BETTER LIVING STARTED YESTERDAY

Better living begins the day you say it begins.

It goes like this: “I will do things that I know will make a better life.”

Boomers don’t ask what ‘better’ means. We know.

This is for the younger people who still think they’re better.

You don’t need to pick on a kid because you’ve been down a harder road they’ll never take, never see, never want to see because they would break down.

That’s not happening here. My own daddy was beyond competing with. And he didn’t rub it in his kids’ faces.

He didn’t say anything about stepping up to his level if we ever expected to be anything.

The older I get, the higher his level.

This was a guy who escaped rural life in a logging town, had a sports scholarship waiting for him, but joined the Marines instead and shipped out to Korea.

Talk about choices.

He left with a Purple Heart, a Silver Star, and a few scars. Got married, had kids, graduated from college, and worked white collar in a small town.

That’s enough about my old man. He locked in tight and marched it out for all he was worth.

You’ll never make the Better Living Team if you’re depressed about not living up to a parent’s unstated standards, or defensive about how much more they could have done with their lives.

Or yours.

The Key To Better Living

Lighten up for the holidays.

If someone invites you to do something? Do it.

Sure, you’ll try to weasel out of a date at the last minute like you’re calling in sick to work when you’re not, but don’t.

Not this time, not after you pledged to do things to live the life you aspire to.

In case you need a reminder, the life you aspire to involves Peace On Earth and Goodwill Toward All People. You knew that, right?

Get started by letting someone merge in highway traffic instead of being the, “back of the line,” jerk as usual while you tailgate the car in front of you.

You need to let go of old fears and doubts when you’re invited out to drinks and dinner in a quaint village, like Multnomah Village.

If you don’t go you miss the two knights in shining armor sword fighting on the basketball court, which is usual village life.

You’d miss seeing villagers going about their nocturnal lives, trying to understand their strange ways, their cider-beer, their seltzer-beer.

After that, set GPS for Peacock Lane.

Christmas Kooks United

Get in the better living mood with an evening walk in Portland, Southeast Portland.

Make sure it’s evening because, like Las Vegas in the broad daylight, any other time Peacock Lane looks like everyone decided to dump their attic in the front yard.

It takes shape at night.

And it’s any shape you choose.

Walking Peacock Lane makes you the star in your own Christmas Musical.

There’s room to dance, time to sing.

If you’re making better choices for better living, a song and dance is a good start.

Since it’s dark o’clock, you don’t have to dance like no one is watching; they can’t even see you.

There’s something peaceful about a street dedicated to a common goal, which seems to plug lights into ever socket available.

It’s not so much a competition in Portland, Oregon as it is a participation.

Having a row of houses that look like they belong in Belgium is more than enough.

Then you find the smaller treasures on a porch vignette.

Even the most jaded and bitter among us have a Christmas treasure to share.

So, young readers, ask your mom or dad, your uncle, your grandma.

Find someone who looks like a Christmas sourpuss and tell them how to start their better living life.

You might get shoo-ed away, but don’t go. They really do want to hear your opinion on how they can live better.

Who doesn’t?

I do, so leave a comment.