There are the four D's
Compartments unrecognized
Day, Dusk, Dark, and Dawn
Influence on us
Of which we are not aware
Shaping our actions
Nourish our body
Act on our philosophy
Rest and recover
Each of the four D's
Sets a mood, shapes our actions
Yet we're not aware
Crossed the finish line
Objective met, race finished
Ready now for more
Crossed the finish line
Objective met, race finished
Resting on laurels
One, life formula
Two, leads to early demise
Forever onward
It's risky but I'm going to tell it anyway. I sat in my quiet place, my study, and invoked the imagery of the theater, about which I have previously written, only this time the "director" walked across the empty stage to a staircase going down twelve steps. The theater was completely empty except for the director, quiet and only dimly lit (the real body was completely relaxed.)
The stairway led down to a storage room that was locked from the outside. The key was hanging on a peg next to the door. It is kept locked to avoid things getting out without being taken out.
The door opens into large room, lined with shelves and bins which contain scripts, pictures, and memorabilia from performances past. Seeing it brings back sweet and bitter memories but all are accepted just the same. It is understood that these performances are all ended, good-bad-indifferent, and even though the sets have long been stricken, the memories make up the career and life of me, the star of the show.
At the far end of this storage area is a doorway covered with a thin curtain. Going to it I pushed it aside to find myself in a large open area; a manicured garden of trees, shrubs, and flowers even though indoors. And floating about, like blobs in a lava lamp, were the indistinct forms of the souls of the departed who are still "at large."
I recognized some of them, names came to mind, but I didn't interact with anyone. The experience of the storage room was still being strongly felt. I can come back to this part of the theater any time I please to do so. I shall, and perhaps I'll be able to interact with some of those still there.
Meanwhile, I am still busy accepting the contents of the storage area.
My autonomy
The value of my money
These are what I want
Take either of them
And I am marginalized
Why would you do that?
It is much easier
For me to take care of me
Than for someone else
Mount Washington was, and still in many ways is, a small town in Kentucky. William Henry Hatfield was born there 81 years ago, raised there, and lived out most of his adult life there until last Friday, when he died. Now his earthly remains will be interred there on Monday, May 3, 2021.
He was known to the world as Skip because when his grandfather first laid eyes on him, shortly after his birth, he said, "There's my little Skipper!" Ever after that was his name and only a few family members called him Henry, his grandfather's name.
Skip was a good human being. He was pleasant, kind, trusting to a fault, and had extremely good eye-hand coordination, which allowed him to be good at almost any sport he tried. He excelled in woodworking and construction; well, at most everything he did. He was "a natural."
I knew Skip for more than 25 years, socially through the association that our wives had with Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority. They came over for parties often and Skip ruled the pool table. He could play better than any of the rest of us. Aside from the socials, we didn't see much of each other.
I have no business writing about him, other than I knew him and liked him.
For the period of Lent, I will, again, go
into the wilderness. Moses did it and
came out to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, Jesus did it and came out
with the basis of a new religion, and Muhammad did it with the same
result. Thoreau did it for a year in a cabin at Walden Pond. There must be something about isolating
oneself for a period of time that brings about a significant change. My
idea is to get as close to isolation as possible; in other words, to eliminate
external influences on my thinking.
The rules:
1. 1. Socialization and association only in
response mode; i.e., initiating no contact but responding directly to contact
when it's made. This also precludes prolonging the contact beyond that
for which it was initiated. Contact to
advance my acting career is not included in this prohibition.
2. 2 No electronics, including radio,
television, and phonograph.
3. 3. Telephone only to answer it and then
according to Rule 1.
4. 4. Email and Facebook checked twice
daily; no social replies, comments, or posts.
5. 5. Reading for the daily study of voice and
acting books, is allowed.
6. 6. Continue the development and use of
self-hypnosis scripts.
7. 7. Going out only to get groceries,
necessities, or to exercise, play pool, or golf, and adhere to Rule Number 1 when
out.
8. 8. Reduce or eliminate snacking between
meals, otherwise no changes for eating habits.
9. Physical exercise is be allowed to any
extent, even going to the fitness center and golf courses; remembering Rule 1
when there
10 9. Writing thoughts and impressions as much,
and as often, as desired.
11. 10. Keep up with finances; bills, budgets,
deposits, taxes.
12. 11. Continue the journal to
capture the daily thoughts.
Sorting out and purging belongings, such
as books and files, tools and materials, clothes and accouterments, is
encouraged in order to get rid of that which is no longer of
use. Construction, repair, and maintenance of whatever is allowed;
always in accordance with Rule 1.
TV is allowed after 9 PM for news and
movies with Carola since this is the only together time that we
have. There may be difficulty filling other time with some sort of
productive activity.
According to my rules, above, anything that is not electronic or social is fine. So, I can cook, bake, go out for necessities, exercise, answer Voice jobs, audition, rehearse, shoot pool, play golf, or walk but always according to Rule 1.
I can clean, fix, construct, purge, sort,
and donate to my heart's content. I can think, and write to get thoughts
on paper, but I realize that the important thoughts, the life changing
thoughts, will be with me, written or not.
This is not quite the same as being isolated,
as were the principals mentioned above, but it brings about an introspection
not otherwise possible. This will again be a challenge. Doing
without electronics will be especially difficult; the second most difficult
will be Rule 1.
