The Importance of Earnest Service

Archive for the ‘Bright Side’ Category

Service of Looking on the Bright Side II

Monday, December 28th, 2020

Photo: notsalmon.com

It almost feels out of place, with so many friends suffering, to list some bright spots as I look back on this year. I worry that my list might ring a sour note against the backdrop of recent loss–some sorely and freshly missing their loved ones–while others are fighting challenging diseases or conditions, and several are exhaustively looking for jobs. Out of my circle, millions are hungry and/or are about to be evicted from their homes or are recovering from Covid-19–or not. Carcasses of businesses are on every commercial street in Manhattan and in most cities. And this is for starters.

Cheery observations at the end of 2020 might be reminiscent of the Christmas letters of old that often arrived as life imploded. The writers boasted about a kid’s early admission to Harvard, the First Class trip the family of eight took in Tuscany all of August and the sale of the family business for a gazillion dollars. [I don’t get these letters anymore because Facebook boasting took the pressure off.]

Nevertheless, I nod to a few things that brightened my year:

I moved my office home in June. By July all the others in the shared space were also permanently working remotely. It wasn’t the lifestyle jolt I’d have expected under normal circumstances because I’d already been home for four months and had adjusted to the lack of companionship.
Envisioning the reaction of recipients of the handwritten postcards I sent to support candidates around the country made me smile. Did they think, “Who is Jeanne?” Did they vote?
My friends are blessings. I appreciated all their invitations even though I accepted so few.
Normally not fond of shots I look forward to receiving the vaccine–the ray of hope.
I splurged–and love–my iPad and the New York Public Library e-book collection.
YouTube and WMNR [through my laptop] are lifesavers. So is Netflix.
I feel safe in my apartment.
I enjoy my own company.

If you suffered a loss or are ill, I am so sorry. I rejoice with friends who have battled and won over serious conditions. I trust those looking for work will find promising opportunities early in the new year. And I hope that you, too, can think of a few bright spots as you review this horrific year. Happy New Year.

We hope they will.

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Service of Looking on the Bright Side

Monday, March 10th, 2014

When things aren’t going my way I try to look for the bright side—there’s so often a silver lining if not for me, then for someone. It helps divert a train of thought headed towards gloom.

Lighten Up

Feeling exhausted because you lost an hour due to the Daylight Savings time change? Some will be grateful to leave work in daylight.

Park It

Those who park on city streets on the east coast must celebrate this difficult winter. They’ve enjoyed weeks of forgiveness from alternate side of the street parking rules.

I did this for only a short time years ago. What a rat race it was zipping out early to grab a spot and sitting in the car until 8 a.m. adding to morning chores of walking the dog and getting dressed so as to arrive at work on time. And on certain evenings there was another car deadline to add to all those at the office which involved a heart-in-throat dash back home to move the car and grab a good spot only to begin again the next day.

Quiet Mice

Speaking of rodents—as in rat races–or more precisely, mice, homes and apartments prone to these pesky mammals have benefited from the cold. I don’t know where they’ve gone but we’ve seen evidence of almost none this winter. That meant a huge savings on mousetraps. I’m chicken so we use an expensive trap. I’ve saved literally $100s in addition to not having to deal with them which is best of all.

What’s in a Name?

Anyone watching the Oscars last week knows that John Travolta’s mispronunciation of singer Idina Menzel’s name—Adele Dazeem is what he called her–gave her far more traction than had he mouthed her name correctly in introducing her [photo left] and her song. I’m sure Travolta wished that people had done what the song’s title suggests: “Let it Go.” From Sunday night through the next day his faux pas was repeated far and wide on traditional and social media.

You are Cordially Invited

I love having something fun to look forward to. We’re invited to a St. Patrick’s party with appropriate food at the home of great friends whose other guests are consistently lovely too. Can’t wait!

I Can’t Believe I Did That

When you can’t forgive yourself for a dastardly act or mistake, think of Pope Francis who admitted to taking a cross from the open casket of his dead confessor. The cross was on the priest’s rosary. Pope Francis kept it in his pocket until his dress changed to wearing a cassock so now he hangs it from a pouch underneath it. He reaches for it when “a bad thought comes to my mind about someone,” Nicole Winfield wrote in “Pope confesses he stole his late confessor’s cross in hopes of having half as much mercy” that I read in her Associated Press story on the Minneapolis Star Tribune website.