A Benefit of Age

We often dwell on the negatives of advancing years.  Prime topics are loses of strength, agility, keen eyesight, and memory.  The more-frequent aches and pains, unfortunately, not only hurt us but aggravate others when we feel compelled to complain about them.

Better to lie and respond with the traditional, “Fine,” when someone inquires about the status of our health.

My office--back when it was reasonably tidy.

And maybe we mature adults are just fine if we stop to think deeply about our situations.  For some weeks, I’ve been flogging myself mentally for not cleaning up the mess that has become my previously neat and tidy office.  Yesterday, I decided I should just forgive myself for the sloppiness and live with the litter.

We’ve recently moved away from most of our close friends.  Our only consistent visitors now are considerably younger family members.  They seldom have the temerity to criticize my actions, or lack thereof, at least to my face.

It’s a lot more fun to check out the latest computer game or crossword puzzle or take a walk in the woods than to spend any valuable time dusting, vacuuming, and putting things in order. Manana probably will be a better day for a cleanup project, anyway.

It’s a good thing to be a fully mature adult.

A Great Day, Indeed

Today is America’s best celebration.  Thanksgiving truly is for everyone.  It is not part of any specific religious tradition; it is for all to enjoy.  For this one day, we can cast aside worries about the future and focus only on the good things that have happened in our past.

I am thankful that I was born in a prosperous nation and have lived a long and generally pleasant life with the freedom to chart my own course. Through good and bad times, many people have supported and guided me. I appreciate all of them, especially Sandy, my beautiful wife.

I am thankful that my family does not want for food, shelter, or love.  Today we will be together. That is the best thing of all.

The Cocktail Party is Tolerant

A misguided Salt Lake Tribune reporter recently suggested to a local representative of the liberal Coffee Party that the organization might do better in the Beehive State if it changed its name to “The Postum Party” or something similar. The Coffee Partier acknowledged his small group had caved in to local pressure when it provided mostly fruit punch and water at its first meeting.

Although coffee is served almost everywhere in Utah, sipping the stimulating beverage is contrary to the “Word of Wisdom,” and therefore strongly discouraged by the Mormon Church. The usual Cocktail Party refreshments fall into the same category. We cannot expect a surge in Cocktail Party membership in Utah.

On this issue, the Cocktail Party stance is clear and firm. We will not consider name changes that detract from the essence of our mission statement: “To serve the people of the United States by creating an excellent blend of good government and personal freedom.” We assert that “Cocktail Party” strongly reinforces the “blend” concept, and therefore is entirely appropriate for us. We refuse to pander to other viewpoints merely to recruit a few members.

The Cocktail Party, however, is tolerant of all. When attending meetings, you may bring your own bottle, or bottles, of anything you choose. We provide hot water as well as hot air, so you can whip up a nice cup of hot chocolate or an exotic tea if you like. Or, you can mix a hot toddy. It’s your choice entirely.

Cocktail Partiers value individual freedom. We think what people drink is irrelevant to what is in their heads and hearts, unless, of course, they fuzzy up their mental and physical processes with too much of the good stuff.