On my mind

This post is pretty serious in that I get a little philosophical. Read on if you like. Don't read if your are in the mood for a joke or something like that. I previously posted this and then took it down, and now I am re-posting it because I think it's worth remembering what I was thinking about at the time.

No science this week. Sorry about that, I've been thinking about other things.

Actually, I've been thinking a lot about how, when you love a person, or people, you worry about them. That means, that if you care about a lot of people, you find yourself worrying a lot. And as you get older, the people you love get older, and there seems to be more to worry about.

I come from a line of worriers. It's true. I find that in times of trouble, I worry. Nothing strange there. But even in good times, I find things to worry about. And because I'm in the business of really enjoying people and I'm lucky enough to know some great individuals, it is easy to worry about them, especially when times are rough.

My mom always told me that worrying won't get me anywhere. It was sage advice, because it is true. Life is scattered with lots of good things and then there are hard things too. And we continue to live and we come away from life being something, and hopefully that something is better, or that something is helpful, or that something feels like something that has made it through difficulties with some sort of grace or courage or increase in kindness. So, if worry doesn't get you anywhere, what does? That's what I'm working to figure out. Is it optimism? Service? Faith? A willingness to understand? Perseverance?

Those things are hard to do. And I still worry. But I try. And I worry. And life goes on. And sometimes it is very surreal. But most of the time I am learning and I can smile.