What Influences You?

By this age, I should have mastered, which if any, movie or book messages can influence me. There are times though when unwanted impressions are hard to shake.

Did watching Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore in “Ghost” make me believe in visits from beyond? Oh wait, bad example. I believed long before seeing that movie that spirts can communicate with us. Mind you, not to that extent, but that is for another post.

Did watching “The Brave Little Toaster” or “Toy Story” make me believe toys have feelings and can come alive? Certainly not. My mom told me about this when I was a little girl. Don’t judge her parenting skills or think what a horrible thing to put in a child’s head. Her exact words have long disappeared, but I smile at this recollection because it never spooked or haunted me. She would tell me to put my dolls, stuffy’s, and farm animals away nice and neat. Occasionally she added something simple, although maybe suggestive like, would you want to wake up at the bottom of a pile or in a dark corner? I’m sure she was just teaching me to appreciate and treat my things with respect, and it worked. I will not confess or deny if our children heard any similar comments in their youth. Smiley face.

Did watching Alfred Hitchcock’s, “The Birds,” affect me? Darn right it did. It instilled a strong cautiousness harboring near fear which I’ll probably never outgrow. Believe me, visiting a bird sanctuary is not on my list to do.

Why am I babbling about movie messages and how they influence us is because of the 2007 comedy/drama, “Bucket List?” It made those two words a popular phrase, you hear almost every day. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie and I get the concept, but I recently realized the phrase, bucket list, bothers me.

I will no longer reference, Bucket list, pertaining to my personal life. I’m switching back to saying, making goals. Goals, has a positivity, a hopefulness, it’s something to strive for and work towards. Checking things off a bucket list is a bit depressing. Oh look, I got one more thing done before… I’d rather say I achieved another goal.

Some of my Goals for 2018.

A big one is, Live by the advice I give others. To not stress and worry about things I don’t and can’t control.

I need to remember, when it comes to our children (actually adults), part of growing is figuring out your own way and learning by the choices. Parents often have opinions which stem from their own experiences, but with youth, as in ours, freedom to follow their own path is necessary.

Not worrying about kids, no matter their age, is impossible. Mister and I try to wait to give suggestions or advice until asked. It’s not that we don’t trust their skills, it’s just sometimes age knows better, or so we think. Another Smiley face.

I will continue to work on when to say something and when not to. I hope our kids realize, it’s not nagging when I say something, or my silence is never because I don’t care. Unbelievable love controls my reactions.

Another goal is, Alzheimer’s sunk its teeth into a sibling last year, so I’m going to keep the sadness that comes with this in check. Instead, enjoy every chance we can spend together and stay positive for that person and their spouse.

Write and read more is a goal ever year.

As always exercise more (with my shoulder healed, get out kayaking again). Eat healthier (occasionally ignoring the snacks that call to me from the pantry) and be productive with planned projects.

Of course, I hope Mister and I can travel this year, take at least one special trip. Our problem is deciding where to go.

In short my 2018 goals are, stress less. Take nothing for granted. Appreciate what I have, not worry about what I don’t, and put even less emphasis on material items. Do things that make me happy. Enjoy every day and spend as much time as I can with family and friends.

Do you set goals or have a Bucket list?

Is there a movie that has influenced your life?