As long as we are being inundated by stupid, lets throw some fuel on the fire and add some content that may be a bit more stimulating. I've mentioned my past blog on the backside of the museum website and have all 100 posts bookmarked. Cool cause then i don't have to write volumes to produce content. Cutting and pasting is easy eh? Here's another from February of 2011: God Grant Me The Serenity… I don’t know for sure, i think it’s going on 34 years i have been sober come this May. I understand the whole anonymity thing from the AA program, but it is the single best decision i ever made, so i tend not to hide it. It saved my life and countless numbers of others. Why would you ever want to keep something like that behind closed doors. But that’s not the point to this discourse; it’s about my personal choice on how to live my life. The Serenity Prayer has become my beacon, my lifeline to staying both sane (at least as i am able to be) and sober. When i live with an understanding of what i can fix and what is too big for me, life becomes manageable. As a drunk, i had no grasp, the program taught me to take care of the little things each day, things as simple as making my bed. I think that’s exactly why Sun City appealed to me instantly. It was manageable. It was a simple way of life that allowed those living here to be able to get their hearts and heads around what we had, what we wanted. Life isn’t necessarily like that outside these white walls. There is so much ugly going on around the country and around the world, it is almost overwhelming (actually, it is overwhelming). Sorry if some find that selfish, but in my limited view, it isn’t. Biting off more than one can chew is just being piggish. Somehow i think our time on earth would be best served if we each take care of things we can rather than wasting time on attempting to solve things we have no ability to fix. Just my way of thinking and thank goodness each of us is different. Perfect example is we had some folks over the other night for a quiet get together (yup, served beer and wine). One of the guests was from Peoria and i asked how she felt about Sun City. She qualified her remarks by telling me she was on the school board so i knew exactly where she was coming from. She was very pleasant about it, but she felt Sun City (and places like this) were unproductive societally. I’ve heard it all before and took it in stride. Heck, i have exchanged emails with Andrew Bleckman when his book Leisureville came out and ripped Sun City, so this was like a walk in the park with Pam. She explained she has grandkids and is actively involved with them. She feels when families move away the loss of the family unit affects how kids grow up. She hated the fact Sun City pays no school taxes (of course it was Peoria who threw us out of their school district but i didn’t pour salt in the wounds over it). I listened politely, and then used the Serenity Prayer as the backdrop for our decision to move to Sun City. This community allowed us the opportunity to be a part of something very special. While others lament world hunger, we roll our sleeves up and get involved in keeping Sun City a great place to live. We give back inordinate numbers of hours and we work together (wouldn’t it be nice if politicians did that?) to preserve the quiet quality of life we have here. Sorry if some find that selfish, but in my limited view, it isn’t. Biting off more than one can chew is just being piggish. Somehow i think our time on earth would be best served if we each take care of things we can rather than wasting time on attempting to solve things we have no ability to fix. Just my way of thinking and thank goodness each of us is different.
Something we all should live by! The Serenity Prayer God grant me the serenity To accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world As it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right If I surrender to His Will; So that I may be reasonably happy in this life And supremely happy with Him Forever and ever in the next. Amen. A prayer attributed to Reinhold Neibuhr (1892-1971)
So for those who are clueless, the Peoria population was small in numbers, while Sun City dwarfed them. There were 17 bond/ballot initiatives and only one passed. Peoria was growing and were desperate to increase the numbers of schools. They wanted to do it on the backs of Sun City residents who only had a handful of children in them. The battle got heated and the County commissioners worked out a resolution to remove Sun City from the Peoria school district. It turned out well as Peoria promptly passed several bonding motions and their community grew in numbers and the ability to school their children.
I say it every day Tom and have for 48 years. Sometimes more than once a day. Honestly, it's how i have lived since sobering up. Too bad others aren't smart enough to understand the importance of finding serenity rather than crashing through life's challenges. By the way, for anyone reading the tripe posted above, Tom McClain and i and are more than friendly with one another. Our politics differ, but on a scale of 1 to 10, that might rate a 1. In fact when i chatted with his wife following the board meeting the other day i asked her to say hi to him and wish him a Merry Christmas. Powers that be...REALLY??????????????????
