The V commandments of being happy
Weekly update 7/11/2021 to 7/17/2021 #77
I recently snapped a photo of “The V Commandments for Being Happy." Before I share what was on this wooden sign, let me tell you about some of my recent week.
Congratulations Seymour Swimming on another successful Summer Splash. Roughly 500 swimmers along with another 1000 or so spectators enjoyed our facilities at Shields Park. I believe this was the 30th year for this event, and it would not be possible without organizers like Dave and Chris Boggs, along with an army of volunteers, to make it happen for the swimmers. Thank you to everyone that helped for 2021, and we look forward to seeing you back in 2022.
Twenty-four pages of budget to review for 2022 is already upon me. I am not complaining about it because planning for the future at the right time is what I enjoy. I do have to admit that as the hours go by I find my eyes start to blur and I am easier to distract with small things. Because of this I have started earlier for my second trip through the process as mayor. I wanted a chance to review, rest, and repeat. The budget process really has various parts and pieces scattered around the year, but this phase is where it really starts to come together. It won’t be long before all the corrections and changes have been reviewed and adjusted to present to council for approval or reduction.
Mix in meetings about topics across the board from disaster planning, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI), annexation, federally-funded road projects in Seymour, radio interviews, or even just enjoying a free show from Seymour Mainstreet and you have a full week. Of course, this is all while trying to keep that balance of work and family life. Often time is at a premium, but nine days out of ten I love my job and on that tenth day I still like it, just maybe not as much as the other nine.
Back to that wooden sign I took a picture of that was titled “The V Commandments for Being Happy.” "I. Free your heart from hatred" - No problem for me on this topic. I can happily walk away from a conversation and agree to disagree. I won’t hate you if we do, and I hope you have the same kind of respect for my knowledge and experiences. "II. Free your mind from worry" - I think Mahatma Gandhi covered worry best when he said, "There is nothing that wastes the body like worry." "III. Give more" - I hope you will find your passions and give more to them or the organizations that work in those areas. "IV. Expect less" - I probably struggle the most with this one. I shouldn’t expect everyone to love our community like I do myself. I shouldn’t get discouraged when they don’t. If I could just learn to expect less I would not be disappointed at the things that I sometimes hear in my role. "V. Love simply" - Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Stop and smell the roses. Enjoy the ride along the way as we only get so many trips around the sun. Chris Ledoux had a song lyric that just raced into my mind after that last line. "Sit tall in the saddle, Hold your head up high, Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky And live like you ain't afraid to die And don't be scared, just enjoy your ride." Before I wrap up another weekly update, I want to say thank you to everyone in our community. Yes, I said everyone. It takes us all to make Seymour what it is. We are all in different places in our lives, some good and some not so good. For the first, offer encouragement, in one of its many forms, when you can to those in the latter. For the latter, stay strong because no storm lasts forever.