In These Times – 2021
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment, says Buddha.
Many of us may be thinking, “What happened to the Good ‘Ole Days?” All is not lost. Let us all celebrate the rebirth of Democracy and our reconnection with the world around us. Yep, we have a new beginning, and we have hope. We have a caring, smart President, Joe Biden, and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, overseeing our kids’ education. We have our first ever black woman, the beautiful Kamala Harris
World of Illusion
This new year is all about winning, losing, and not being stupid. We live in an uncomfortable world of illusion right now. We might be living indefinitely, wearing masks and practicing social distancing. It is a reality we must accept to survive. This is sad because we all crave and spiritually need to be close to others.
Since we are all on a mandatory sentence to stay at home because of the Pandemic, many of us enjoy our television sitcoms, videos, and music. My favorite sitcom is the Big Bang Theory
My favorite character is Sheldon. I love him using unfamiliar words like buzzkill, bazinga, and his “Lizard poisons Spock. Spock smashes scissors. Scissors decapitate lizard. Lizard eats paper. Paper disproves Spock. Spock vaporizes rock. And, as it always has, rock crushes scissors.”
My favorite commentary by Sheldon is, “I cry because others are stupid, and that makes me sad.” (His alleged IQ is 187, while Einstein’s IQ was 162.) I cry too when others appear stupid or do not accept reality, much like our own government officials. I also hate making stupid mistakes myself! Sometimes I cry because I am not perfect. What I like the most is the forgiving ways of Sheldon’s gang. Like the Friend’s gang, no matter how weird they are, mostly in a comedic way, their characters remain loyal and laugh off the craziness.
How many of us are sad because others are stupid?
I love how Sheldon deals with his narcissism and personality disorders in a comedic way. It is a fact that almost three percent of Americans suffer mental disorders as well as chronic depression. I love their quotes. I’m a giant nerd, says Leonard. My favorite quote from Penny is, I just want to fling my poop at her. Today, it is hard not to fling our poop at those who do not wear masks.
Many psychologists believed our last president was suffering from many personality disorders as well as schizophrenia. The word schizophrenia comes from the two Greek words meaning ‘to split’ and ‘mind.’ This might be because there is a split between what is going on in their minds and what is really happening.
Schizophrenia Joke: My doctor diagnosed me with schizophrenia and ADHD.
This means I hear voices but not long enough to drive me insane.
How do you know the truth is the truth?
Trump feels that he won. The domestic terrorists also feel Trump won as well as Marjorie Taylor Greene. There is a difference between thinking and feeling. Are they all following their innate feelings rather than accepting reality? I like Judge Judy’s advice; if something does not make sense, it is probably not true.
One of my favorite quotes from Elvis Presley is, Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.
Check out the Truth Seekers Handbook, which advises, “How do you know whether something is true? How do you convince others to change their mind? Research shows that “The human mind is prone to making thinking errors – predictable mistakes that cause us to believe comfortable lies over inconvenient truths.”
I am intrigued by the ‘psychological’ idea from Mind Valley, called “quantum jumping.” It involves meeting up with your twin self in a parallel universe. To do this, we begin by being hypnotized and then passing through a tunnel into a different universe and meeting up with one’s other-worldly-twin.
Hypnosis can be an effective means for treating phobias, managing stress and anxiety, and even managing pain, but all people are not hypnotized equally. Those who are more apt to be hypnotized show more activity in the brain parts associated with executive control and attention.
Secrets Divide us
This new year is fraught with secrets. Do you support Trump? Do you believe Covid-19 will kill you? I read recently on the net, “Concealing a truth can lead to anxiety, stress, and depression.” Trust is not simply a matter of truthfulness or even constancy. It is also a matter of amity and goodwill. We trust those who have our best interests at heart and mistrust those who seem deaf to our concerns. Brainy Quote
Secrets are usually associated with hiding sensitive thoughts or ideas. As for voting secretly, it seems some Republicans want to hide who votes for what purpose? Ralph Waldo Emerson tells us, “Truth is beautiful, with no doubts; but so are lies.
In these Times of Covid-19
Each choice may be a final one, and we cannot afford to make stupid choices. Stay or Go? Wear a mask or not? Yes, we miss our family, friends and eating out. We may be living like this indefinitely. I wish you all love on Valentine’s Day but practice social distancing. Do not give up and make stupid choices. Love yourself first.
In these times, remember what Sheldon advises when addressing adversity, “that is no reason to cry…” Others will be sad. Be strong. Be hopeful. Listen to the Scientists.
We are social creatures. Learn to live in the moment and dive into your computer or television when lonely. Revisit old hobbies or learn something new. Embrace truth; it earns you the respect and trust of others. It makes you feel better about yourself and helps you attract better friends.