Saturday, June 21, 2025

Computers, Laundry & Life

COMPUTERS

We've all been in that limbo situation when the computer that you love to hate faiIs you. 
Many times, it is of course, 
right before a job interview, 
needing a saved file 
or before a work test. 

You are all set, you turn it on 
and the spinning screen of death shows up 
or it shuts off immediately
or IT cannot fix it 
so you work without your normal flow
It disrupts you and 
pauses you
while your attitude takes a deep dive!


 
How is this even possible?  you think!  
It worked just fine yesterday, and all the days before that. 
Today? 
No go! 
Frustrating, 
isn't it? 

No matter what we do to protect our electronics - 
they simply fail at the wrong time! 

We stress, 
we trouble-shoot, 
we vent and eventually, 
we send it in for repairs 
we choose a new system
we rely on IT to fix it - 
Yesterday!!



My dear friend and I, 
as well as my husband - 
we are all dealing with computer 
headaches together! 

We are very frustrated and these things that we need so desperately 
at the moment to do what needs done in our lives - 
have definitely taken more of our time than we'd rather spend! 

The issues came out of nowhere and now we're faced with decisions, 
repair options 
and waiting on IT 
so we can all get going again!

I was thinking today that life 
can suddenly act like a failed computer. 
One day, things just go 
kerplunk! 
kerflooey! 
kaput!  
*a bit of a reference from Arthur the mouse on 
Twas the night before Christmas cartoon*

You might not have warning signs that anything is even wrong. 
Or, there may have been several small things 
that finally add up to a mess 
or even a catastrophe loss.



It could be a distance of another's choosing,  
a lack of communication,  
a moment where someone didn't back you up - 
or there was an overall lack of mutual maintenance of the relationship. 

Sadly, life can also be catastrophic 
when a person's time on this great green earth comes to an end. 
Loss has now changed your world - 
in one or many of these examples. 

What do you do? You try to fix it. 
That's a logical path. 
Whether it be a relationship, 
ill health, 
family estrangements 
or even deep grief.  
Everything in itself has a solution. 
Not all are easy fixes and not all fully restored. 


LAUNDRY



Tonight while folding laundry, 
I was thinking how organized I like it to be. 
I'll sort jeans, blacks, colors, whites, towels, sheets to wash them. After drying, they're all placed into the baskets until full - 
everything all jumbled together, no order at all!

Once I take my clean laundry upstairs - I toss it all onto my bed for folding. 
Separating the types of clothes are now sitting 
in new piles before I fold them for putting away.

Every item has a specific type of fold - 
a specific spot in our 12 drawer under-dresser bed frame 
(1983 water bed frame and drawers) 
Hubby has 6 drawers on his side, 
I have 6 drawers on my side. 
Everything gets neatly folded and placed in their respective place. 



LIFE

Life is not usually set up to be so clean, neat nor tidy. 
It sometimes is much like the red shirt 
that gets washed with the white clothes 
and now you have a batch of lovely pink everything! 
Or, that pack of gum you missed in a pocket 
and now you have a gooey mess on your favorite jeans! 
Especially that favorite shirt that got shrunk 
by a too hot dryer - 
or was not to be put in the wash at all! 



Computers are aggravating - 
as life can be!
Laundry isn't as clean and neat 
as we'd like - 
just like life can 
it can be dirty & messy.

A life well lived is going to crash & burn 
here and there. 
What matters is how you get back up afterwards! 

A life well lived is not going to be clean & tidy - 
with everything in the correct place all the time!

A life well lived will have grey days, 
blue days, 
bright sunny, hopeful days, 
laughter, tears, joy, 
sadness and more!

I ran across a poem the other day that really made me think! 



Lessons to learn?
Live life to the fullest!
To the best of your ability!
Weather the storms and keep on trying!
Clean your heart of any darkness 
and share pure joy with others.
Smile at a stranger -
You never know who you'll touch!

Take the time to live in the moments:

Breathe in the sweet smells after a cleansing rain.
Listen to the birds sing and take a moment of pause to just 'be'.
Chase a butterfly across a meadow
Stop to smell the beautiful flowers
Sit on the porch and watch a lightning storm
Sit on the grass and have a picnic
Walk barefoot when the dew is fresh
Take a roll down a grassy hill - 
be a kid once in a while!

Love with all you have -
 be a blessing to those you love -
smile at new people you might meet.

Make memories 
and share them again 
when minds begin to fade.




Computers, Laundry & Life - 
they all hit us differently! 
They will treat us differently
We will all react
differently.

