How to Enjoy Life (or Random Mutterings Posted to Pass the Time)

Listening to: Iron Maiden (What else?)
Reading: Touched By an Alien by Gini Koch.
Next on Reading List: Relentless by Dean Koontz, then Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane


How do I enjoy life? That's simple, I think. I love being a stay-at-home Dad, watching my children grow and learn new things. It's the only benefit to beig disabled. I love my beautiful wife, who has been at my side through so much over the years. I love being a sober man. Nearly 5 years now. I write dark fiction and horror, play guitar, listen to music and watch tv and movies. And yes, I READ.

Sounds like a mundane existence. I admit freely to being too much of a couch potato. With the lung-removal last December I can't do all of the outdoor activities I once took pleasure in. That doesn't mean I'm an invalid by any means. I do housework, the laundry and dishes, I enjoy cooking, which I have a real talent for. Maybe one day I'll post some recipes here. I cook by way of instinct, so I generally don't have recipes written down, but I can probably come up with something.

So what does my recipe for enjoying life have to do with you? Simple, really. I could have easily taken my recent health problems differently. I've had 8 surgeries since July 30, 2007. I could be buried in a well of depression, to have given up on these things I enjoy. But I choose to smile, and keep an upbeat attitude about it. I'm still alive, after all.

So, how about you? Are you letting issues in life rob you of what you once found pleasure in? Does the daily grind get you down? Don't let it consume you. Find something you can dive into, put on a wetsuit and DIVE! If I can come back from more major surgery than I like to remember, and an 18 day coma, so can you. If you have difficulty doing some of the things you enjoy, adapt to something else you can find yourself immersed in. Even if it's writing a daily journal, updating a blog, writing a novel or short stories, putting a cd or movie in and relaxing--whatever you can find is right. As long as it's right for you. Get out there and enjoy life.

I do.