Life sure is interesting. This morning I worked on a YouTube video, this afternoon I started watching a new show, and this evening I wrote a newsletter for work. These are all things I enjoy doing and I am both blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to do them. It is interesting when I look at where I am and where I want to be.
My path to reach my various goals stretches out before me leading onward in what seems to be a nearly endless journey. But, despite the length that lays ahead, looking back, I can see the many steps I have already taken. I am leaps and bounds closer to accomplishing more of my goals. It seems that this is a recurring theme in many of my previous posts. I suppose the idea of making progress keeps my hope alive, gives me a sense of motivation, and makes the more distant goals seem not so distant at times.
Looking at more current events it is easy to see all the darker parts of our world come to bear. This website is my creative space, and while some of my writing may end up reflecting my political views, I try to avoid directly stating them here. One day, I hope that people of all beliefs or political opinions might find value in my words. What I will say is, despite the bad, the deaths due to the pandemic, and the polarized opinions, I hope that you are safe and that you get to enjoy the time you have with your loved ones.
Personally, I have done my best to help protect the health of others. Spending more time at home has also given me the time that I always lament not having to work on my writing. I have gotten back to making YouTube videos and also streaming on Twitch as creative outlets. There seem to be so many stories of people completing projects or picking up new skills. I have also heard the bad stories of domestic violence, depression, and other negative situations. Not to mention the thousands of loved ones who have been lost over these past several weeks. I would never put my desire to write above anyone else’s safety, well being, or life. But we work with the situation we are given in the best way we can. I cannot take all the bad things away from this world, so I have tried to make it a little better with the time I have received in the wake of what is happening. For me, it truly is a gift.
One thing all of this has made me think of, is that the world was not always a bright and sunshiny place before the pandemic. Many of the issues that our society faces, the biases that drive a wedge through communities, the abuse that happens in homes, and the mental health issues still exist whether there is a pandemic or not. But, we stopped being busy, so those things became harder to ignore. I hope that when this is all over and we can go out and participate in society without concern for the virus, that we won’t go back to ignoring these issues. I hope that we will do better.
I would like to say I will do better, but I know myself, and the temptation of business as usual is comfortable. So with that said, I have decided to try to motivate myself to do better by setting some new goals. These goals will not be focused on me, instead, they will focus on those around me. I would like to say I have written these goals out and defined them, but I am also lazy at times. In fact, while I have thought of the idea, I have not put anything in writing about it until this very moment. So, my next immediate goal is to define these new goals for myself. Goals that can help those within the many communities I am a part of. I hope that you can also define similar goals for yourself. If we all do our part, we won’t go back to the way it was before, we will go back to better than before.
In the meantime, if you need a break from anything and just want to escape for a moment, feel free to read some of my short stories here on the site or check out my YouTube channel linked to the right. I hope the things I enjoy creating can give you some joy, or, just a small escape from whatever it is you are worried about. Stay safe out there!
Nathaniel Writes 