Author: Jennifred Jones

Riding Another’s Wake

Jennifred Jones1 Comment

Sometimes we all need a little help. We’re tired, lack energy, but still have to keep working, moving ahead, getting done the daily life details.

It’s time to draw strength from another. We can ride behind another who is sailing on ahead going our same direction, let them take the brunt of the wind while we ease up on the pedals (paddles) and let them carry us along until we can fan out again on our own.

Think of the smooth area of water behind a boat the skier stays in…no turbulence…just being pulled along (I know there’s more to the story of the wake/ride thing). It is a temporary place of ‘ease’. The same driving down the highway behind a large truck…they break the wind for you and almost suck you along with them. Again a saving of energy for you…howbeit temporary!

Geese have already figured this out…that’s why they fly in a ‘V’ and take turns who gets to face the headwind alone.

No shame in riding in the wake of another for a season when you’re weary or just learning a new thing. In time you’ll have others riding in your wake.

It’s all part of the learning/leading/following/teaching processes of life.

It is not a sign of weakness. No one can be strong all the time.

Set your course, ease off when you need to, but keep momentum.

You will get to your destination.

Clogged Wells and Rabbit Trails

Jennifred Jones

Our mind is like a well, where come thoughts of many kinds.  If it becomes clogged it doesn’t work as it was originally designed.

One way the well becomes clogged is filling it with all kinds of ‘interesting’, yet worthless, futile, unsolvable, negative thoughts about things not even pertaining to us.

This has been me too often. I get stuck on rabbit trails chasing one thought after the next, running down one hole, up the other side, across the field, over the log, and down another hole until I realize what is happening. Before I know it my mind is consumed by all kinds of thoughts — off track from what I originally began to think!!!… this interesting uTube video leads to that interesting uTube, this link leads to that link….HELP!!!

Thinking can be such a battle sometimes!

You get going in the right direction, minding your own business and you’re ambushed from the side with a thought you didn’t see coming…you should’ve let it go right on over….but no, it might be a thought we need to think about…quickly of course…just in case…and before you know it the rabbit trail trick is upon us!

Our mind is clogged through the crisscross of Peter Rabbit trails.

Fortunately, although difficult and seemingly impossible at times, we still have control of our minds.

We get to choose what to think about. It boils down to where we decide to focus.

Let’s scare off the rabbit thoughts trying to eat up our fresh green ideas, while dragging us through their dark winding tunnels!

Today, right now, I choose not to follow that little bunny down his trail.

‘Gooded’ to

Jennifred Jones

Crazy, word, crazy thought!…but it came to mind last month and I believe it is a valid point!

That’s something I love about words and the English language, (might be the same in other languages which I am not  familiar with)…they can be mixed up and added to, twisted around saying several things at once through your own new word 🙂

So ‘gooded‘ came about.

It is a verb I invented from a noun.

Sometimes, just walking down the streets, shopping, driving, you see the ‘plight of humanity’. They may have all their needs met, look great, have a nice home and family, yet they are broken inside, lost in direction, existing from day to day.

‘How do you know all this and why are you making this statement?’ Because I have been there… I know the feelings, the pangs of inadequacy, lack of direction, self-worth…all of it!

People just need to be ‘gooded to’. They need to know/SEE that somebody else sees them, acknowledges their presence and places value on them, and everything will work out!

The mother shopping with 3 kids, one a screaming child. She needs a smile and kind word, “You have a beautiful family”. That’s all she might need to calm her feelings of ‘I’m failing motherhood in public’.

The new waiter who mixes up your orders…’You’re doing fine, we’ll wait, it’s ok’ then leave him a nice tip.

Your own child when he comes home from school, has a bad evening and needs some extra TLC. Fix him a special little bedtime snack tray and watch a funny cartoon together.

So much of ‘gooding’ on people is so simple!!!

Let your kindness flow out in a smile, a kind word, a thoughtful gesture. This is basic stuff folks. We’re all good at it, we just need to do it.

Now, go ‘good’ on somebody. Good on yourself too!