IT'S A SMALL WORLD TO MANY

It’s taken me a year, but I finally understand what’s happening here.  99.99% of us are retired, and the majority are also widowed.  A few have had successful professional lives and are no longer consumed by making a living, with most women residents adjusting to life without a partner.  Many are good-hearted and lovely. I consider some of them as treasured new friends and find quite a few annoying.

Our world is much smaller than a short time ago.  Many of us live here to be close to our children, but they have active lives, and we are no longer the center of it.  Nor should we.

 

In that context and background, groups gather at various times and complain about the lack of free coffee, the closed pool and hot tub due to safety and repair issues, etc.  There’s always someone talking about finding a lawyer.  You get the picture.  It drives me crazy to listen to constant complaining. Still, I realize I’ve been too quick to judge and flat-out intolerant of repeated whining.  I’ve diligently attempted to redirect or suggest alternatives to the issues repeatedly discussed by suggesting that we make our own coffee, find another pool, or trade pool exercises for visiting our gym, but it’s falling on deaf ears.

 

I will remove myself when it becomes too much.  I’m starting a group of like-minded women to get involved politically to stop complaining about the complainers.  It makes me happy to engage in activities that promote my core values. Hopefully, the participants will feel the same.

 

If I could wave a magic wand, I would wish that all of us, including me, would get upset about things that really matter.

 

Instead of worrying about the lack of coffee, we can make our own.

 

Instead of being enraged because we can’t swim in the pool, find another place to swim or do another physical activity.  Imagine it’s 18 degrees in December. 

 

Instead of focusing on what’s wrong in our little world, atrocities occur only a few hours away in Texas on the Rio Grande River.  Children, babies, mothers, and fathers are trapped in buoys with nets underneath and spikes on top.  If that weren't horrible enough, barbed wire is entrapping people as they cross the river. Worry about them.  Worry about DPS and Border Agents being instructed to throw people back into the river where the currents are strong, thus endangering their lives.  Worry about the same law enforcement agents being told to not give them water to drink. Do something! Write the Governor to object to his inhumane treatment of migrants and join upcoming protests in Austin that are certain to occur very soon. Vote as if their lives and our own depend on it.  Encourage people to vote by sharing stories about what’s happening under our noses.

 

Worry about construction workers who toil in 100-degree plus heat with bosses no longer required to give them breaks or water.  Our Governor signed a bill removing the requirement to provide breaks, all in an effort at deregulation, which is a favorite of the far right. It doesn’t matter that it is harmful to people.  What matters is that corporations are given a pass, so they’ll continue to line the pockets of politicians.  Worry about that.

 

Worry about women being forced to give birth to non-viable fetuses or children being unable to get an abortion after being raped, most often by someone they know.  Contact your legislator and demand that abortion restrictions be lifted.

 

And then, be grateful for what we have, even though we can’t use the pool or there’s no coffee!  Millions live in the streets, under bridges, for heaven’s sake!

 

There are so many horrible things happening, but if the focus of our lives is on what is wrong in our own little worlds while ignoring the plights of those less fortunate, are we making the most of what’s left of our lives?

 

Let’s find constructive outlets, then gather to discuss what we’ve done to make a difference.  It broadens our world and gives us a new perspective.