The Best Investments you will ever make

Hi, my name is David.

Welcome to “Life and Random Thinking“.  Today’s blog post is another of my “Thinking Out Loud” category.

I appreciate you stopping by. ♥

Getting to the top is hard but it’s the challenges that make life the most rewarding!

Today I went for a walk early,

it will be 38 C degrees today (100.4 F) so I really should have been out earlier than I was as it was already 24 C when we were walking.

I had a wonderful and healthy time, it was a walk with my son, and another deposit in the bank of memories we share.

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Dave said he could feel the snake muscles

When I die, and I am optimistic that it is not soon,

all that will be left will be the stories. 

The stories of time spent hiking, playing monopoly, teaching my kids to ride their bikes, holidays together, lessons learned through mistakes and more.

The best investment I can make is in that bank of stories, and experiences with the people in my life, especially my family.  Those are the only investments that will survive.

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posing at Tojo’s restaurant

Looking back

safer here out of the waves

carving pumpkins; priceless

Best Cake Toppers Ever

Deer 1 – – Chevrolet 0

Christmas or anytime!

Chelan, friendly town

Checking my memories

bank account today, I evaluated my investments.

Many of my most valued investments weren’t expensive:

• Carving pumpkins on the sundeck for Halloween,
• and making snowmen in the front yard with my son and daughter,
• watching a thunderstorm with my daughter,
• riding a merry go round with my wife
• learning to make a balsa wood kite with my Dad
• playing crib with my Mom.

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Financial advisors will tell you don’t make the mistake of waiting for the “best time to invest“. They will say that by waiting you are missing out on “potential returns in the meantime.” 

They are right about that. 

Good news ! The best investments for stories don’t have to be expensive,  water skiing, camp fires, roasting marshmallows – you know what I mean.

Simpler is easier and just as meaningful. 

I know that at my stage of life I know what I want is to invest and keep investing in the memories bank, and regardless of how much money you have; you can invest also. 

Invest in walks, talks, card games, bike rides, and please say the words you feel in your heart to the ones who will inherit your stories. – Hugs ! David

I would love to hear some of the simple and wonderful ways you have invested in your Memories Bank. – hint hint. ♥♥♥

 

Got to make the Moments Last

Welcome to “Life and Random Thinking“, I’m glad you are visiting. 🙂 David

Sun delivers Africa a knockout nap

Yesterday I was in a familiar situation, walking slowly up Giant’s Head Mountain, looking forward and not saying much, just taking deep breaths so that I can keep moving. 

I caught myself rounding a corner as I wound up the steep road and I was actually failing to appreciate the vista that was spread out around and below me.

It was a forehead slap moment. 

I suppose I could have consoled myself that in an hour I would be walking back down, and I would be more relaxed then and could then appreciate the view.  I suppose that would be fine but it made me think.  

It made me realize something and so as I walked up yesterday I made sure to notice every view, going up and down.

Slow down, you move too fast
You got to make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feelin’ groovy

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Looking north from the top. Okanagan Lake down below, way down there! That is my son in the photo.

The fact is that I can get used to my surroundings, and as a result it can be that I fail to appreciate them sometimes.

I imagine that the same happens in beautiful spots worldwide, the Seattle Space Needle, the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Canyon, the pyramids,  a beautiful location in Hawaii, or Bali; how long before the appreciation dulls.

Yet it’s still there, fabulous and others are taking pictures and soaking it up moment by moment.  It’s human nature and it makes sense.

But I never want to stop appreciating the people in my life.

I am watching little birds in the sunflower plants right now, and I love and appreciate them until they fly off and I do that a dozen times a day.

If I can do that with birds, I can do better at appreciating and noticing people in my life.

Hello, lamppost, what’cha knowin’?
I’ve come to watch your flowers growin’
Ain’t’cha got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in doo-doo, feelin’ groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feelin’ groovy

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In 1986 I was hospitalized from April to September – when I finally was able to leave, I paused in the alley outside the windows before getting in the car.  I just stood there motionless.

I am sure my wife expected me to jump in, and yell “Get me out of here” (or something similar).

