Tuesday, April 25, 2006

On Sunday, I had my parents over for the afternoon. We chatted a bit about various things; had a good time. I was re-amazed that I have such a good relationship with my parents. Not that they don’t deserve it; they’re great people. But I know so many people who don’t get along with their parents. I’m blessed.

We then went to the Leesburg Flower Show. Booths stretched up and down two streets of Leesburg, and there was greenery as far as my eyes could see. All the plants were in beautiful shape, and I had to resist shelling out some good cash just to buy…something, anything!

And there was food. Man. Sausages, soft-serve, lemonade, funnel cake, cotton candy, soft pretzels. Enough to make you perpetually hungry, just from the smells.

I’m sure some might make snarky comments about the inevitably of money-grubbing capitalism at all this. But I was surrounded by people who wanted to beautify their environment and support local businesses, as well as local artists and business people who were doing what they loved.

It inspired me a bit to think about myself, and how I might spend more of my time doing the things I love. Worth thinking about, certainly.

I’m naturally drawn to an all-or-nothing mindset about this sort of thing, and I wonder if that’s common. That is, I tend to think that one must make a huge break with one’s current life, quit one’s job and max out the credit cards to start a little business carving jade figurines or what-have-you. There are probably less extreme paths, but I don’t recall reading about them.

Maybe humans are just wired to make big shows when they switch gears. We do so love to trumpet our own horns, at times.