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It's time to plan personal recovery from the crisis

It's time to plan personal recovery from the crisis MIKE-CIGAR.gif

By G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

What a strange, long trip this year has been and it’s not yet one half over. Who would have thought we would be witnessing a devastating pandemic straight out of some movie?

I’m wondering what the heck what the second half of the year will bring? I hope it’s merely business as usual.

I know one thing: this pandemic puts many aspects of our daily life into focus.

If the threat of the breakdown of society or death doesn’t make you take a second look, I don’t know what would.

No, I’m not trying to be dramatic here, but it’s clear to me that many people have actually thought about the current events in that way.

Granted there has been no zombie apocalypse – which is a very good thing – but what has been happening is sobering enough.

Writing this column on March 23, I believe that we will get through all of this turmoil, but what I really hope is that we learn something about it.

We need to understand how dependent we are on one another and that American society is more fragile than we like to think.

When all of this is over, I intend to spend as much money as I can with local businesses, especially with those that have suffered because of the pandemic.
All of us will need to help one another rebuilding our economy and small business is the backbone.

If we acknowledge that, perhaps we can have a renewed sense of priorities.

Have you ever thought about writing a list of what is important to you and then designing your life around these priorities?

Here are a few on my list. They are goals I want to reach:

  • It’s important to for me to have a good relationship with family members who actually want to have a relationship with me. Let’s face it folks, there is no rule that says your family members actually have to like you, much less love you.  I am way too old to care any longer about trying to make nice with people related to me who display their lack of caring. Therefore I want to concentrate on those people who actually do care for me.
  • If your family doesn’t stand by you, then your friends will. I’ve been fortunate to have some amazing friends. I try to make sure they know I appreciate them.
  • Try telling people that you care about them.
  • Life speeds by. I don’t have to tell the PRIME audience that one minute you’re graduating from high school and the next day you’re considering which Medicare supplemental plan you need. Knowing this, we need to make the most of every day we can.
  • Follow your dreams. Now if you’re dream is being a lion tamer, you may want to reconsider, but if your dream is to write a book, or paint or keep bees or learn how to make furniture or live on a farm then pursue it. Again, life is too short.
  • I have a list of books I want to write. I’ve done four so far and I have at least three more. Completing them is one of my dreams.
  • Keep your mind open. Don’t be one of those people who are so entrenched in some sort of personal ideology that it spoils opportunities for hobbies or friends. Try to understand another person’s point of view.
  • Laughter is all important. In times like these we need a sense of humor, even if it’s a dark one. Lately I’ve really wanted to laugh.
  • Drink more Scotch and smoke more cigars. Hey we all have bad habits. We might as well enjoy them.

One more point: When all of this is over, I intend to spend as much money as I can with local businesses, especially with those that have suffered because of the pandemic. All of us will need to help one another rebuilding our economy and small business is the backbone.

G. Michael Dobbs is the managing editor of Reminder Publishing LLC, and Prime’s local columnist.