Gratitude Practice 2020 Day 196:The Wise Wisdom of Sweet Kenny Rogers
Not exactly sure if it's the luxurious feathery white and grey poofs of his perfectly perfect hair. Or maybe it's the smooth yet somewhat scratchy tones of his melodious voice? Maybe it's the manly scruff of that absolutely dynamite tight yet playfully rugged neck bead? Maybe it's the bizarro yet strangely comforting power of his old time-y bow tie? I can't actually decide. Maybe it's everything working together in concert that seals the deal? Or is it simply the masterful storytelling skill of a celebrated American sage and thought leader. Anyway you slice it...this winning combo has truly secured a most powerful ear-worm. I'm convinced that sweet sweet Kenny Rogers is really onto something BIG with his classic anthem, The Gambler. Behold the powerful and inspiring words:
You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
It's become clear to me that it's time... and when I'm really honest with myself it's probably a bit past time...for me to "know when to fold 'em"..."know when to walk away"..."and know when to run" away from the Facebook circus for a season. It's time to turn down the volume. It's time to reduce the clatter and limit the non-stop addictive time and energy suck of information and opinion overload. Time to reduce the fast paced data stream of knowledge and commentary and shared anxiety. It's time to push pause for a season. Time to pivot. Time to reassess. Time to get quiet. Time to quiet the airwaves. Time to get still and just...be.
Grateful for this forum. Grateful for the goodness, for the inspiration, for the positive. Grateful for the connections both near and far...both new and old.
Grateful for this silly self imposed daily commitment to write and record and practice gratitude. Grateful for how it's helped to refine and clarify my thoughts and feelings. Grateful for how it's helped to develop and tone new mental and emotional muscles... especially inside this relentless pandemic. Grateful for a good long public stretch of 196 days. Grateful for how the creative outlet and this almost daily habit has shaped and morphed me during this season. Grateful for how practicing this practice has helped to heal my frequent Swiss cheese-esk heart and soul.
Grateful for the endless supply of blank white empty documents... always just one click away. Grateful for the power and potential of a fresh empty screen. A writing space and opportunity that renews at any time of day or night. Grateful for sacred empty pages. It has both welcomed and challenged and relieved and freed and healed me as each day I attempt to string together letters and words in hopes of making sense of the world and my place in it. Grateful for the encouragement of the tiny alluring blinking cursor which invites and challenges me daily to keep thinking and connecting and wrestling as I sort through and make sense of my jumbled humble thoughts and ideas.
Not going to stop writing...because let's get real... I'll never be short of words or things to say. Just going to take a beat from the social media head space scramble. Won't ever stop the transformative practice of gratitude. Just going "to fold 'em" up for a season on this space so I can catch my breath, shake a few things loose and figure out the next few steps. I've been gathering and curating my thoughts and scribbles and ideas on a private website. Maybe one day I'll click publish and then again maybe not….time and space and more time will tell. Guided by The Gambler….
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
Until then...and for a season...I bid you a fond farewell. Following the good sound advice of this legendary poker playing sage. It's time. Time to fold 'em... time to walk...maybe even to run…
