December 31, 2023

Ode to Joy or All Men Shall Be Brothers

Jamie and I were lucky enough to see and revel in The Ode to Joy Friday night at the Seattle Symphony’s performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. What brilliance! An inspired way to end the year and for a new beginning. It’d been too long since I’d listened to it. I’d forgotten how inspired the words are, that we are meant to have joy in our lives. That we can hope and dream that “All men shall be brothers,” all humans shall be family, that we live in a joyous, beautiful world, despite all the hardships. A reminder that love will bring us joy.

Too easy to forget in these divided times. So glad I was reminded by the singing, but also by the beauty we are surrounded by. Today we had sun, here in Seattle, the last day of 2023. A gift, really. The sun gloriously lit up the peeling bark on our cherry tree. Stunning.

The ending of the year reminds me that the last 4 years have changed us. It’s a fact. The shutdown has lingering effects on many of us. Many of us feel numb. But we can feel alive again and find joy, despite the challenges.

A New York Times article called How to Feel Alive Again is helpful with simple advice. Click the link, it should let you read it for free. If not write and I’ll send you a link. Katherine May, the author, asks one question: What soothes you? Contemplate the answer and then act on it. Do it because it feels good. It can be a walk in a forest or by water, go to a museum, watch a movie, listen to music, play. Take some time to care for yourself. The world will go on.

Another article advises how to help your mental health in the coming year. All good ideas: get enough sleep, consider your anxiety, cut back on worrying, especially things you can’t change. Tidy up a little at a time, and take tech breaks, stop the doom scrolling. Find awe regularly, don’t fear aging- you are getting wiser. lastly, don’t forget to breathe. All good reminders.

And don’t forget about pets, if you can have one. They can help prevent cognitive decline especially in older people who live alone. And if you can’t have pet where you live, visit friends who have one, or volunteer at a shelter.

I wish you all a fulfilling and healthy New Year. I appreciate your readership more than you know!

I’m looking forward to writing more in the coming months.

And finally, my caveat is that this is my experience and my opinions, which are subject to change as more information is available. Thanks for reading.

Share this post if you know of others who may be interested. All links are listed at the bottom of this post.

A gentle reminder that I am now writing more regularly because I’ve committed to doing so by turning on Paid Subscriptions. Read about it here in this post: A Special Message. Most of my writing will remain free. Pay only if you wish to and are able to. The cost is $5/month, $50/year, $100 Founding Member, bonus is ability to post and other content. Think of it as tipping for a busker. Thanks to all who have paid already!

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/27/well/mind/katherine-may-enchantment.html?mwgrp=c-dbar&unlocked_article_code=1.KU0.zjjI.sgfLeY73nAMB&smid=url-share

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/28/well/mind/mental-health-stress-management.html?mwgrp=c-dbar&unlocked_article_code=1.KU0.q8j9.lJNCBV51WpC5&smid=url-share

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2813138