Maybe it’s the Weather…

Going to do some personal reflections on this Sunday…

You may wonder, why? I thought this website was all about business, media and marketing stuff?!

Yes that has been the focus for the past several years but I’ve sprinkled in some personal posts too.

This habit of sharing words online for me began over 15 years ago with a couple of blogs.  Those blogs are what launched my online reputation and then in October of 2011 I launched this website at the urging of my friend and one-time co-worker Kevin Mullett.  Uncle Kevin as he became known affectionately in Fort Wayne for his wisdom and guidance in the web world, particularly social media.

Back to the beginning of my sharing online.  It was in the days of MySpace, before Facebook… I launched 2, then 3 blogs plus a few more that were side projects. The original 2, were ScLoHo’s Collective Wisdom which shared articles and stories from others that I got permission to quote with a link back to my source.  This was the media and marketing blog.  At the same time I launched ScLoHo’s Really? which was my other thoughts and reflections.  The 3rd blog I mentioned was inspired by a conversation with my wife who was encouraging me to write a book, and instead I launched The Not-So-Secret-Writings-Of ScLoHo as another marketing site that only were my own words to keep it different from Collective Wisdom.

I was cranking out a ton on content back in those days around 2010. 35 a week, I think was the tally according to the schedule I created for myself.  No need to go back to those old blog sites unless you are really curious.  When I started this website, I imported nearly 10,000 of the articles and they live here now too.

When I was doing multiple postings a day, I was also working full time in radio. All the online ScLoHo stuff was a non-paying side hustle, that in measurable dollars, cost me each year, out of my pocket.  But it was my hobby, my passion, and it was creating my ScLoHo brand along the way.  I don’t know all of the ways it has paid off, I know a few in that I’ve been invited multiple times to speak and teach at the University level which I find humorous and ironic.  A long time ago I was in the running to be the Executive Director to lead a non-profit Christian radio station and in the final interviews I was asked about my college credentials.

I didn’t have the required minimum degrees, but was light years ahead of the other candidates.  I told them to give me an Honorary Degree to fulfill their needs, but that wasn’t acceptable.  Looking back, I am thankful for the course my life has taken.

Looking back today is sort of the theme for my writing this piece today.  Outside in Fort Wayne, it’s sunny at the moment, but I’ve already been rained on.  This kind of weather is expected all week.

2020 was not the year any of us expected, some are calling it the “lost year” because of the many times we catch ourselves talking about “…last year when we did______” but it wasn’t last year, it was two years ago in 2019.

My wife and I are both on our 60’s this year and it seems like time has flown by since she threw me a surprise party for my 50th. And it also seems like it could have been just months ago too.

Mental health has been a topic of conversation publically more than ever with the disruption in lifestyles and daily habits due to the pandemic.  Personally, I believe I was doing fine.  None of us knew what to expect but by June of 2020, I was returning to work in my office after nearly 3 months of working from a home office.  My wife Kathy and I took advantage of the summer weather to live as normally as we had in years past, except with less close contact in person with friends and family.

This weekend’s sermon at our church we watched last night because it’s one of the options our church implemented in 2020.  Pre-recorded online services are released on Saturday mornings and are available on YouTube.  The pastor referred to a New York Times article from May, 2021: There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing.

Many of you have felt this, and for me, it didn’t seem to fit.

Until it did.

Today.

This morning I did my usual Sunday morning run to the Firefly Coffee Shop that I’ve been doing for nearly two decades and as I was buying my coffee, I saw they taped an obit on the glass of a regular, Greg that died this month.

Except for the lost year of 2020, I would see Greg on Sundays hanging out, talking, working on the Sunday Crossword from the paper.  Greg and I would chat and it was just one of those comforting pieces of your life that you don’t notice until it’s gone.  According to the Facebook posts of the Firefly, Greg passed away just four days after his last Sunday visit, a shock to many.

Greg and I weren’t close, there were others that knew him much more than I did and yet, it’s rather eye opening when you realize that you’ll never exchange hello’s again with someone that was a part of your personal routine for years.

There are a couple of other regulars from the Firefly that are no longer around and their passing over the years was not entirely unexpected to me as they were pushing 80 years old or older.

I lost a best friend this spring that was nearly 80 and I shared that with you too.

I’ve got another younger friend we thought was being stubborn about not wanting to see the doctor for over a week who finally went and is getting treatment and should be recovering.

I have an optimistic attitude and that includes excitement and joyfulness for the days, weeks and years ahead.  We are doing a combination of living in the moment, planning for the future, and embracing the past, something that I hope and pray you do too, no matter what your current age or status is.

By the way, as I get ready to publish this, I glanced over my shoulder out the window, and it’s getting dark with clouds again.

No need to get stuck there though, sunshine will return.  It always does.