She asked me what I was doing, and I told her I was feeling the wind. I was enjoying the movement of air, the freshness I had missed, the air in the hallways was so different than the freedom of the air outside.

Such a simple moment, 34 years ago but it sings out to me still;

• enjoy the moments,
• enjoy the small gifts all around.
• Life is a gift, make sure to unwrap it daily.

I got no deeds to do
No promises to keep
I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me
Life, I love you
All is groovy

The 59th Street Bridge Song

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everything in the garden looks fresh

A map is worth 100,000 words

Thanks for visiting “Life and Random Thinking”

Africa is focused on something, and she is outside! Don’t worry, she will soon be relaxing indoors, queen of her domain very soon.

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More than once a day when I am reading

and commenting on blog posts, I think “I should share this post!”

Today I was reading “Robby Robin’s Journey” and I wanted to share it because I enjoyed her creative post, and so there is link below for you to teleport there and read her blog.

The maps in her post today were perfect for that often quoted statement “A picture is worth a thousand words”.   

A map must be worth 100,000 words because I couldn’t imagine trying to explain in any real way what a map is capable of sharing.

It takes a few moments of pondering but it’s worth it. 

Perhaps the only other thing that communicates more instantly is a hug, how many words in a hug?  A trillion or so?

my son and daughter, awhile back 🙂

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Pretty Please enjoy a visit to Robby Robin’s Journey today and see why “A map is worth is worth 100,000 words – Click below –

Map Monday: more fun with maps, playing with population densities

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Enjoy your day,  thanks for coming by! – David

Just a girl at a campfire 41 years ago

Those were simpler times

Forty-one years ago.

It was the summer of 1979 and I joined a youth group who went into the woods outside Kamloops for a campfire and sing some songs.

She was “just a girl at a campfire” and I didn’t say hello even or catch her eye.

She was “just a girl at a campfire” but a few days later I dreamt about her, but couldn’t recall the dream.

My friend, Randy, was a fleek water skier and he invited me to join him water skiing on the river.  When Randy drove up to pick me up, in the back seat of his car was that girl, the one from the campfire.  Playing matchmaker, Randy pressured us to sit in the back together, which was a hardship I was happy to endure, with that girl.

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A sunny day, on a dock with that girl,

the one I saw at a campfire, not a date, more than a date;  a test and I wrote about on my blog before – you can read it here by clicking. 

 

 

I have written before about the significance of August 6 before

including this post five years ago. Click here for that one if you may.

I love all the pictures in that post. ♥

Happy 1st date Anniversary to that girl from the campfire!

Fairy tales can come true
It can happen to you if you’re young at heart
For it’s hard, you will find
To be narrow of mind if you’re young at heart

– Young at heart (Frank Sinatra)

 

The Golden Rule is #1

Thank you for visiting “Life and Random Thinking” today. – David

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When I was little I visited my Baba and Guido in Kindersley, Saskatchewan.  If you have never heard of that place I understand.  Kindersley is not a major city.  I visited my grandparents there when I was about 1965. Baba and Guido had me all to myself for about a month in the summer.

It was a wonderful opportunity to learn about small town life, and as I have previously mentioned my grandparents before.

Click here to read more about these wonderful people.

The lessons I remember Baba teaching me were simple ones but essential in my opinion.

1. Please and Thank-you are not optional words.
2. The Golden Rule is #1

The first rule above seems obvious. Use our manners say “please” and “thank you”.

It is how we show respect, appreciation, and give recognition and it should be automatic regardless of whether a person is doing their job.

How she taught me or reminded me.

Baba took me to a restaurant and she bought me a glass of coca-cola. I was about 6 or 7 years old and I reached for the drink.  Baba stopped me, and nicely called the waitress back.  She asked me if I knew what to say to the lady. I remembered then and said thank you. Baba smiled and let me drink. (it makes me smile now – I am sure I needed to be reminded of this lesson a few times but she was always sweet.)

As a grizzled veteran of life now, I see the value of manners especially when I see the difference that proper manners make and it saddens me when I see it lacking.

The second rule is The Golden Rule is #1. 

