What a Beautiful Earth We Have

There really is nothing much going on. I feel as though I should write so that I can get in the habit of it. There was a lesson in Relief Society yesterday on doing more regular record keeping. The point was made that although it may seem mundane to us, it may not be that way to others that read it after us.

There is so much talk these days about a crash. I think people are more frightened now than they were in 1999 just before the year changed over. There was a lot of talk then about everything failing, but it didn't happen. It does seem to be happening now. When Wall Street is affected, that is when we know we are in a little bit of a spot.

Now is the time when we can look back and wonder if we have done everything we could to be prepared. We think of all the warnings we had to not get into debt, but we thought surely we will have time to dig ourselves out before times get really bad.

I am wondering who it affects the worst. I think the really wealthy get the worst end of it. The poor just keep surviving as they have always done; things aren't really that different for them.

I'm not sure where I fit into that picture. How would I fare if there was no money to be had? Well, I wouldn't be able to pay car payments. I don't think that would bother me too awful much. If I was never able to leave my home, I don't think I'd be too bad off. Not as much fun, but then, you can't really say that. Without work, there would be more time to do the things we really want to do at home but don't have the time for.

Probably we would have to redefine "fun". We've gotten that way stretched out. Maybe we should look at it as enjoyment more than fun. There are a lot of things that are very enjoyable that might not have the label of fun.

Like sitting outside on a cool fall evening watching the sunset...
Walking through the garden discovering how many sweet potatoes are buried under the vines...
Taking a walk with your granddaughter as she points out all her friends - the beautiful flowers she likes so much...
Helping your grandson take pictures, even if they aren't of anything spectacular...
Like having your students tell you that was the best lesson ever...
Like having a graduated student call you to tell you she found the best job ever...
Like biting into a big, juicy tomato...
Rubbing each other's backs and feet...
Playing a rousing game of Canasta or Scrabble or Boggle...
Relaxing at the baseball park watching a grand slam from one of your favorite players...
Watching one of your loved ones eat something you've made and really enjoy it...
Knitting and watching the fabric grow on your needles...
Discovering a butterfly chrysalis...
Watching the waves and discovering a porpoise in the horizon...
Cutting open a perfect avocado...
Tasting the first fruit of the season (every season!)...
Starfish...
Rain falling softly...

As I think about it, the few things that disrupt our earthly utopia are such a small part of our world, I wonder why we give them so much credence. The earth is a wonderful place. Whatever the evil powers that be have planned, we will weather it somehow.