The Chautauqua

Destiny is like a magnet that pulls you not a brass ring that only goes around once. - Laurie Beth Jones

Happiness is not a reward it’s a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment it’s a result. - Robert Green Ingersoll

Beth's Ponderings As I write this, it is the day traditionally known as Epiphany (January 6) - when the Wise Men arrived in the Christmas story. But, an epiphany is about so much more. It’s a moment of sudden realization that completely changes how you view something. I recently had my own great epiphany as I was working on my year-end in December. Now to set the context, I have been beating myself up as it were for years, especially since my physical collapse over s...even and half years ago, about all things I WASN’T getting done in my life. And, these weren’t even big dream (or someday) type tasks, but just regular everyday/daily tasks that I just couldn’t seem to get around to, or keep on top of no matter how hard I tried. I was frustrated, more often than not, at my inability to juggle the various tasks and responsibilities in my life, as I seemed to drop more and more balls as time went on. Since I started feeling better in 2020, and was able to complete more and more unfinished tasks, I could also see how much of my life I let slide, not just in the past seven years, but even in the decades before that. Which led to even more frustration, and beating up of myself. Then, as I was going through paperwork for year-end, I realized that it wasn’t about the balls (tasks/responsibilities) I failed to juggle at all! Knowing what I know NOW, about how sick I truly was, I am absolutely AMAZED that I was able to function to any degree at all! I should not have been able to keep ANY balls in the air and I have no idea how on earth I managed to keep this newspaper going for 19 years, as well as everything else I actually was getting done. Humans are incredibly resilient, and able to accomplish great feats when we are called upon to do so. Never underestimate you capacity to amaze yourself, and cut yourself a lot of slack if you aren’t accomplishing what you think you should be. There could be factors you don’t even know about that are impacting what you can and can’t do in any given moment. Breathe, give yourself a hug, or a pat on the back, and remember that you truly are doing the best you can. Beth Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com//1icZTU1M8WMpnnf8o39cjRBNRD/view Contact The Chautauqua via email: [email protected]

One’s action ought to come out of an achieved stillness: not to be a mere rushing on. - D. H. Lawrence

Simple solutions seldom are. It takes a very unusual mind to undertake an analysis of the obvious. - Alfred North Whitehead

Each day’s decisions add to the decisions of the day before...we can create a different future one simple, beautifully mundane, daily decision at a time. - Patti Digh