It’s awfully quiet in my little corner of the world this morning. Not even one breeze stirs the maple out front. Rain fell during the night and dark clouds promise there may be more rain. Nemo snoozes, the refrigerator clicks on, and even the birds are still. A light shines from my neighbor’s window across the street, but not one car has gone down the hill.
On such a morning, it would be easy to become a recluse, to just remain in my comfortable corner, observing, writing, living with my own thoughts. But, that would not be the best thing, the healthy, sensible thing. A person turned inward limits herself and misses out on the lives of others, so in a couple of hours, a friend and I will go walking. She’s more enthusiastic than I am about it, but I’m sure it’s good for me.
You see, if I didn’t make the effort to be out among people, I’d be aware only of my own aches and pains, my own troubles, and even my own hopes and goals. I wouldn’t see the problems of anyone else or celebrate with them on achievements or ache with them when they ache, laugh when they laugh. What a limited world I would live in, if I kept to my own comfortable corner, warm and familiar, and safe.
It’s a strange thing, but I’ve noticed, as years have passed, that people who are healthier, happier, and stay young longer are those who are interested in other people. Even those who can no longer physically move about, stay more vitally alive if they have a lively curiosity about others. Is this nosiness? Well, maybe–you decide. To my way of thinking, if there’s no evil intent or malicious enjoyment, it’s not nosiness. There’s an old saying, troubles shared are troubles halved. And, that’s true. Another one: joys shares are joys doubled.
So, although everything is quiet and serene and nicely comfortable, I’ll leave my small, warm place in my comfortable corner and start the day. In addition to real, live people, there are my imaginary friends–those people who live on the pages of my cozy mysteries. They are an interesting group, but they’re always getting into trouble. It’s good to know this is one group I can help. It’s a nice feeling.
Manos Mysteries
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