Philosophy: the power to exercise choice and make decisions without constraint from within or without; autonomy; self-determination.
Freedomdoes not mean I have to agree with you, like you, or personally accept/condone/ support your life choices.
Freedommeans I respect your right to have views, lifestyle, religions beliefs that differ from my own. I make space that allows for differences to co-exists.
Way Back… in the 1970’s and 1980’s:
We took classes in Social Studies, Civics/Government, History (of country and state). IN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL!
We studied the Branches of Government.
We learned about Checks & Balances.
We had to MEMORIZE the Preamble to the Constitution! 😱
We were taught the highs and lows in our country and our state’s history.
This is my take-away from MY education:
I learned that MY VOICE matters. My VOTE matters on a community level. My VOTE matters on a State level.
Because My Vote Matters, I need to be educated on how government works. I need to understand that LOCAL and STATE Governments have THE MOST POWER over how I live my daily life, and the quality at which I live it.
I needed to LEARN the function of government in my life and how to use my voice to best effect: at my local and state level.
All that said, if you are not happy with your life… the CHANGE (aka improvement), starts with YOU. Your government can’t and WON’T even try to fix it… NO MATTER WHAT A POLITICIAN PROMISES.
PS: Shout Out to Schoolhouse Rock. They had some great lessons too👍🏻.
This popped up in my WORDPRESS feed at the right time: I’m coming up on my 1-year anniversary for my Blog and considering if it’s serving a purpose, for others, for me.
WHY DO I BLOG? 🤔
I started my blog as a companion to the Facebook Page I was trying to grow into a community of support for people searching for purpose, interested in growing, and wanting to set and accomplish goals.
Admittedly, the first month I thought I’d lost my mind. Thinking I could set up and contribute regularly to a webpage was overwhelming. Though I’d read Blog posts before and enjoyed them, the thought of having a Blog of my own was (and still is) terrifying. I’m great one-to-one, but putting my self “out there” into the world still scares me.
Friends (most of whom don’t even follow my page!) kept encouraging me that I had something worth sharing.
WHAT ARE THE REWARDS?
The biggest reward for me is starring down my fear and putting myself out “there”, wherever that is.
I have a few followers and have received very little feedback, so that side has not yet felt like a reward. However, each time I share some aspect of myself or something that interests me… my fear lessens and I’m more empowered.
The reward is personal: recognizing my voice and accepting that my voice matters, if only to me.
Thanks, Dr. Perry, for your Blog post. This actually made me feel MORE committed to my Blog. I was considering giving it up, but now I see it is fulfilling a purpose: It’s ok if the purpose is me!
I’m perusing through our local paper and hit the “Arts & Events” page. I stop! Arts & Events??? What??? I thought we were”Shut Down!”
Then I read and realize… everything is “Virtual”: Facebook Meeting… Zoom Event… Virtual Tour.
I’m thinking we will look back at 2020 and realize it was the TRUE COMPUTER AGE! The age of looking at everyone and everything through a screen: TV screen, Computer screen, Phone screen, Window screen and… the screen door.
How many “virtual” events have you attended?
My daughter has “virtual” school every day.
All of my work is done via computer or phone… and occasional snail mail.
I’ve been attending a weekly art group through Zoom, and our family has celebrated 3 birthdays via Zoom “Parties”
What do you see as the most interesting or memorable part of Quarantine 2020: The Year of Living Virtually… or “Social Distancing”?
What events in your life were experienced differently?
I always start my day TRYING to focus on Gratitude. For I’m a firm believer that no matter how lost I feel, there is always SOMETHING to be grateful for.
I was looking at the gallery for my daily gratitude journal (I use the Five Minute Journal App), and realized how many quotes there were. Some weeks are more pictures, others quotes. This week has been heavy on the quotes.
What I see: I’m searching for inspiration. Things that make me laugh, think, find gratitude, or motivate me.
We’ve been in quarantine/social distancing mode since mid-March. It’s getting harder. I miss people. I miss interactions. I miss all the weird, funny, crazy that comes from BEING out in the world.
