Panic 2021: Don’t Forget to Live

Looking around at the world today, I find many people, including friends and relatives who are so afraid, so wound up in the worries of the world that they are simply miserable. I recently overheard a customer at work saying they can’t sleep worrying about the economy. My own mother-in-law is so scared of COVID (thanks CNN) that she refuses to go into public or even visit family for fear of contracting the ‘pandemic.’ I have to ask one question: what’s the point? If you are constantly in a state of fear you are not living, at best you are just surviving. Is it important to stay informed, of course it is. Is it important to actively prepare for a ‘rainy day,’ of course it is, but you need to have some down time as well. You can’t spend so much time worrying about the bad things that might happen (and the horrible things that are happening) that you miss the good things that do happen.

Screw the government and their mandates, screw Fauci and his ‘you need to wear 3 masks’ BS and get outside, see family and friends, live a little. Pick up a couple of nice steaks and some good beer, go snowmobiling, break out the dirt bikes, hit the range (if you can find ammo,) have a little fun and whatever you do – turn off the news! I have been killing off my social media accounts and you would be amazed how much more peaceful life is without them! Why try to impress people you don’t like or even know?

Music, specifically playing guitar, has been my primary distraction since I was very young, but in recent years had gotten away from it until my heart attack in 2019, I was just too busy! It was during that time that I started playing again and it turned out to be a healthy distraction from an otherwise difficult recovery. Following the election disaster of 2020, as I was reorganizing my finances to prepare for the economic downturn, I managed to squeeze a new Fender Telecaster into the budget. Yes, that money could have paid for a lot of prepping supplies, but I think you get the picture. It’s important to prepare for the future no matter what it is. It is also important to stay healthy and balanced physically, mentally, and spiritually. When I was taking that helicopter ride to the hospital I can assure you that I was not thinking about who was President, or how many likes I got on my latest post. No, when I thought I was taking my last few breaths, I prayed for my family. So I hope you will at least consider taking a little time away from the bluster of talking heads and crooked politicians and remember what’s really important and who we are trying to protect: those we love.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.