterday, I'll refrain from going on about the cat today. Other than to say she never fails to make me smile. :-)

So, that's about all the random thoughts for today. We're going out to eat. Again. Because I've been a complete lump and haven't planned any meals at home this week. My lack of motivation appalls me, which, in turn, de-motivates me even more. Nasty spiral. Blah.

Up side? I did get myself going for an hour of exercise today, and had a light lunch. Good choices are satisfying.