I think it would be based on the Uber concept of on-demand ride-hailing. Except mine would be based on hiring a friend for a day. You might say that exists already and it’s called an escort service. Only, this one would have “no benefits” if you know what I mean. It will be friendship in its purest form.
If you’re feeling lonely, pick up the phone and ask for a friend to show up. Be it for a walk, a talk, a listening session, playing games or whatever. When the time is up, they leave and you have had your dose of companionship with none of the hassles. It will be fast, moderately priced and made to order to suit your needs but here again no hanky panky involved.
We live in a society where “loneliness” reigns supreme. It goes unnoticed but it is there so such a crazy business idea might just work. Let’s call it:
To the person who is facing some health issues, to the person who is looking at something new and it looks like a monumental move, to the person who is stuck and not sure how to proceed, I hope this helps.
Movement is needed in all aspects of our lives. Digging in your heels and staying put never works. It might for a short time but never in the long run. When life shows us its idiosyncrasies, human nature is quick to respond and oftentimes we respond by digging in our heels and thumping our nose at it. The problem is the more you dig in your heels, the bleaker life feels, that’s because:
“If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.” Rachel Wolchin
What is the true meaning of life? Many have tried to find a definition but no one knows for sure. One thing is for sure and that is LIFE HAPPENS. It doesn’t stand still and it moves faster than we want it to at times.
“Once a wise man was asked, ‘What’s the meaning of life?’ He replied, ‘Life itself has no meaning. Life is an opportunity to create meaning.’
However, to create meaning out of something that is handed to you and you don’t want to face head on is hard, very hard. First thought that comes to mind when I’m faced with ‘hard’ is, I am going to dig in my heels and ignore it for all its worth. Life, on the other hand, is not going to take no for an answer. Adapt or stay where you are and deal with the consequences of your non-action and that, my friend, could be worse than what it throws your way. If you want to have the upper hand, you’ve got to MOVE!
John Wooden says,
“If we fail to adapt, we fail to move forward.”
Isn’t that the absolute truth? In order to accept and move on, you first have to change your mindset and make a conscious effort to move on. Where? There are no clear-cut answers and that is the scary part. It seems the outcome is all up to you. Putting one foot in front of the other is needed and taking small steps is needed too. Staring at the four walls in front of you and howling at the moon is not going to do it. You need to MOVE!
You need to take what is handed to you, sieve through the pieces and make sense out of it. Say, I can do this and go do whatever it is that needs to be done and do it. This move is not for the weak of heart. It takes courage and unrelenting strength plus trust that it will all turn out well in the end. Sometimes all it takes to climb that insurmountable mountain is attitude. A positive attitude combined with never giving up will get you to the top of the mountain and beyond. MOVE!
Albert Einstein once said:
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
I like this one better.
“Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.” Charles M. Schulz
Always remember, you can’t start the next chapter of your life, if you choose to stay in one place and refuse to MOVE! Don’t let life pass you by. Keeping up is what it is all about.
It was books. I discovered that I could visit faraway lands, take fantastic journeys into the realm of fantasy and I could dive into romance without ever having to leave the comfort and safety of my bedroom!
It was a world that I reveled in. Love is not the word for it, it was something more. One day I discovered Anne Frank’s Diary and my safe world shattered. I read it several times and I cried and I lived her journey with her. I learned that there is evil out there and I started writing. Writing about my feelings, my hopes and most of all my voice took on a power of its own.
I don’t read much these days perhaps because I write and I have something to say. Books showed me worlds I didn’t know existed, it showed me the inequalities that exists out there and it taught me that I too can change the world for the better.
Daily writing prompt
Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?
It is a name that is sweet and unassuming but she is packing a punch! Winter storm Ellie has stomped in wearing her winter boots and holding most of Germany hostage. The German Weather Service (DWD) has issued an official warning and upped it to “Red Warning Level: Storm “Ellie” brings train cancellations, black ice and extreme risk of falls,” add up to ten centimeters of fresh snow, freezing rain, and strong gusts of wind and you know what Ellie is about, not as sweet as her name implies.
“Experts are warning of chaos on the roads as well as dangerous conditions on the highways. The north and east of Germany will be particularly affected with temperatures dropping to minus six degrees in persistent frost.”
Looking out my window, I see that strong gusts of wind are at play bending the willow tree in the neighbor’s garden like it was nothing! No snow yet but it is predicted for this evening and should stay till tomorrow. This means I will be on snow duty again, snow shovel in one hand and a bowl of salt in the other! Honestly, I am getting a little tired of it but as I was reminded by a neighbor, “It is winter.” Yes, it is.
Last year, we had very little snow but this year it is making up for it. Not only that, it is adding freezing rain and ice to the mixture. Chachi, the cat has been complaining about his TV acting up all the time! He doesn’t understand what is going on outside. Sometimes it is white outside and at other times, the wind is howling like a banshee. He has decided to leave it alone and has found refuge in his basket. Sleeping most of the day is the norm now.
I’m trying to keep myself occupied and I am grateful that I don’t have to be out in this weather, however, it is getting old and I want “Ellie” out of here as soon as possible!
I am learning that each new day is a reminder to do better.
I am learning that I am fully capable of dealing with everything life throws my way.
I am learning that I need to practice gratefulness and to be thankful for all that I have.
I am learning to accept me as I am and to make changes if some of those things don’t work to my greater good.
I am learning to let go of things that don’t serve me and I am making room for those that do.
I am learning that I can’t change people, I can only change myself.
I am learning that life is a journey full of ups and downs and nothing stays the same forever.
I am learning that there is no such thing as forever, just the here and now.
