Silverbear is in the hospital.

[Geezer]

Love reading your posts SB... GREAT to have ya back. You deffinitly have a way with words, have you always? I can relate to a lot of what you have been thru (thou I never been struck by lightning TG) and couldn't agree with you more on letting the negative stuff go and focus on the good things in our lives... thou a lot of times my focus needs a bit more focus, I keep at least trying to look on the bright side (there always is one no matter how much we can't or don't want to see it)

Not sure where it was that I heard this but always thought the following was pretty much spot on.

There IS no past (there WAS but it IS no more)
There IS no future (there WILL BE but it IS yet to be)
There IS only right here, right now

Peace

 

[Mike B]

But as Scrooge learned, you have to abide the past, present and the future.

The past gives you wisdom, the present gives you life and the future gives your life purpose.

 

[Geezer]

The point is that life is right here right now...
not that the past and future don't matter.

 

[Mike B]

Of course, that's easy. Right here right now.

I have a problem with "There IS only right here, right now"

Yeah, if you have no memory and no dreams.

There is no bright side if there was no darkness.

 

[Geezer]

you can't live in the past or the future... you can only live each moment

There IS only (life) right here, right now

We all spend way too much time dwelling on the past and or the future and have little or no effect on either.... at least I know I have.

 

[Dan]

"So, I have an ongoing wish to become “graceful”, no ambitions for ballroom dancing, but I want to be graceful about letting go of what is toxic in my life , wrong thinking, judging or blaming or any of that. Let it go for the waste of time it is. The benefits are wonderful, I find, and leave me with an attitude of gratitude (rhymes doesn't it) and a general state of fulness. Along with those good things there is a readiness to enjoy the very fact that I am alive."


I would read any book that you should decide to write. Your style/flow just kinda gently tugs us along your scenic winding path. You've got the gift, my friend!

Mark

Me too. That is beautifully said.

Thank you, both. Words to live by.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

'The Past is a foreign country; they do things differently there'

L.P. Hartley, The Go-Between

I agree that we can learn from the past, but the past is the past and all we have to work with right now is the present moment. By all means have dreams of the future, but don't let them blind you to the present moment.

 

[Mike B]

If I really thought that I would be dead right now. By my own hand. I was so depressed I was designing my own death. Curled up in bed with a rifle barrel stuck in my mouth so's I could pull the trigger. Just imagining the position made me laugh out loud.

Ridiculous. What a mess for my folks to clean up. If I want to die I would be better served robbing banks and getting cut down in the street by the police. Glory. Romance.

The future. The future saved my life. Imagining all the better more exciting ways to check out saved me.

I'm retiring this year. Just gonna quit. I'll be less than 60. Saved a few bucks to make this happen. Because I remembered what it was like to be broke (past) and saved up some bucks (present) so I could do whatever I want to do while I'm still able (future)

Works for me -

 

[Mike B]

Really. When you are down and your life really sucks what do people tell you?

It'll get better. Time cures all ills. Tomorrow is another day.

If you can't believe or imagine that, if you are stuck in the present, why not just blow your brains out and remove the pain?

 

[Dan]

At that point you need to call and get in to some where for help. Right now and right quick. You are important and needed. Make that call right now.

It can get better. It really can. Imagine fun, loving and being loved. There is hope.

ya gotta make that call. right now.

 

[Mike B]

Good on you baby!

Don't worry, I'm way past that now. That was a long time ago, 38 years.

But it's a true story. I was a sad case. And the scene I described was real. In fact it was the start of my new life. Anything was possible, as I was already dead. I had nothing to lose. It was a new beginning.

Really, I'm OK, don't worry.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

At that point you need to call and get in to some where for help. Right now and right quick. You are important and needed. Make that call right now.

It can get better. It really can. Imagine fun, loving and being loved. There is hope.

ya gotta make that call. right now.

Dan, you touched on the most important quality of all, - Hope.
Mary Potter, a Catholic mystic who was afflicted with severe illness all her life and had endure major surgery when survival from such a thing was not certain, wrote, 'Hope is the beauty of the world.' Her words have always been a touchstone for me and have aided me as I step forward into what each day brings.

I used to work in triage at a mental health clinic and often spent hours each day talking with suicidal people. Believe me it's always better to pick up the phone and ask for help. As a health professional it was hope that kept me going despite being exposed to human tragedy on a daily basis. No matter how bad things might get there is always hope and in the end hope is what will pull you through.
Having been hungry and homeless at one point in my life I know this as a very certain thing.

 

[buba]

silverbear i am so happy to hear your song and read your beautiful words----

you are so blessed and have such wisdom to share with all
it brings out the very best in so many that also have so much to share

thank you

 

[Geezer]

I can kinda see your viewpoint Mike, I just never read it that way... to me it was more positive, kinda like make the most of whats goin on in your life right now 'cause the past ain't gonna change and worring about the future wont change anything either... that was my take on it anyway.
Trust me I've been down and out a few times myself and yes, Hope is key to getting thru it
Good to hear you made it thru

I really just wanted to say welcome back Silverbear, so I'll say it again

Welcome back Silverbear

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

I really just wanted to say welcome back Silverbear, so I'll say it again

Welcome back Silverbear

Amen! Amen!

 

[silverbear]

God darn, I just did it again. Wrote a post on a hibernating thread and it is gone. Dang, dang, dang, what a dummy. Later I'll say again the little I just wrote. Not an epistle this time. Time for coffee and a new day. Good morning!
SB

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

I'm glad you're doing well Walter... Every day is a gift; Let's enjoy today.

We're gonna go ride some bikes...

 

[jbcruisin]

Hi Silverbear, glad your doing better. I just saw this thread today.
Jay

 

[silverbear]

Thanks again, all of you. I look back over this thread and it is a little overwhelming. Such a good bunch of people you are.

A little update. I went to my first cardio vascular rehab session today and all is good. Walked on a treadmill and rode stationary bikes while hooked up to monitors, talked about diet, etc. This is for three times a week for a month to six weeks. I'll take advantage of the opportunity and learn what I can, do what is suggested, get stronger and fit. I'd like to lose about 25 pounds by summer. I want to feel real good. Not just survive, but thrive.

I hope that what people who read this account come away with is the idea that getting to the hospital or clinic quickly (I was within an hour of the heart attack) is crucial to coming out of the situation well. This could have been you. The longer you wait or it takes to get the blood thinned and moving the more damage to your heart. In my grandmother's day a heart attack was a death sentence and in fact she did die of one at just about my age. I remember seeing her one last time when I was about seven and she was dying in the hospital. Times have changed.

I also wanted to comment on a tip from my friend Tim Boelner who commented on the importance of aspirin or blood thinners and how easy it is to bleed a lot if you take them.
I had forgotten that I was supposed to be taking a baby aspirin each day from now on, so I bought some today, Tim. And I'll try to be careful about cuts and such.

So, that's it. I'm good. I feel better already than I have in a good while and no more talk of heart attacks. Now back to our regular programming. Vroom!
SB

 

[waldo11]

So happy you are doing well,and i would like to say that this forum or should i call it a family has restored my faith in mankind never in my life have i witnessed a genuine outpouring of love faith and prayers.may all of your gods bless every one.all of you are and will be blessed.