Yes, man

I just finished watching Jim Carrey's latest movie, "Yes Man," only $1.00 a night from Red Box. According to the summary by Happy_Evil_Dude on the Internet Movie Database,

"Carl Allen is at a standstill. No future... Until the day he enrolls into a personal development program based on a very simple idea: say yes to everything! Carl discovers with amazement the magical power of "Yes", and sees his professional and romantic life turned upside down overnight: an unexpected promotion and a new girlfriend. But he'll soon discover that better can be good's enemy, and that all opportunities shouldn't be taken."

An interesting idea that sounded kind of "Jim Carrey silly" at first. However, it got me thinking of the many times I've missed out on doing some fun things because I've found excuses such as, "I haven't got time," or, "I'm not very good at that kind of thing," or "You'd be better off with someone else," or "I hate to do things by myself all the time," or, or, or. . . .on and on and on.

Someone asked me if I'd help fix up part of a church-owned building to make a comfortable space for small group meetings, meditation, minister meetings with church members, and other activities needing a more intimate space. Normally I would have found an excuse not to get involved. But this time I said yes and we're going to do it.

Someone else asked if I'd like to do the small Sunday morning service this weekend at A Third Place, a worship service that is a bit more "Christian" than I'm used to as a Unitarian Universalist. I said yes and am looking forward to it.

When I bought new strings for my dulcimer, which I'm just beginning to learn to play, the store owner invited me to their dulcimer club which meets this Saturday evening. Even though I play the piano much, much better than the dulcimer, I said yes, and a friend and I are going.

Another good friend sent me a pattern for a very cute apron with her comment, "Another of those things that make me wish I sew." She and her husband are going to attend Santa School soon, and Mrs. Santa Claus is going to get a Christmas-patterned apron because I do sew.

I think I've been focusing on how crummy the weather here is lately and how behind the times I think this state is compared to California or Oregon, that I haven't taken advantage of some of the good things, some of the things I came here to do, to say yes to.

Yes, I miss friends and relatives in California, Ohio, and Oregon very much. But, I've come to realize that I can't let needing to see them keep me from creating my own life here. I really wish they could be more a part of my life, but there's nothing that's holding me back from keeping them in my life while at the same time making my own life--and the lives of others--better here. Unlike Jim Carrey, I'm not going to say yes to everything. That's something his character found out at the end. However, I do intend to take part in more things.

A sad note: my sister-in-law Claudia died this morning after actively fighting liver cancer for a year. Although I know it was for the best, it's hard to see the family size get smaller and smaller. Here is love for both Pams, for John, for my son David, and for the other friends who love and have loved all members of the family. I was a part of that family for twenty years and am still welcomed anytime. They say yes, as do I.