services – The View from a Drawbridge

No Two Churches Are Alike

Like visiting different families on the same holiday.

Now that many churches are putting their services online due to the pandemic, I had the opportunity to virtually attend two services in one day. I’m a Unitarian Universalist, so naturally I chose two churches of that denomination.

I won’t name the congregations in question here. And I’m not attempting to proselytize. That goes against everything I believe. You should choose your own spiritual path.

But I will say that it was really interesting to compare and contrast the two services. They each had basic elements in common, but the vibe was totally different. One was more organized, more tech-savvy, and I got the impression that the members are perhaps more professionally successful and much more formal. The second group was very laid back and relaxed. They were more casual, and their topic was a bit less mainstream than the first one. They joked around more. The service didn’t run quite as smoothly, but it was fun.

Both congregations were warm and welcoming. Both services were comforting during these isolating times. But it was rather like visiting two different families on the same holiday. They each had different dynamics, a different history, different bonds, and different ways of coping. After all, churches are made up of the people who attend them and the people who lead them, so no two are exactly alike.

If you’re feeling isolated and in need of fellowship in these highly stressful times, I suggest that you reach out, online, to whatever group, be it religious or secular, that you feel fits best with your personality and values. You’ll be surprised how helpful that can be.

Stay safe everyone!

Joel-Robison-Reach-Out-For-A-Lift

Hey! Look what I wrote! http://amzn.to/2mlPVh5

Rural Retirement

The thing that would drive me crazy would be the boredom.

I hear a lot of people talk about moving when they retire. They want to head to a third world country to get the biggest bang for their buck. Or they talk about moving way out in the boonies, where housing prices are lower and the cost of living, in general, isn’t as costly. These ideas make sense, but there are several factors to consider.

First and foremost, to my mind, is healthcare. The older you get, the more prone you are to catastrophic health issues. Do you have quick access to a hospital if you have a heart attack or stroke? More importantly, is it a hospital you feel you can trust to give you the best care? It’s all well and good to live in a shack on an island in the middle of the south Pacific, but it would be unfortunate to have to fly 3,000 miles to cope with an unexpected allergic reaction to coconuts.

Another thing to consider is the isolation factor. The older you get, the more isolated you become. Younger people get impatient with your slower pace and your antiquated opinions and your oft-repeated stories. That seems to be a part of the circle of life. But do you want to isolate yourself even further by putting miles between yourself and your family and friends? Sure, Skype exists, but it doesn’t feel as good as a hug.

Also, it’s important to remember that rural locations don’t have as much ready access to the services you might well need. Counseling. Grief support. Adult Protective Services. Home health aids. Tow trucks. Public transportation. Grocery stores. Maids. Airports. Libraries. Pizza delivery. While it’s possible to get by without these things, it’s a lot less pleasant.

The thing that would drive me the most crazy would be the boredom. And boredom, combined with isolation, can lead to depression. I never thought I’d say this, but you can only read so many books, especially if your eyesight is failing. You can only play so many games of solitaire, or watch so much TV.

I’d miss being able to go to restaurants and concerts and movies and festivals. I’d miss having options. I don’t want to bury myself in a casket before my time. I will want to continue doing things when the mood strikes, even if it doesn’t strike as often as it once did.

Yes, it’s a great idea to stretch your retirement dollar, but look before you leap. The sacrifice you make may be more extreme than you intended. You get what you pay for. Find a healthy balance.

Rural Retirement

A book about gratitude is a gift that keeps on giving! http://amzn.to/2mlPVh5

Service of Bibliomaniacal Proportions

According to Wikipedia, and contrary to popular belief, library usage is on the increase in spite of, or perhaps because of, our kindles and our nooks and our laptops. Unfortunately many local governments still target libraries first when they need to make budget cuts. The services a library provides can seem intangible to the public. They don’t rescue people from burning buildings or fill potholes or keep crime off our streets.

Unfortunately many libraries seem to be lax in promoting themselves, and that’s a tragedy because they provide a lot of amenities. Everyone knows that libraries are places where you can check out books and DVDs and use the internet, but there’s more to them than that. Many libraries offer research assistance, tax preparation assistance, homework assistance and a wide variety of classes from adult literacy to yoga to cooking to computer classes. They often host community meetings and conferences and are voting sites as well.

More and more libraries are also housing used book stores and cafes. They are great sources of genealogical information as well as archives of local history. They often provide programs to spark an interest in reading in children as well as book clubs for adults. Many coordinate summer reading programs.

Not satisfied with your library’s collection? Most of them participate in an interlibrary loan system and can get the material you desire that way, and they are also usually quite open to suggestions as to purchases they should make. People often don’t take advantages of this.

I recently convinced my library to buy the book “Crazy Town” by Robyn Doolittle, about Rob Ford, the crack smoking mayor of Toronto. I was very excited when it came in, not only because I then got to read it, but also because everyone who checks out that book from now on will have been influenced by my suggestion, and that’s a wonderful feeling.

It’s hard to put a price tag on information and knowledge and entertainment, but if we don’t support our libraries and actively participate in their programs, we will feel their loss acutely. So go to your library today, and bring a child or a friend with you. While you are there, thank the librarians for their service, as their praises go mostly unsung.

[Image credit: librarything.com]