Song: Ordinary World
Group: Duran Duran
As it had only lightly snowed last night...
which then turned to rain...
and as the day was pretty clear...
there was no leftover snow on the ground.
I triked to Sunset Court again near sunset.
There were some interesting clouds...
so...
I made my way to my favorite sunset location and waited for the colors to emerge.
However...
just as the sun set behind the mountains...
once again...
one pack of coyotes to my left...
somewhere behind a ridge line...
and a larger pack of coyotes somewhere beyond the hills to my right...
began howling for a good 5 - 10 seconds...
and then went silent.
When I got back...
I researched on the internet to find out why they do this...
also, why they don't always do so.
Although I could find out why they howl...
I found out nothing on why they howl preciously at sunrise and sunset.
And, the only reason I can think of as to why their howling seems intermittent to me...
is that on some days...they must be too far away for me to hear them.
Animals are creatures of habit.
As are humans.
As I waited for the colors to emerge...
I thought more about this line of thought.
I had written on this particular concept many years ago...
about the habits that we establish in life being the road we walk
to the destination determined by those very habits.
This is an important concept.
What we think...
is only the motivating and planning stage...
the first two stages of the triad of progress.
Most people excel at these two preliminary stages in life...
however, what separates those of whom succeed, from just the dreamers...
is the actual application of that plan in life...
and the actual staying of the course until fruition.
The thing that separates those who never give up on their path...
and of those who do...
is the proper placements of carrots in life.
The initial strength of your dreams...
the amount of passion felt...
and the realization of the plausibility of actually achieving them...
is your main long term goal.
If your dream (your carrot) is strong enough...
this alone is enough to cause you to formulate a viable enough plan...
complete with time line...
and will power you through the intervening years until fruition.
However...
that is a relatively rare occurrence among we humans.
And so...
the need for medium and short term carrots in life.
I had been in a profession where the money was very good...
and the retirement even better...
but offered very little in way of job satisfaction.
But...
it allowed me a path to financial freedom.
That was my medium carrot.
It allowed very early retirement.
My long term carrot was what I have been experiencing the past almost 13 years now.
It has allowed me to pursue my passions of writing and music...
as these were my long term carrots.
My short term carrot was being able to see my son everyday.
I loved to make him laugh and smile...
and to cuddle him to me.
And on my days off...
we would go places...
and I had always loved sunsets and sunrises.
Relatively recently...
I have been developing arthritis...
not only in my knees...
but in my hands.
(However, triking has greatly relieved many of the symptoms...
and has allowed me to exercise without pain or discomfort.)
That is why it has been taking me so long to put out more music
(I still have stiffness in my hands).
However, as it is a true passion...
I won't be giving up on it.
It will just take me longer to do those things...
but I still love doing it.
Now...
my short, medium, and long term carrots all coincide.
Everyday...
I can practice music...
formulate stories in my head...
where once finished...
I may write them out...
and, of course...
I love triking and watching the sunrises and sunsets.
As I had said before...
exercise is the great magnifier of joy in life.
With a recumbent e-trike...
even where partial paralysis may plague someone...
he or she may still trike...
as with the e-assist...
you will be able to keep up with others
with far less expended effort
(Some use an e-trike using one leg).
This will allow you to more slowly get in shape.
If there are toxic people in your life...
cut them loose.
If there is not enough time to exercise...
to enjoy a beautiful sunset...
make time.
Don't complain...
just do it.
Once you make enough money to ensure a comfortable life...
having more will not make you wealthier...
it will just detract from fully living life.
Time is what then becomes the most valuable.
Time spent well...is time remembered well.
And it is those golden memories which enrich our lives.
A short life is one devoid of those golden memories.
What we do as a matter of habit will constitute
the bulk of our lives.
While the coyote operates by habit to survive...
what habits we allow ourselves...
determines whether or not we thrive.
That is our goal.
Any fool can survive...
and it is the fool who doesn't realize that our habits
determine the extent of the quality of our lives.
That which we do...
is that which we become...
for better or worse.
Make the basic four the foundation for your lives...
make them a habit.
Delicious and nutritious diet
Exercise
Deep restorative sleep
Living life with a passion
By placing carrots in your life...
you will have something for which to look forward at all times.
Things you love doing...
become habit.
Prioritize the basic four...
live by them...
and you will have a far richer life than those who
foolishly chase money for the rest of their lives.
