I chose this email address – well, honestly, it just came to me – to make it easier to remember. I started with the beginning of my last name and added bus – short for business; although I may have had some of the grandchildren over the day before and “Wheels on the Bus” was perhaps sung, so it could have been a bus running through my head that prompted it...
After setting it up, I was looking at it and realized that it’s rather fitting since I am on a journey, a blogging journey. I’m on the bus, traveling every which way, and others are on the bus with me. I expect I’m the driver (now that’s a little scary!) as I am randomly choosing the subjects we are traveling to. But it’s Life’s journey, for sure. There are some fun roads, some deep stuff, some sad or a little depressing moments, but we are traveling – over bumps and smooth spots, easier terrain and mountainous terrain, falling into pits, frantically trying to swim to shore, or soaring in the sky, trying to reach the sun. And we are not alone. We have people in our lives. Whether it’s family, friends, coworkers, or familiar faces at the bank and the grocery store, there’s someone to hold our hand, to share a special moment with, or just smile at and chat with. Just as I have my readers (fellow bus-ers) who are on this particular weekly journey with me (thank you!).
Now, if you’re a little nervous about me being the driver, not to worry. In real life we can choose who drives the bus. Ourselves, others, or, for you believers out there, God, and sometimes that changes as we change and grow. When we’re young or still dependent on others’ care or others’ opinions, we tend to let others drive our “bus”. We make decisions and act in ways we think they want us to; often to our own misery or sorrow. Then as we age, we, hopefully, learn to trust ourselves more and more, and learn that our lives are our lives and no one else should be allowed to influence the decisions for what’s best for us and our life. After all, who knows our life better than ourselves or how different directions will affect us and our close ones. Little by little, we learn to trust ourselves to make our own decisions instead of needing others’ opinions or approval, and we take control of our lives. We make our decisions/directions to be what’s best for ourselves and our loved ones.
If you’re a believer, the next stage is learning to trust God – which is another blog submission in itself, and I will leave it for a preacher at this time in my blog adventure.
Outside sources, including people and circumstances, social climate, etc. will get in the way of our plans and plotting, so while we think we are in charge all the time, we won’t always be able to make the choices we want. Our climate will change the direction of our choices. In those times, we still have choices to make. Some heartbreaking, but there always will be choices. (Sophie’s Choice comes to mind here. Tears in my eyes…) {Partial TANGENT ALERT!!!} When I was younger and basic life was getting me down or pouty, I would say to myself, “At least you weren’t born a Jew in Germany during Hitler’s reign.” It put my troubles into perspective, and I was able to turn my difficulties into more minor problems, making it easier to deal with them. Then later in life I could see them more as opportunities than problems.
There may also be times when we make choices that will make someone else’s life better. That is a great choice, even if it means we may suffer inconveniences or even pain for it. And, though I said we don’t want to make life choices dependent on other’s opinions, it is okay to get advice from others we trust to steer us in a good direction. Often other people can see what we can’t see ourselves, especially when we’re in the midst of some trauma or self-seeking decision that in the long run might harm us. Be sure to take the good advice and weed out any debatable advice and let it help you to make a more educated decision.
However you choose to live this life, you get to decide how you want to do it. We should strive to be the best we can be, in whatever circumstances surround us, and with whatever choices we have available, and handle the consequences of choices we make – for good or not so good – the best we can. We can choose to be happy despite our circumstances. That will help others around us to also enjoy this journey we’re on – separately and yet together. There will be lovely people, not-so-nice-people, valleys, mountains, deserts, calm beaches – you will likely experience them all metaphorically and perhaps even physically. Hold on to your shorts, there’s going to be bumpy spots; but you can do it. Hang on tight when the ride gets tough and hold out your other hand to the people around you for help or to help them. We can do this together or on our own, but I’m going strive for what’s best for me and mine, and for whoever the good Lord puts in my personal arena and whatever help we can offer each other. I hope you all have a wonderful, full of life, life.
Wonderful