Roadtripping Revolution: Day 8: Cultivating Stability

Day 8 [9.10.09]:

I have been thinking a lot about how to obtain stability. Stability is something that I strongly desire in my life. I have never been the type of person who wants a lot of money, although I want a lot of stability. I always thought that money was one (not the only way) to achieve stability. However, I have had some conversations with family recently that really placed things into perspective. They reminded me that money, like most other material things in life is fleeting. People with a lot of money have often lost it (i.e. MC Hammer) and many others have not been provided with happiness as a result of having a lot of money. We are such a society of immediate gratification, and short attention spans. We get what we get and are never satisfied. As soon as we get what we think will make us happy (material wise) the money barely comes out of the bank account before we are on to the next big thing. This is TERRIBLE! Life is such a waste, living this way.

Every now and again, it's helpful to have that reminder. I haven't wanted money so i can buy lots of clothes, a big house, and a nice car- I have wanted money so I can pay off my student loans, so I can have medical insurance, so I can have the opportunity to bless other people, and start a family comfortably. That's not to say that I don't enjoy shopping, nice clothes, cars and houses, but that truly isn't my main objective when i think of how nice it would be to have a lot of money. What I want is simple: stability.

I'm slowly realizing that stability is a state of being, a mindset, not your circumstances. Stability is not about what things you have, it's about your emotional health, your physical health, your psychological health. This stability can be achieved through your mindset, and your mental health- how you deal with life's inevitable ups and downs. These colorful events of our lives are often unpredictable... My question is now- how do I create and maintain internal stability, a true north that I can always turn to when everything else is in chaos or confusion.

Today, we shipped out to Chicago!

We had a yummy meal from a place I'd never been to before: Meatheads... They had these delicious thin patties and very fantastic milkshakes... "Hand dipped" - when they say hand dipped, it gets me every time. I mean, I think that basically means they take an ice cream scoop and scoop ice cream into a cup or blender. It's not really like they hand blend the doggone thing.... But yet, it gets me every time... Hand dipped? I'm there!

We then had some errands to run and then visited with some family. On the way, had an "only in Chicago" encounter- this organized group of kids were in the street... like IN the front of cars at a stoplight and did an entire choreographed routine. They then got out their buckets and started collecting money for some fundraiser or another. It didn't really matter to me- I gave them a dollar because I thought it was bold that they would risk their lives for a few a dollars. Especially the way Chicago drivers are- EEK!

We caught up with M's cousin and his extra lovely family. Those may be two of the best behaved children I have ever met. Their whole family makes me want to have kids even more- BUT THAT'S ON HOLD- DON'T GET ANY IDEAS!!!!!!

We also visited with some additional family and greatly enjoyed fellowshipping with them. They also enjoyed seeing M's ring.