Inner Voice

 

Yes, there is such a thing as inner voice, I've discovered that after retiring from the workforce. It doesn't control me, but I listen to it.

Here are some examples of what it says:

quotes

Sometimes I wish to introduce in my posts a few well-known quotations as other bloggers do. Well, here's my inner voice's reaction to that: 'At your age, you should have your own pearls of wisdom, not use those of other people'.

flowers

I ocassionally get flowers, but rarely offer flowers to others. My inner voice says: 'Leave them in their natural bed, don't kill them. Flowers are not like fruit and edible plants. They are not needed in nutrition; they exist mainly to delight our eyes with their beauty, colors , and shape. Prolong their life by leaving them in their  growing place'.

climate

A lot of bloggers write about the weather. 'Don't,  says my inner voice. It's God's domain. You may write, if you wish about pollution - that's more like Man's domain. Complaining about the weather might make God angry'.

Warnings

I'm all for freedom of speech and thought. I don't mind differences of opinion; I can cope with that.

'Beware! says my inner voice, you are in the minority. You'd better keep your mouth shut if you don't want to lose friends and even family. They might  cut off relationship with you'.

Well, here my inner voice has a conflict with my self. I'm not willing to give up  the basic value of freedom. If the above, wish to leave me because I think differently, well, so be it.

Corruption

Corruption is everywhere, even at the most unexpected places  such as Help/Volunteering organizations. (I became suspicious after I noticed the huge number of such organizations. I found out they get significant funds from the government and from various philanthropic bodies with almost non existing supervision. Where there's big money, there's always corruption).

'You cannot and should not trust anyone but God , says  my inner voice, and I know from daily experience that this is so.

Health

'Try homemade remedies first, before rushing to the clinic / hospital ; don't make yourself dependent on doctors and medical procedures. Dependence is slow death' - says my inner voice.

'Keep it small and simple! Save your energy!  No  upstairs, downstairs house, no big garden.  Even hiring and employing people like a gardener or a cleaning lady - is Work, and at a certain age (usually after crossing 70), any work becomes hard to do'.

*

I tend to tell people that, in my opinion, Retirement,  which marks the beginning of the third and last phase in  life, is our only chance to have some kind of dialogue with our body and soul. This dialogue benefits us, and we wish we had done that earlier.

 

 

April , and the Slim Chef

 

April is usually the month when I try to shed the pounds accumulated during winter with its irresistible 'comfort food' and holiday treats.  If I don't do that, my knees will start 'screaming' and my mobility will get affected.

We all know that we gain weight quickly but lose it slowly and gradually. The interesting thing with me is that no moderate sport activity  is of any help in carrying out this annual project. So, I could be lying  on the coach all day doing nothing, but if I eat a carefully planned low calorie menu and sleep the recommended 7-8 hours, I will achieve my goal in approximately 4-6 weeks, depending on how many pounds I have to get rid of.

This time of the year, usually reminds me of a famous israeli chef , once an overweight person who gradually became a slim guy.  He used to tell  anyone interested in his metamorphosis, that it was his intensive gym workout behind it.

One day, the police arrested a drug dealer. The latter 'blew the whistle' on his celebrity clients,  our chef being among them. The chef got away without punishment as he managed to prove minimal purchase of marijuana for personal use only (meant to maintain his normal body weight, according to his claim).

Judging by his slim figure, he probably uses marijuana to this day.  Well, if he's got the money for it, and is not afraid of addiction, so be it.  However, I remember feeling a bit angry at him for somehow misleading people sweating at the gym in an effort to lose weight. (He could not, of course, be honest about his own way, as marijuana was considered then illegal stuff).

 

 

Daughter's Accusation

 

Prince Philip (RIP) was a very handsome man. Appearance is important; it opens doors and hearts.

 Another  handsome man  has recently been in the news - the late Israeli, internationally acclaimed writer Amos Oz (died in Dec. 2018).

Oz is survived by wife, and three children: two daughters and a son. One of the daughters, Galia Oz, has  lately published a book accusing her famous father of abuse (she claims he beat, cursed, humiliated her in childhood).

I am not among the fans of the father as a writer, and I'm not going to read  the daughter's book,  entitled  "Something disguised as love". I suppose she's not making things up, perhaps slightly exaggerating as she has to sell the book. 

                                                        Amos Oz  and daughter Galia

I'll say this.  In principle, I'm against this kind of family 'festival'. It serves no good purpose. Many people , have unpleasant memories of being punished and mistreated by parents, but very few feel the need to tell the world about that. They consider it a family matter. Child care practice seems to have, fortunately, changed in better over the years, and this is good news.

Anyway, whether I want it or not, events like the publishing of this book make me automatically think of my own parents. I believe death erases the flaws and leaves only the good sides of the deceased to be remembered. 

My late parents (RIP) were not angels, but human beings, and as such had their shortcomings, yet I'm unable to  recall anything bad about them. I feel only gratitude. They gave me birth, fed me, paid for my education, put up with my caprices and selfishness.

My childhood was far from smooth. My parents were Holocaust survivors. They came back from the war, broken and with health issues. (My birth, according to family gossip, was neither expected nor wanted as they felt almost 'finished' emotionally and  physically).  In addition, life under a  communist regime was not a bed of roses, to say the least.

 my late parents and brother

I miss them  and I think of them as good parents  and decent, hard- working people, with values. I 've also written things about them (not in book format),  and when visiting their graves I read  the stuff quietly but clearly. It's between them, me, and God. The bottom line is that , nowadays, there are no such fine people and parents like them.

 

Untitled

 

Our Passover (Pesach) is over. After a week of eating  'matzot' (unleavened bread) ,  we're back to our beloved bread, pita, tortilla, mamaliga. 

                   matzot

Moreover, I can now spoil the 'birdies' (mostly pigeons that come to my back porch), with seeds and grains. The later will eat almost anything, provided it's cut and chopped small ,to make it easy for them to swallow; but seeds and grains are definitely  their favorite food. We're not allowed, however, to keep this 'chametz' (leavened) stuff in, or around the house during Passover.

                                                                                birdies

              oats - package and grains

The weather is splendid - sunny and warm. It invites people to go out and explore the beauty of Nature, and they do that, leaving a lot of litter to remind the world of their existence.

There's sadness in the air though, mainly for two reasons: inconclusive election results which might lead to new  futile elections, and Covid-19 , of course.   Nobody knows what's happening on either front. Ignorance and disinformation are in abundance wherever one looks.

There's talk about removing the masks. Well, not yet, not me. I'll decide for myself .  I don't trust  the medical  'experts'  who have proved to be as corrupt as the politicians..They'll easily sell their integrity for funds and personal promotion. 

                                                                               mask

I'm waiting to see how things will go  with the return of all kids to school in regular format (not zoom and capsules). There is big pressure to start that now,  not after they'll  get vaccinated, if they'll get vaccinated (most parents seem to be against). 

In fact, there's pressure regarding everything, and debates might soon reach even the streets. No kidding.