I am learning that love is fleeting at its best and at its worst, it has the potential to turn your world upside down and inside out. Tread carefully.
I am learning that cheaters never change. They are repeat offenders. Integrity is just another word to them. A relationship with such an individual is like throwing pearls at pigs.
I am learning that today is a blessing, a gift and I have it in my power to make it an amazing day.
I am learning that life is ever-changing. It is a learning curve and mistakes are made to show us a new way of handling things and to learn and grow from it. Perhaps that is what life is all about.
“But most of all, I am slowly learning how to just be in this moment. How to exist. How to understand that I cannot control life, that I can only experience it in both its light and its dark stages. I am slowly learning how to laugh and cry and feel through it all, how to welcome the confusion and the joy that come with loving and living and breaking. I am slowly learning how to accept where I am”
“I am slowly learning how to simply believe in the person I am becoming.” Unknown
My mission if I choose to accept it is to spread love not hate. More than that, my focus is to bring injustice of any kind to the forefront. My core focus has been on two things, racism and criminal injustice. I’ve been successful in doing both having published numerous articles on the topics but there is still much to be done.
My voice has grown quieter these days but that doesn’t mean I don’t see what’s happening and there are times when I really want to get back into the fray again but these days it is in a more subdued manner. It is not a 24/7 obsession anymore but speaking out only when keeping quiet means letting it exist whatever it is. Sometimes a small voice does carry weight and can boom like a megaphone.
I believe that it takes courage to speak out against injustice and racial inequalities. My goal is to continue speaking out against such atrocities.
We’ve been peeking up at the stars tonight, listening to the quiet woods as one year tiptoes away and a brand new one is before us. The paths look the same, the trees still whisper their secrets — but somehow everything feels full of possibility.
A new year is a little like stepping beyond the garden gate for the very first time. You don’t always know what you’ll find, and that can feel exciting– and a little bit scary too. But we’ve learned something important on our adventures: you don’t have to know everything before you take the first step. You just need a brave heart, a curious mind, and a friend by your side.
This year, we hope you’ll try new things, ask big questions, and believe in yourself even when your paws — or feet — feel shaky. There will be new places to explore, new friends to meet, and stories waiting to be told. And if you ever feel unsure, remember that courage often begins quietly, with one small step forward.
As the new year unfolds, know that the woods are cheering you on. May your days be filled with laughter, kindness, and adventures you never expected — but are so glad you found.
I hope I go before my hair falls out, the same for my teeth and before my bones give way!
I live a healthy life which means working out everyday, eating healthy except for my dives into cheesecake now and then but I’m working on that and I do everything necessary to live a good and healthy life. Add daily meditation and walks in nature and I’m on the right track. However, I don’t think I want to live to be a 100 or so because that means being a burden to someone. Age does take a toll and not only on the person but on those around you and so like I said at the beginning, I hope I go before that happens and I definitely don’t want to do the “Methuselah” bit.
Daily writing prompt
What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?
It is getting way out of hand. The phone keeps going off every 10 minutes or so and quite often, it is the same number calling. A number I don’t recognize. I spent most of the day at home yesterday and I got almost a dozen calls from unknown numbers.
I looked up most of the numbers and also the area codes, some were definitely from scammers. There were warnings out on this kind of aggressive calls. The problem is, the phone rings and when I pick it up, they hang up. Or they come up with some badly devised scheme about the “electricity” bill or something else. Nothing that makes sense. I want to know why they keep calling and when I pick up, they hang up. Doesn’t make sense either.
The aggressiveness comes from the number of calls they are fielding. Sometimes as many as 10 calls per day. Frustrating? Definitely! I was told that I could change my number but that is more than frustrating because I would have to inform friends and people close to me about the change. How they have my number is confusing as well. I am careful about who I give my number to so it seems like they are using some other method to get a hold of the numbers.
It seems that scammers have found a lucrative way of making money without doing any work other than to make you part with your hard-earned money. SCAMMERS get a job and earn money the old-fashioned way like most people do.
My plan is to take down the numbers, the ones that call here consistently and persistently and to hand over to someone to do the job of bringing them down. I hope it works but I’m sure more will crop up. Scammers, it seems, are here to stay simply because people fall prey to their dubious schemes and because they are learning there is another way of making money, one that does not involve going to WORK!
“HAPPINESS IS……a hot drink on a cold day.” Unknown
I totally agree. Sitting with a cup of hot coffee in my hand feels like heaven itself after being outside this morning. I was bundled up but it didn’t help! My fingers were frozen before I knew it and my nose was heading that way as well. The cold snap is here to stay for a while. More snow is expected later today and the rest of the week with temps below freezing or slightly over. This means the snow that is on the ground is going to freeze, thaw, and freeze again!
I recall one winter where we had a blizzard and it left snow drifts like a wall around the village. We were closed in and not much moved for days on end! Luckily, that happened only one time. Recent years have seen just a few days of snow at best and nothing to speak of either. It’s there one day and gone the next. I wanted more snow days and now, I’m getting it!
The problem is, this snow is mixed in with ice and that makes for a dangerous mixture when you are out and about. I love the soft powdery kind that looks like marshmallow as it envelopes the fields and the village in a glow of white. This current snow is crunchy as you walk and beneath lies the ice all frozen and ready to trip you if you make one false move. Walking is not that much fun because you have to watch every step as you go.
Looks like another day indoors with chicken soup and lots of tea and coffee. I’ve almost got all the Christmas decorations back down in the cellar and this morning, I brought the wreath indoors as well. Just a few more items to put away and I’ve got it made.
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