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

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

Weeds and Procrastination

I WAS WORKING IN MY RAISED

FLOWER BED TODAY

CUTTING OUT THE WEEDS THAT 

WERE OVERTAKING MY IRIS PLANTS!

I HAD ALLOWED THE WEEDS TO GET OUT OF CONTROL

I KNEW THEY WERE GETTING BAD

I JUST IGNORED THEM

I MADE MORE WORK FOR MYSELF 

WITH MY PROCRASTINATION!

I HAVE ALSO BEEN WORKING ON MY YARD IN GENERAL

I ALLOWED ALL THE WEED AREAS

TO GET COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL

MAKING IT HARD TO GET THEM DONE AT ONCE

I FINALLY DECIDED THEY NEEDED TAKEN CARE OF

I MADE SO MUCH MORE WORK FOR MYSELF!

I HAD TO TAKE EACH AREA A LITTLE AT A TIME

A FEW MINUTES AT A TIME

SEVERAL DAYS HAD TO BE DEVOTED TO THE WORK!

IF I HAD CHOSEN TO KEEP UP ON THE WEEDS

I WOULD HAVE HAD LESS WORK TO TO

LESS TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THE TASK

IT DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE KEPT THINGS LOOKING NICER!

PROCRASTINATION IN LIFE IS LIKE WEEDS

YOU PUT OFF WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU

KNOWING IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH TIME TO FIX 

YET, YOU STILL MAKE A 

CHOICE 

NOT TO TAKE CARE OF IT

 IN THE END 

THIS CHOICE, 

MAKES IT MORE TIME CONSUMING

HARDER TO RESOLVE

DEFINITELY MORE WORK!

 IF YOU HAD JUST TAKEN CARE OF IT

AS SOON AS YOU KNEW YOU HAD AN ISSUE

YOU WOULD HAVE MOVED ON 

TO MORE PLEASANT ACTIVITIES SOONER!

LIFE CHOICES ARE LIKE THE WEEDS

 IN MANY WAYS

SITUATIONS CAN GET OUT OF CONTROL

WHEN YOU DON'T ADDRESS THE ISSUES 

IMMEDIATELY...

RESENTMENT CAN GROW

ROOTS OF DISSENSION CAN DIG DEEPER

EVEN SMALL, SURFACE ISSUES

 CAN BECOME A MUCH LARGER PROBLEM 

WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO IGNORE

WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO AVOID

WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO PUT IT ASIDE.

PROCRASTINATION WILL ALLOW 

RESENTMENT TO GROW

THE ROOTS GETTING DEEPER AND DEEEPER 

SO WHEN YOU FINALLY ADDRESS THINGS...

IT TAKES LONGER TO WORK THROUGH

IT LEAVES BEHIND SEEDS OF DOUBT

THAT CAN RETURN LATER

TO START GROWING DEEP ROOTS ALL OVER AGAIN.

THINKING OF HOW THE ONCE OVERGROWN AREAS

LOOK SO MUCH BETTER ONCE I HAVE PUT IN THE WORK

I WAS THINKING THE SAME FOR 

OUR PROCRASTINATION IN LIFE SITUATIONS

RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE REBUILT

RESENTMENTS CAN BE AVOIDED

FRUSTRATIONS CAN BE KEPT LOW

COMMUNICATION CAN MAINTAIN A HEALTHY BALANCE

YOU FEEL BETTER

THE OTHER PERSON FEELS BETTER

LIFE CAN BE MUCH SMOOTHER

WHEN YOU DON'T AVOID

WHEN YOU DON'T PROCRASTINATE

WHEN YOU PUT IN THE WORK REGULARLY

WHEN YOU KEEP THE WEEDS OUT!

HOW CAN  YOU ENSURE THAT WEEDS DON'T GROW

IN YOUR FRIENDSHIPS

IN YOUR PERSONAL REALTIONSHIPS

AT YOUR WORK PLACE, 

WITH YOUR COWORKERS AND MANAGERS?

ACTIVELY ADDRESS ISSUES AS THEY ARISE

DON'T MAKE A CHOICE OF PROCRASTINATION

DON'T ALLOW 'WEEDS' TO GROW 

KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN 

WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG

ALWAYS TREAT ONE ANOTHER WITH 

RESPECT AND HONESTY

WORK TO BE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS 

THAT WORK FOR BOTH PARTIES.

WILL THIS PROCESS ALWAYS BE 

A PRETTY ROSE GARDEN?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

IN LIFE - THERE WILL BE THORNS!

THERE WILL NEED TO BE WORK PUT IN

YOU WILL NEED TO BE ALERT!

THAT GOES FOR THE OTHER PARTY AS WELL

THEY ALSO HAVE TO BE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU

THEY HAVE TO VALUE THE RELATIONSHIP

AS MUCH AS YOU DO FOR THE FLOW TO WORK!

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CLEAR OUT THE WEEDS 

IN YOUR FRIENDSHIPS

IN YOU RELATIONSHIPS

IN YOUR WORK RELATIONSHIPS

IN YOUR FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

EVEN A SMALL PLANT NEEDS SUPPORT

AND CARE SO IT CAN CONTINUE TO GROW!

YOU WILL FEEL THE BEAUTY IN THE WORK

LIKE HOW IT IS WITH 

A WELL-TENDED FLOWER GARDEN!

