Believe me when I say it’s a lot more fun when you can put the fear of death into a corner of your mind so you know it’s there but it won’t be the determiner of how you spend your day. That was the start of a blog that I never finished because I think that for me that was all there was to say about not letting the idea of dying be the determiner of how I would spend my day. I think still the best way that’s been said a million times over, is live your life one day at a time while learning to do it with no regrets.

What I do want to write about is the old “unsafe normal times.” Before safety belts and plastic water bottles and a Coke bottle that had an honest two cent return value, guilt didn’t direct how many of us lead our lives as it does today. When it comes to the politicians of old, we had our share of Buffoons, but they weren’t a hateful and mean spirited bunch that we have today. This altogether creates a better atmosphere for a chance to live life with a satisfied mind.

I hope you're all curious about my journey down the road that millions have traveled before me. To start with I have a decision to make and I haven’t even taken my first step yet but when I do, I will choose unequivocally the “sunny side of the street.”

Next not exactly in order of importance but close:

1. “My word is my bond” sometimes honoring your word can leave a bitter taste in your mouth but it will go away and your word, your proud to say, is still my bond.

2. “Tell the truth” about the important things but leave some room for those “little white lies” that can make people feel good about themselves.

3. “What you think about me is none of my business” If you spend to much time worrying about what others think you’ll never get in life’s game.

4. “Never yell whoa in a bad place” when you think you're stuck and can’t get out, just keep struggling till you're exhausted. Rest a spell then get up and struggle some more and you will get out!

5. If you need alcohol or drugs, talk to some soul that’s willing to listen and be there for you and to help you solve the “trials, tribulations and cravings” of the moment. For me, I have a much better way to get through the day. I like to “just walk it off.” So I literally just start walking and counting my blessings. Now if things are feeling a little better then walk some more and like the athletes that have a time to cool down this can be your time to take stock and count some more blessings. If hate and jealousy or any of our other human foibles still persist, walk some more and then give yourself permission to not be perfect. Instead settle for things that are attainable, still realizing that if your goals take the trail marked easy you probably missed the right one marked “hard way trail.”

6. Work shouldn’t have to be work. If it is, you’ve picked the wrong occupation. Nobody’s too old to change their occupation. You’ll know you have chosen well when it doesn’t feel like work.

7. Be a “Risk taker” throw caution to the wind that means whatever scares you for reasons that are not justified go do it. If there are quite a few, start on the easy ones and work your way up.

I’m sitting here waiting for idea number 8 to come into view that might help a person find a better way to get his or her share of the Contentment Pie. I know that for most of us putting our problems out on life’s clothes line for all to see would be almost impossible for most of us. But if we did then after seeing what challenges others have to face, I think most of us would be happy to gather up our own problems off of life’s clothes line and go back to our houses counting our blessings. But what if everybody would put their challenges for all to see? We could all learn from each other and each of us might come away with a better “bucket list” to live by.

See Ya,

Jack