SERENITY NOW
When I’m involved in doing something tedious or technical, I don’t want outside interference interrupting me. Building an engine for a hotrod is one of those times. Getting distracted, and forgetting to torque one measly connecting rod nut can spell disaster.
I’ve never made that mistake, yet tales of others doing it aren’t uncommon. On rare occasions, rebuilt engines put together by even professionals are prone to such mishaps. All it takes is a phone call, or someone wanting to stop by and chat during assembly for this to happen.
Writing is another area where I like to be left alone, with no distractions. Keeping the thought train going without entering the “Twilight Zone” seems to get harder the older I get. Telephone calls, trying to take care of social media inquiries, and of course, unusual noises such as sirens going off or outside disturbances can bother me to the point of temporarily curtailing a writing project.
There’ve been times when I walked into the kitchen for a specific reason, took an unexpected phone call, and then afterward wondered what was I doing in the kitchen to begin with. Walking back in the living room it suddenly hit me, to get a glass of milk.
In July, I decided to write a book, giving myself one year to finish it. The novel would consist of 49 individual stories about Alaska. My mind automatically went into stress mode just thinking about the tremendous amount of work ahead of me. My year was practically mapped out on other things needing to be accomplished, while undertaking such a large project seemed like overkill.
Deciding that I’d take things one story at a time, and place aside all other communication with the outside world, other than my wife, within 30 days I was finished. That meant burning some midnight oil along with working long hours from morning to evening. I shut down my Facebook account mid-project, so as not to be bothered there. It’s been so refreshing that I don’t know if I’ll return.
There’s still a way to go with tweaking things, but the main part where thinking and creativity is concerned, and typing out the 49 stories is all finished. It’s amazing what can be done in a short period when having a goal, and a desire to accomplish it.
In my teenage years, cruising was the weekly thing to do in Anchorage, Alaska. Guys, gals, and cars would head out on Friday and Saturday nights with their hotrods, oftentimes ending up on Sand Lake Road for a grudge match.
Doug Miller had a 1967 Pontiac Firebird with a 400-big block engine. Street racing it one night, the engine tossed a connecting rod, destroying the block and crankshaft beyond repair. With a desire to go cruising the next evening, Doug and another good friend, Jeff Thimsen, did a marathon rebuild on a spare engine. They started around 1:00 a.m., removing the wounded powerplant, and by 5:00 the next afternoon a rebuilt one was in its place.
As a senior citizen, I can still accomplish interesting things in a timely manner, such as writing that book, yet mundane chores around the house seem to take me forever. In some cases, I could care less if they’re even finished. A stucco wall I started painting 2 years ago is one of those projects.
Building engines and writing stories, as mentioned, are two areas where I try to stay focused without interruption. Anymore, putting an engine together isn’t done like in prior years.
My number one distraction these days involves driving. I have to be more observant than in the past because peripherical vision has diminished. You won’t find me on the phone texting people as I drive, viewing that on the same level as consuming alcoholic beverages while endangering others.
Daily, I see folks behind the wheel doing their thing with electronic devices in hand as if nothing is wrong. These are generally the people drifting from lane to lane, or going 20 miles per hour slower than the speed limit. I try to stay away from them but they’re everywhere. Hopefully, I never meet one coming head-on.
There is a law in Arizona, that began January 2021, prohibiting drivers from using handheld mobile devices while driving, including texting. Has a ticket ever been given out for such? This law seems to be strictly followed like the speed limit is on 95.
Seeking serenity while living in towns or cities is hard to find. Other than turning off the television, unplugging phones, and installing earplugs, there’s not much else a person can do. Outside noise always penetrates the walls of a home, condo, or apartment. In an episode of Seinfeld, Frank Constanza found calm and peace in New York City by screaming out, “Serenity now!” I’ve tried it a few times finding myself laughing more than anything. Laughter is the best medicine they say.
Famous writer, Henry David Thoreau, constructed a cabin deep in the woods as a place to avoid distraction, compose literature, as well as find solitude from the outside world. It was an experiment of sorts to see if he could exist without perks of the city. The land this cabin was built on, next to Walden Pond, belonged to his friend, mentor, and famous author, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
During Thoreau’s two years of solitude, the most important thing he accomplished in this small cabin, besides writing, was get closer to God. If that was the only thing accomplished in his life experiment, it was a huge success.
In Matthew 6:31-32, Jesus says, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest for a while.”
For now, my quiet place of solitude, away from city distractions, will have to be our small RV. I’m sure had Henry David Thoreau had the same back in 1845, it would’ve worked for him in achieving his goals, on the same level as that blessed cabin in the woods.
I like to write junk... 