I really think the Golden Rule is related to Please and Thank You.  It is how you behave towards others.

I really think it also has to do with how as people we should place an equal emphasis on responsibilities as we do on rights.

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This leads to an article I read in the Globe and Mail newspaper recently by Frank Ching.

Frank Ching  is a journalist in Hong Kong and his article was called “Why Eastern countries are more successful in fighting COVID-19″

 

A quote from the article. 

To a large extent, it has to do with societal values. The West generally and the United States in particular focuses on the individual, the rights, freedoms and accomplishments of men and women. In Confucian society, the emphasis is on the community, and an individual is taught to put the group’s interests ahead of his or her interest.

In East Asia, the acceptance of masking for hygiene is almost universal, and has been the case for a while. There is recognition of its value where public health is concerned. Even where governments don’t mandate it, people voluntarily don the face covering, considering it a matter of courtesy to others as much as protection for oneself.

Confucian societies emphasize harmony and discipline. Rights are generally coupled with responsibilities.

Both the Chinese and the American constitutions set out protections for rights, though the implementation is quite different in the two countries.

The Chinese constitution is notable for coupling rights with responsibilities. For example, Article 51 declares: “Citizens of the People’s Republic of China, in exercising their freedoms and rights, may not infringe upon the interests of the state, of society or of the collective, or upon the lawful freedoms and rights of other citizens.”

Thus, rights are to be exercised in a responsible manner; an individual’s rights are subordinate to the community’s rights.

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The willingness by Asian countries to wear masks for hygiene and respect for others is part of their culture, and lead to the wonderful results in declining exposure and deaths from Covid.

In his article Frank Ching points out that Western countries have not been as successful as Asian countries in dealing with the pandemic due to their emphasis on individual rights.

What do you think?

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The Golden Rule and the (click to read) Confucian rules to live by seem to me to be identical.

Baba was right “treat others as you would like to be treated” and remember to say “Please” and “Thank you”.

Thanks Baba, again. – David

 

Running on Empty – refill regularly

Africa……. What are you thinking?

When I was eighteen and starting driving more

than just to work and back home, I was counselled to never let my gas tank go below half-full.  I remembered his advice, and when on road trips I also used to keep track of spaces on the highways in the USA where there were fewer gas stations.

I believe there was one area south of Bakersfield, CA on the interstate #5 where I noticed there were no gas stations for nearly 175 miles so I temporarily took a different highway.

Instead of going through the mountains there on the interstate I went around to the east through a number of small towns and on the map it was 50 miles shorter, bonus! , plus felt more relaxed.

Today I am thinking about gas tanks,

and I remember that running out of gas is a stressful mind space to be in. Ever since I was nearly stranded on a gravel road out of gas, I am more aware of my gas tank. That one time, my gas tank had been hovering below empty for ten minutes.  It’s all I could think about! The last 30 minutes of that drive on back roads had me tight like a guitar string. Finally I found a gas station but by then I was all tense and, super stressed. I pledged that day I would avoid that feeling from then on, and be more careful.

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What if I had a “calm” tank or an “empathy” tank? 

I haven’t heard the sound for a long time, but in some cars when the gas tank gets really low, there is a “bong” and a light on the dashboard. A warning to catch my attention.

I could use a warning to remind me when my calm tank needs a walk in nature.

Thick moss like a carpet in the Flats loop

Rhododendron Flats

At Bromley Rock, the water is high and cold!

I wish you could smell the fresh air

I could use that alert also to remind me to refill my “empathy” tank, and give more understanding.

I don’t usually go below a quarter of tank in my car,

I fill up with gas around then and as a consequence I don’t need to look at the gas gauge for at least a few days.  Yay !  A full tank leaves me relaxed, and more confident while driving, one less thing to be concerned about.

I think that is where checking my Calm tank, and Empathy tank periodically makes sense. – I am going to be more conscious of my calm tank, and empathy gauge.

If they are getting low,  I will heed the gauge warnings and refill quickly.

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Thank you for visiting “Life and Random Thinking” today – definitely filing this one away under the category “Thinking Out Loud“. – hugs! – David