Ambulation, Living Moss FREE, Serving Free Word Soup at my Personal Mission Kitchen
"Morrie true to these words, had developed his own culture – long before he got sick. Discussion groups, walks with friends, dancing to his music in the Harvard Square church. He started a project called Greenhouse, where poor people could receive mental health services. He read books to find new ideas for his classes, visited with colleagues, kept up with old students, wrote letters to distant friends. He took more time eating and looking at nature and wasted no time in front of TV sitcoms or “Movies of the Week.” He had created a cocoon of human activities– conversations, interaction, affection–and it filled his life like an overflowing soup bowl."
Top of the morning from the top of a mountain. How are you? We are getting ready to head back to Indiana to see our family and friends of the flatlands. We’ve had a great time living in elevation; it’s time to get down.
We are meeting a few friends at home to watch some music downtown Indy. We might relax tomorrow, or maybe I can dream we might relax tomorrow. I’ve been checking my Queen for moss; I can verify she is a rolling stone. She checked me as well, Anson Ross is moss free.
Do you know those moss-covered people, the people that don’t roll, that are rarely moving? I see them, they are out there, through a lack of movement they seem only to consume and not create. I now understand this more than I did a week ago.
I wrote earlier this week I was having some hip issues, thankfully my hip improved, I’ve hiked the last two days, things seem back to normal, but I did begin to worry if that was my new normal, how would I move, how would I exercise? It was painful to move, and I now have a renewed appreciation for my healthy body.
But remove disability or pain, and some people can move that would rather sit. I don’t understand this lifestyle, sitting on a chair or maybe a sofa and just watching life pass by while you watch others do life on a screen.
We watch Netflix or some other service nightly, about 1 hour maybe. 2 depending on the night, but that is the only time our T.V. is on. We do not turn on the T.V. during the day; it’s a distraction. The day is meant for work, connecting with other humans and moving your body. That’s it, during the day you have three tasks, work, talk to humans, and move.
If you think about it, we are blessed that we can work. I know a lot of folks that complain about their jobs, I’ve written about that topic to many times to count, but if you can read, write, and contribute, it’s a gift that should be appreciated and not taken for granted.
If you can speak, communicate, you are lucky. Some folks can’t, and that would be a miserable life. Life is about the human connection, making new friends, learning new skills and ideas, remove that from life and life suddenly becomes very boring and miserable. The fact we can communicate is a blessing.
Finally, your ability to move, to get up and walk or maybe even jog is something that should not be taken lightly. When one is unable to move, it makes life a few degrees harder. If you can move unencumbered, I encourage you to take a moment and thank the universe for the freedom of movement. Do me a favor and take a long walk today. Go outside, leave your phone home, and walk around your neighborhood, city, or mountain top. Wherever you live, get up and get out, if it’s raining, take an umbrella, but go outside and be present to your surroundings. Be mindful and grateful for your ambulation.
I got a note from a friend yesterday it read: “Anson, hope you are well. We met on a Southwest flight when you were heading back to Denver. We also don’t live too far from one another - we are off Ken Caryl/c470 in the foothills. Wanted to drop you a note and tell you how much I appreciate your daily notes/journaling. You have to be passionate about Joy and warm-hearted ness. As humans, we get lost in the shuffle. The world could use a little more of these nuggets and reminders. Appreciate you, man! Have a good one. Ben”
I met this man, spoke to him maybe 5 or 10 minutes, but we did connect on LinkedIn, and after five days he took time out of his day to share this kind note. I think one of the most important things we can do in addition to movement is to talk to strangers. Don’t overdo it, don’t be that guy, look for cues if you are making someone uncomfortable, but when in public, be kind, smile and don’t be afraid to start a conversation.
That’s it, word soup has been made and is on the stove cooking for you. I hope you like this soup; I put some carrots in this version. I use carrots sparingly. Hopefully it didn’t mess with the hints of ginger and daffodil. I make soup almost every day; I give it away free like I run a mission for humans, and in some ways I do.
I make something every day and give it freely to other humans being for their consumption. It’s here if you want it, and if you don’t like my soup, find another Free Word Soup Kitchen. There are several of us giving our thoughts and ideas; it’s up to you to find a chef you like and eat their soup. I truly believe I have something to say and I think people should hear my thoughts and ideas. You need not agree with me, I know many times my friends disagree with my combination of ingredients, but they know how my soup tastes.
How do others know how your soup tastes? Do you cook for them? Do you share with the world your views, your thoughts or ideas of do you allow others to guess your position? I think there is room for both of us, the chef’s and the consumers of soup, either way, I’m glad you stopped by my little mission this morning and tasted my soup.
"Morrie true to these words, had developed his own culture – long before he got sick. Discussion groups, walks with friends, dancing to his music in the Harvard Square church. He started a project called Greenhouse, where poor people could receive mental health services. He read books to find new ideas for his classes, visited with colleagues, kept up with old students, wrote letters to distant friends. He took more time eating and looking at nature and wasted no time in front of TV sitcoms or “Movies of the Week.” He had created a cocoon of human activities– conversations, interaction, affection–and it filled his life like an overflowing soup bowl."