This life we live is so very precious 
and sometimes we have to be facing 
the reality of its possible end 
how SHORT life truly is!

The realization hits hard
that along the way, 
we forgot how to live it to the fullest! 

Start now if that is you! 
Make a 'bucket list'
Start going places you've never been to
Dream of the impossible dream!
Don't save today for a rainy day
Spend it with frivolously 
and joyously

It is only too late when you wake up in Heaven! 
Make it your BEST life while you can!
Most important - 
leave this great green earth 
with no regrets!!



Be blessed ❤️
balancinglifethejourney@gmail.com
©2017-2025

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Obligation and the road to Freedom



 How often have you been in a situation
 that you felt an 
obligation... 
                                                            to do something
to perform a service
to engage with a stranger
to fix something that you didn't break
to reach out to someone you're not close to
to be responsible for someone

 

Where freedom
was missing?
 When the obligation presented itself...
Was it something you truly wanted to do?
Was it for a person you truly cared for?
What was your attitude?
How did your heart feel?
Would taking care of your obligations
grant you a sense of freedom?


I am at a crossroads 
with a bit of an obligation myself.
It doesn't feel like
freedom will ever 
be a part of it either!
Unfortunately, I am needing to face 
my own attitude 
and 'feelings'!



Feelings 
of
"I don't want to" 
"Why is it always my responsibility?"
"Do I really need to go there now?"
"Why is this not more fun?"
"When have they ever seen what I do?"
Feelings of
The Past!

Yes, the feels
are getting all mixed up 
in my 'I don't want to' 
attitude and 
changing how I approach
the obligations & responsibilities before me.

Sometimes,
Just having validation from others...
That you have done it all right
That you are on the right path
That you aren't being gas-lit

That you have performed in the best interest
of another...
Can definitely 
help give you some 
welcomed 
Freedom in your mind.


There are also times that obligations are
from your past.
People from your past that hurt you 
over and over again.
Situations that were never resolved
change your attitude
The past colors your present actions
and definitely how you approach 
a situation!



To get from obligation to freedom:
You will have to...
Move past your hurt feelings
Move past your attitude
Move past the history
Move past the strife
Move past the feeling of obligation!

You cannot change the past
What was said
What was done
How things were approached.

However, 
leaving the past in the past - 
You CAN
Move forward 
to acknowledging your feelings
Move forward 
to changing your attitude
Move forward
allowing the past to stay...in the past!
Move forward
and approach it all from a
healed perspective!
Move forward
accepting the apology
that you are never going to get!



Freedom is a unique feeling -
Freedom is like a breath of fresh air after being closed in
Freedom is like grass that bends to the wind in a full meadow
It is a release from the expectation of failure you previously set before you
It is a release from the expectations of fixing something you didn't break

Freedom is also allowing yourself a bit of grace
Grace to change your attitude into thoughtfulness.
Instead of looking at a situation as an obligation

Take freedom a step further...
Obligation is now changed into an Opportunity
Obligation is now changed into a Privilege
Obligation is now changed into providing Grace
Obligation is now changed into reclaiming your heart
Obligation changes the past into a new future -

Giving an obligation a brand-new meaning
Obligation changes a responsibility into a choice

The choice of...experiencing total FREEDOM!

Freedom can bring Joy
when before, 
You would only see the pain!



Freedom changes your attitude to be more positive
you see the situation in a different light

Freedom changes the heart to be more caring
allowing you to experience the situation differently

Freedom changes responsibility into a privilege
one that you might not have had before

Freedom changes the course of the situation
and allowing you to focus on

tomorrow!





So, if you are facing an obligation
that is changing your attitude
that is changing your feelings
that is robbing you of freedom
that is robbing you of joy

Move from obligation to the road of freedom!

Many before you have experienced this path as well.

Maybe some of these thoughts will help you
to find the road from Obligation 
to freedom 
and reclaim your JOY!

Freedom 
to not expect that the
past is allowed to erase your Joy!

Freedom
to know you've done your best!

Freedom
to accept that some situations
will not be changed.
Not because you don't want it
maybe, because they won't accept it
or you!

Freedom
in knowing 
that you tried!

Freedom
to know that you can change your mindset
 and not worry about the outcome!




Be blessed!

balancinglifethejourney@gmail.com
DarleneBl©2025






Computers, Laundry & Life

COMPUTERS We've all been in that limbo situation when the computer that you love to hate faiIs you.  Many times, it is of course,  right...