I don’t know how long it’s been for you. Maybe you’ve never been stuck at home because of your profession and long to be in my shoes. Maybe the social distancing experience is different for you because of your circumstances or personality.
Personally… I’m getting to the point of hysteria. I’m introverted, but I also like people. The first three weeks weren’t bad. I liked being cocooned at home with my family.
My daughter is thriving in this environment: she’s loving virtual schooling and has been successful at getting everything done. She’s happy to video chat with her friends and has little to no desire to go anywhere.
My husband is more stressed. He’s the one who works outside the home. He does the shopping and errands. He worries about me. I have asthma, so I’m higher risk for infection and he feels grateful that I work from home and prefers that I stay home.
Me: I’m wanting to be outside, on the rare nice day… but the allergies and asthma have forced me to stay in-doors. I miss seeing clients and caregivers. I miss interacting with the world.
In the meantime, I’m using my Art Journal as an outlet for expression and finding quotes to keep me inspired and motivated to keep moving forward.
The Five Minute Journal app by Intelligent Change has helped keep me positive and appreciate life more.
I want to be clear: I am not making a political statement.
I am working on a #100daychallenge2020 using Art Journaling as a self-care measure and expression. This project is a way of keeping consistency during this time of Social Distancing, stress/anxiety relief, letting my experience of Art Lab Classes continue through trying new things, and letting the Art take me where it wants to.
So, on Thursday, I took a piece of an old book (bought at a library book sale) and I made it into something new by seeing what words “spoke” to me. The funny thing about this day’s project is this: the page is taken from a gardening book about different types of flora and fauna from an English garden. Yet from this gardening page came a sense of patriotic pride I didn’t even know I was feeling.
The words that popped out too me were: exquisite, kingdom, It’s name is America, the great. From these words the art took me to a place of honoring the ideas and beliefs our country was founded on: land of the Brave, home of Freedom, land of opportunity (which can lead to success).
Though this is not a Right vs. Left point if view piece, found myself feeling afraid of how others would view and judge it. I was afraid that others would SEE it as a statement of one view or the other. This made me realize that I needed to put it out there. I needed to share my feelings about it… and let others do the same however they need and want to.
I believe these statements to be true of America:
America IS Land of the Brave
America IS Home of Freedom
America IS the place where Successes ride on the tails of opportunities taken
Is America perfect? No. Are Americans the best people? Not always. Like any country, anywhere in the world, we have our flaws and our strengths, our great people/great minds, and our evil people/dirty minds.
I’m not casting aspersions on any other country. You may live in another country, and hopefully YOU are proud to be a citizen THERE. I hope that where-ever you live, you are proud to be a part of that country and community.
I’m not a proud of every American, I am proud to BE American. I’m grateful that I was born in a country founded on autonomy and freedom. Where we can be who we choose, and let others do the same. Where differences of opinion are allowed, if not necessarily accepted. A country where individuals have the freedom to take opportunities, or not. No one must stay where they start, nor does the government tell you who you are or what you must be.
Don’t miss understand, I am not saying everyone here lives their best life here. My own life has had its share of personal tragedy and setbacks, but I have a good life. I am not a millionaire. I’m not a captain of industry.
Even now… during quarantine and having sustained a severe second degree burn a week ago today that is driving me crazy, I am happy.
I have a good life:
I have a husband who loves and supports me
I have a daughter I love, who has far greater goals than I could ever have imagined for her or myself- and nothing stopping her from achieving them!
I have a home
I have a working car
I have plenty of food and clothes for my comfort
I have a job that challenges me
I have interests that I participate in
When I look at this list, I realize how grateful I am to be where I am. I’m not Rich or powerful. Then again, those were never my goals.
My life goals were to have a home, have a family, have a job where I help people. I have these things. Do I have everything I want? Heck, No. That’s what goals are for. To keep me striving, learning, growing!
In closing, this journal piece represents to me: opportunity, freedom, and bravery. The things I am always striving for❤️.
Empowerment.Vitality.Evolution. 