Not to sounds extremely racist by any means, but I just got done listening to the most relaxing traditional Chinese flute music while playing a few nice rounds of Mahjong Garden.
Okay, maybe that does seem a bit stereotypical, but the music was necessary. It helps me relax when I'm stressed, and it helps me think a little more clearly. Don't we all have something like that in our lives? Something that seems a little whacky or off-the-wall to others, but it helps us cope. It helps us deal with the day-to-day. For me, it's music from other cultures. My favorites right now are Irish Celtic and Traditional Chinese Flute. They're both so relaxing, and I highly recommend both genres to anyone who would like to welcome beautiful sounds and calm into their life.
Now, let's move onto the topic of stress, and what has been causing it for me lately. Sure, the normal everyday thing I go through, with OCD, doesn't help. But there are other factors, too. Family will always be a stress in everyone's life, that's a given. My family is a bit different from others. It's smaller, but we make up for it with our big hearts and big mouths. My parents and sister were all born in New York. I, the lone wolf, was born in sunny California. My nephew was born here in Cali, too. So, basically, we were raised by wolves. At least, that's what I tell everyone who asks. Think about it, they are city folk who know how to open their traps to get where they need to go (literally), where as I am calm, cool, collected, and pretty groovy. Contrasting lifestyles, but it seems to mesh well.
Lately things have been a little more hectic than usual. My nephew has a multitude of diagnosis, and my Dad suffers from Parkinson's Disease. With those things coming at me from every angle, plus my Mom and sister having their battles, I've found myself forgetting where my center of zen was. I've been getting so caught up and focused on the negativity of the situations around me that I feel like I've almost forgotten how to take a step back and assess these daily situations. Instead of trying to lend a helping hand, I've been trying to almost take over the reigns, to give my Mom a little more breathing room. But all I've accomplished was angering everyone, including myself. And the sad part is, it's not just anger from these current situations, but ghosts from the past that I can't seem to forget. But, that's a story for another time.
I've lost myself, that's obvious. I've taken a step forward, but have almost fallen over the edge. I nearly overlooked the warning signs, and now I'm paying the price for it. So it's time to take a few steps back, and get back to basics. The simple things. But what are the simple things? Technology has made it so difficult to remember what those things are. Kids riding bicycles and playing cops and robbers until dusk starts to set. Getting up at the crack of dawn to watch your favorite shows while eating a bowl of your favorite sugary cereal. Actually changing the channel on the TV without pressing 1 simple button to see what every channel was showing. Oh, how times have changed! Am I old enough to say that? 27 seems fair!! The simple things now consist of smartphones that give you directions, and tablets that double as books. I feel like the best stocked bookshelf is in the public library.
Nobody can revert back to childhood for the simple things, but they can bring simplicity to their lives. For me, it's in the form of great music, good food, good company, and things that make me smile. So really, the traditional Chinese flute music and Mahjong Garden game may not be so racist after all. They're just fun tools to help deal with my daily, stressful life. And soon, I'll have a nice chair to sit on in the backyard where I can read..... ACTUAL BOOKS!!
Until next time, stay cool, and be groovy!
-Mars-
