What I stand for is what I stand on.
~ Wendell Berry
I wake to snow. According to the weather app on my iPad it’s supposed to continue all day; I guess we’re in for a white Christmas after all. I was planning on going out and doing some shopping; maybe I’ll postpone that until tomorrow. Or maybe I’ll tag along with Gerry when he goes into town for his appointment at the vascular clinic this afternoon. We’ll see.
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This early morning I’m thinking about those things that shape us—the books we read, the news we watch, the people we spend time with, the social media we partake in—and how easy it is to be swayed by the masses if we are not firmly anchored in truth. Along similar lines, I’m recalling a recent conversation about the futility of storing up knowledge for its own sake if it doesn’t change how we live.
I am also thinking about how we’ve allowed ourselves to become unpaid public relations employees for companies large and small. Unpaid brand representatives: that’s a thing now. I see it often on a particular platform and it’s beginning to sour me on the whole thing that’s becoming constant, albeit subtle, advertising. I once knew someone who would pick off embroidered logos on shirts rather than wear advertising; that takes it to an extreme. But are we really okay with being unpaid corporate employees? It appears we are.
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Have you started thinking about a word for 2018 yet? Do you do that? Intention and focus were mine for 2017. I’m considering a phrase, instead, for next year.
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Do you ever wake up in the morning feeling especially fragile? Yeah, me too. Here’s a post that popped up this morning from Desiring God (one of my favourite places to visit on the web) with some advice about what do do on those mornings: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-to-do-if-you-wake-up-feeling-fragile.
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Well, that’s a bunch of randomness. That’s what happens when you wake up at 3:47–early but too late to go back to sleep in my book—with your mind already working.
Two days until the solstice and one week until Boxing Day: soon life will return to normal and the darkest days will be behind us. I’m looking forward.
I like random-ness. To a point! 🙂 I appreciate the link to that website…I’ve shared it with a few people who may benefit. We have no snow on the ground, but from tonight through tomorrow, expecting 6-8. Oy. My words and phrases for 2018 will probably have something to do with politics, though I don’t think that’s what you’re going for. I think I should think politics, but also add a word or phrase to make me feel BETTER. I read something today that said we should PAUSE before we respond, criticize, comment. I think PAUSE is a good word. Or maybe Pause Before You Speak/Comment/Type would be a good phrase.
Glad you liked the link, Karen. I am wondering if you got the forecasted snow. Hoping winter comes and goes without the fury it brought last year.