 

DON'T FORGET THE WATER

WATER 

IS THE LIFE-BLOOD OF GROWTH

THAT MEANS :

ATTENTION

CARE

INVESTED TIME

LOVE AND COMPASSION

EMPATHY

WHERE ARE THE WEEDS YOU NEED TO REMOVE?

WHERE DO YOU NEED TO ADD WATER TO?

IT IS SO WORTH THE EFFORT!

YOUR SOUL WILL SING

YOU WILL SMILE MORE

AND THE SUN WILL SHINE MORE OFTEN!

I HOPE THIS ENCOURAGES YOU 

NOT TO PROCRASTINATE

TO CHOOSE TO DO THE WORK

WATERING ALONG THE WAY

SO YOU CAN REAP ALL THE WONDERFUL BENEFITS!!

BLESSINGS!

DARLENEBL ©2024

 

 

Finding Your Blessings

FINDING YOUR BLESSINGS

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT ACTIVELY SEEKING YOUR BLESSINGS?

AS A CHILD IN SUNDAY SCHOOL, YOU MIGHT HAVE SUNG THIS SONG:

"COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, NAME THEM ONE BY ONE..."

I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT BLESSINGS LATELY.

THANKSGIVING IS USUALLY WHEN WE DO THIS 

BUT I AM TALKING ABOUT DAILY REMEMBERING 

WHAT YOU ARE BLESSED WITH.....

BEING GRATEFUL FOR EVERY MOMENT.

THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVEN'T EXACTLY BEEN THE EASIEST.

SITUATIONS THAT I NEVER EXPECTED CAME AT ME HARD.

LOSING PEOPLE THAT I NEVER KNEW WERE GOING TO BE GONE 

BEFORE I WAS READY TO SAY GOODBYE. FRIENDSHIPS THAT CHANGED AND DISSOLVED. LOVED ONES THAT WERE IMPORTANT. 

LOSING THESE ARE ALWAYS HARD ON THE HEART, AND TAKE TIME TO HEAL FROM. TIME TO REGROUP. TIME TO MOVE FORWARD AGAIN.

LIFE CHANGING WHEN I REALLY JUST WANTED TIME TO STAND STILL.

ALSO KNOWING THAT GOING BACKWARDS WAS NOT AN OPTION!

SADLY, OUR HOME OF 15 YEARS HAS HAD IT'S OWN SHARE OF TRIALS AS WELL.

HAVING DISCUSSIONS AND HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS TO REPAIR OR MOVE ON.

I REALIZED THAT IT WAS WHEN I HAD STARTED TO FEEL THE DISCONTENT CREEP IN.

ALLOWING THAT DISCONTENTMENT TO GROW WAS NOT A GOOD THING!

DISCONTENTMENT WILL DEFINITELY MOVE OUT ALL THOUGHTS OF THE BLESSINGS!

WHEN WE MOVED BACK TO COLORADO IN 2002,

WE SEARCHED AND SEARCHED FOR THE 'PERFECT' HOUSE.

EVENTUALLY THOUGH, YOU HAVE TO BE CONTENT WITH 'ALMOST PERFECT'

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE A QUICK DECISION.

EVERYTHING ON YOUR 'WANT' LIST WILL NOT ALWAYS BE MET.

IN THE THE LAST 15 YEARS THOUGH, OUR HOME HAS CHANGED - 

EITHER FROM OUR WORK APPLIED OR FROM JUST AGE IN GENERAL.

THE MANY TREES WE LOVED CAME TO THE END OF THEIR CYCLES AND HAD TO BE REMOVED.  IT CHANGED THE DYNAMICS OF WHY OUR YARD WAS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL PARK.  WE HAVE MANY MEMORIES OF TIMES WHEN OTHERS ENJOYED OUR HOME AS WELL.

I THINK THAT IS WHEN IT ALL STARTED TO CHANGE FOR ME.

FINDING YOUR BLESSINGS ISN'T ALWAYS EASY AND SOMETIMES THAT DISCONTENT SNEAKS UP ON YOU.

SOMETIMES YOU NO LONGER SEE THE BEAUTY IN THE CLOUDS

SOMETIMES THE TRIALS SEEM TO OUTWEIGH THE JEWELS.

THE OTHER NIGHT I REALIZED THAT NOW I CAN SEE THE STARS - THERE ARE SO MANY! ITS QUIET, CALM AND SO VERY BEAUTIFUL

BUT I HAD TO LOOK UP TO FIND THEM!

I HAD TO STOP LOOKING AT WHAT ALL WAS WRONG AND START SEEKING MY BLESSINGS! 

THINKING ABOUT BLESSINGS - SOMETIMES THOSE COME AFTER HARD WORK

WHAT ABOUT THE DIAMOND? WITHOUT HEAT AND PRESSURE -A DIAMOND 

WOULDN'T FORM. 

IN LIFE - WITHOUT HEAT AND A WHOLE LOT OF PRESSURE - 

WOULD WE REALLY GROW? WOULD WE REALLY REMEMBER ALL OUR BLESSINGS?

TODAY I WAS REMINDED THAT THE BLESSINGS MIGHT BE DIFFERENT BUT BLESSINGS THEY ARE ALL THE SAME!

SO, AS BID YOU ADIEU 

I HOPE YOU WILL ACTIVELY SEEK YOUR OWN BLESSINGS

THEY REALLY WILL CHANGE YOUR HEART! THEY MIGHT EVEN CHANGE A DARK CLOUD INTO A BRILLIANTLY FILLED STARLIT NIGHT!!