Marlow's Musings 6/23/24
Insights, adventures and fun stuff from this week.
Audio narration by David Marlow
One of the best things about living Ikigai is dropping the default language of 'shoulds,' 'have to's,' and 'oughts.' This is also aligned with the splendid relationship I have with you through this newsletter. It allows for a beautiful and unburdened level of creation and fun.
This week, a friend of mine sent me a note complimenting me after rereading several of my posts:
"It's what I love about your stories. There is always more than one lesson, insight, or bit of wisdom. Sometimes hidden other times right there but only coming to our awareness in retrospect. We shortchange ourselves if we don't read your marvelous stories more than once."
Inspired by this perspective, I thought it might be valuable to revisit a story I shared some time ago. Since I last shared this particular story, we've welcomed over 2,000 new subscribers to our community. For these newcomers, this will be a fresh adventure, while for our long-time readers, it's an opportunity to revisit and perhaps discover new layers of meaning.
I invite you to notice any new insights or connections that may have eluded you on the first read—or that strike you freshly if you're encountering it for the first time. I'm curious to hear if you experienced something similar to what my friend described.
Saturday Morning Cartoons
As a kid, my Saturday mornings centered around watching cartoons. There were no 24-hour cartoon channels or streaming. You watched cartoons on Saturday morning or you didn’t watch them at all.
It was also the only time my little brother and I ‘controlled’ the television and the rare opportunity to eat in the living room.
First thing Saturday morning, we’d rush into the kitchen, pour a bowl of Lucky Charms, and then race to the TV, trying not to spill the milk on the way.
Still, in pajamas, we’d sit cross-legged on the floor, waiting for the TV to warm up, hoping not to miss a second.
This Saturday
Memories of those mornings watching Looney Tunes cartoons rushed to my mind this Saturday as I spent the morning on the floor.
When Bugs Bunny would fall he’d often hold his lower back and exclaim, “I broke my sacroiliac!”
I had no idea it was a real thing until years ago I had a fall and the doctor told me I had damaged my sacroiliac.
“That’s a real thing?”
Apparently so.
On Friday I twisted wrong or something and aggravated it. By Saturday morning, I ended up lying on the floor writhing in pain, unable to move.
Lucky for me, my daughter-in-law is a physical therapist. With her help and some pain medication, I am able to get up and around.
If you are looking for deeper meaning here, fair warning: this is being written while I’m under the influence of medication.
Who knows where this could go!
I do wonder if something is lost with instant ‘on’ televisions and anytime cartoons. It was a time back then when days were set aside for fun, and a painful sacroiliac was something only for a cartoon rabbit.
Interesting Things: The Bog Bracelet
Much like my lower back reminded me of past events, a 150-year-old bracelet found in an Irish bog brought back childhood memories for Margaret Gearty.
As part of an anthropology course, her daughter…“had been asked to make a short presentation about an object, any object, from that archive. She had been drawn to the bracelet because it was found in an Irish bog.”
It unexpectedly takes them both on a journey of revelation and reflection.
In case you missed it…
This week, there were two Ikigai Thoughts for Today:
The first…Pausing for Puddles
When deadlines and commitments are driving you, embrace the approach of a child. This post resulted in more comments and messages than almost any Thought for Today to date. There must be something about an insight inspired by a child that hits home.
The second…Losing My Zen
Even the Ikigai Guy has his moments. Here’s one where I lost my patience and received a hilarious reminder not to take life too seriously, especially when it involves Bluetooth devices.
Ikiquest+
This week's Coffee Contemplation: A Life We Want…
Another literal contemplation I had while I enjoying my coffee shared in real-time.
Ikiquest+ subscribers can listen to it in audio narration or read the transcription.
If you aren’t yet an Ikiquest+ Subscriber, give it a try for free by clicking the box here.
Quote I’m Pondering
This thought is from the late singer/songwriter Roger Miller…
"The human mind is a wonderful thing, it starts working from before you're born and doesn't stop till you sit down to write a song.”
It can feel the same about writing a book.
Final Thoughts
I'm convinced success in life is all about being able to reframe what happens. This week has been filled with follow-ups, re-dos, revisits, and people not getting back to me. Yet, each of these situations offers a choice in perspective.
Take our recent hail storm, which damaged our roof and siding. I can focus on the blessing of having an all-new exterior and roof at no personal cost, or I can dwell on the hassles of coordinating and completing the job—and, in some cases, having things redone.
Similarly, I've dreamt my whole life of writing a book, and I'm in the middle of that process now. I can fixate on the requirements, follow-ups, requests for permission, and unresponsive people, or I can appreciate that I'm one of a handful blessed to be sought out and supported by a big-time publisher in becoming an author.
I started the week focused on the problem frames. Now, I’m choosing to embrace the frames that point to gratitude, which has led to a much happier ending to my week.
Quest well.
Where we focus changes everything. I so agree.
As we age, the things that take us down momentarily also serve as barriers to the things that keep us healthy, like running (or hockey, for me). This tends to prolong recovery and might become a slippery slope to further health declines.
I hope you experience a speedy recovery, my friend. Watch some Bugs in the meantime.