A few years back I wrote this short devotional thought . . .
“You’ve spent a lot of time paying little attention to me and who I really am. You’ve been trying instead to force me into being someone you’ve decided in your own mind I should be. I am me, not your notion of who and what you want me to be.”
2nd Cup of Coffee, 4/11/2013
The last year has been used by other men and women to manipulate and remake my heritage, my lifestyle, and my beliefs. They have attempted by any means they could make work to alter my home, my income, my health and wellness, and therefore my very life.
I don’t appreciate that. Therefore, I am stating here a brief about my personal code; my desire as a man, husband, dad, granddad and Poppy.
Being true to one’s self. Being honorable. Being a man of integrity, setting personal boundaries beyond which I refuse to step without a very good reason.
Living life largely on my own terms, not those of others whose arrogance gives them the mistaken impression they know better how to run my life. I chose long ago to give that responsibility to God. I have never rescinded that order.
Setting the bar high and holding myself accountable daily to leave it there. Learning I either must sheepishly duck under it, or make the effort to clear it, remembering that walking into bars is both painful and a bad habit. Having the decency, the moral code to step up and shape up if it becomes apparent I’ve become more often comfortable doing the limbo instead of making the consistent effort to stay in sufficient shape to clear the bar.
We’re almost through 2021 now. The withering pace of year’s-end holidays with wonderful meals and family visits will disguise the swiftness of Time’s passage until we’ll all awaken and it’s somehow January 4th or 5th. 2021 in so many ways has been one huge adjustment to sift through all the din and dustups of the year before.
Let 2021 go, gently and without trying to retrieve it. Use this waning, cooling-off time of year to reset your inner spirit’s gyros. Get balanced once more.
Accept the worthwhile challenge to reset and keep your bar high.
(c) D. Dean Boone, November 2021