Have you ever been to Lindo Lake in Lakeside? If not, you may want to check it out. This place, along with many other County parks, provides a beautiful green space for joggers, dog walkers, and others seeking peace in an otherwise suburban area. I wandered over here to enjoy a little space and fresh air while the old truck camper gets worked on. Parent Canadian geese hiss at passing dogs to protect their four young goslings. Snowy egrets warble amongst themselves in a tall eucalyptus. Pigeons with iridescent purple necks strut about, and ducks continuously inquire, hoping for tidbits from passersby. This place of refuge seems well utilized, at least this morning it is.
It does my heart good to see folks out enjoying this sunny day, whether it’s before heading out to work, or simply choosing this over an urban mall or retail facility to bide their time. Good for them—trying to live a balanced life in this tech-reliant world we call home.
At a recent appointment, my dermatologist and I were discussing my Quail Mutterings column.
“Do you use AI to help you write?”
“No,” I told him and explained how my usual process was to sit outside on a rock, or on a log in the creekbed, and write on a notepad.
“By hand?”
“Yes. And then I type it into the computer.”
He was flabbergasted and informed me that there are these programs where you can dictate instead of type. But I complained about how even when I dictate a text it often comes out horribly wrong and inaccurate.
“I guess I’m just a bit old-school that way.” I can’t seem to help feeling more and more alone in this world as everyone else seems to be connecting more and more online. But I wonder, this growing disconnect from in-person social engagement, and increasing screen time, can’t possibly be all for good. Can it?
I do realize I’m biased and am probably wearing blinders, but it’s hard to ignore the rise in depression and obesity, and decline of our population’s health at the same time. I just think we’re getting out of balance. And I’m sounding the alarm.
What’s to become of us? I’m afraid for what future generations will have to contend with. Contaminated water, toxic air, undigestible so-called food… What a huge fiasco we’ve gotten ourselves into. Anyway—I diverge.
I gaze out across the Anza Borrego mountains, the shadows shape-shifting along the ridges. Now that the truck camper doesn’t leak water anymore, I’m here to enjoy a little respite from my normal day-to-day routine. Pulling back out of the current can allow a widening view of things, painting a broader perspective of what might really be, instead of what we thought while in the thick of it. Who knew?
Life’s funny that way sometimes. Just removing myself from an overthinking mind, and giving my heart permission to come forward with a healthier perspective, can make all the difference. The trick is to remember this the next time a rational decision seems like too much. Ahh.
As spring ramps up toward summer, with all the finals, end-of-season tournaments, dance recitals, and graduations adding to an already busy schedule, can leave parents stressed out, exhausted, and short tempered. I remember those days well, as if they were yesterday. But now, I feel like I have more tools in my belt to handle things better. Not perfectly for sure, but at least with a bit more perspective. The benefits of age do come with a price though. With hindsight we can see our flaws more clearly. And that’s a good thing, but it’s just not always comfortable.
Recognizing the need for improvement is one step forward. What we do with that is up to us. One foot in front of the other, step-by-step, with mindfulness and creativity, let’s make this place better than we found it. Clearer, brighter, and more inclusive. Carpe diem!
Chi Varnado has published six books including fiction, nonfiction and children’s books. They are available on www.amazon.com. Her collection of essays, Quail Mutterings, can be found on www.chivarnado.com or www.dancecentrepresents.com.
She is available to adults and children for fun tutoring in writing.