The Blessing Of An Average Week

Irony, starting a blog post while taking a healthy drink of my whiskey and ginger ale while looking at this quote. Yes, this self-proclaimed heathen did just share a quote from a LDS prophet. He wrote as he took a drag off of his vape. Inspiration and grounding can be found in many places, sometimes even in quotes from a deceased religious leader belonging to a religion that I do not personally hold in high regard.

Some weeks are more average than others. This one in many ways has been so, with a few exceptions. Exception one, some jack wagon got my card information and spent $266 and some change at Jimmy Johns... Twice... I discovered this delightful surprise on Tuesday. Over $500 of my hard-earned dollars has been in electronic purgatory known as "Pending" ever since. You see, if it is in pending, the chance that the charges could drop off or change are a possibility. So the bank is unable to do anything until the charges process because they might drop off. I am a calm person, but the frustration of this digital ransom is making me angry. I just checked, still pending, this is day six. Most charges process in 3 days. Bastards.

Exception two, my daughter when I was picking her up Friday night stopped her mom near the Jeep and loudly and excitedly proclaimed to her mother, "Mom, he has Shelby!". The tiny one was truly happy to see Shelby. The next day her mom texted me to let me know she was equally excited to see me in the Jeep and did the same thing but was too far away for me to hear. It was nice of her to send that to me and warmed my heart. I love that little monkey.

So, as I said, mostly average week. I was touched by the offers from friends who knew my plight to help out if I needed anything. Thankfully, I have managed. In the long run, an average week feels like a win. You see 2017, 2018 when I was in the dark place I worried about food. It was slim pickings trying to keep everything all together and eat. Not to say today does not feel similar some weeks. But I am crawling my way out of my financial hole. Income is up, bills are settling and soon hopefully disappearing. I have a roof over my head, one with payments but not to a landlord a bank this time. That was a goal I had since 2018. I am in a healthy relationship, not a situation ship. No one is being taken for a ride or for granted. Feels like new territory for both of us. Again, something I have always wanted but have fallen short of accomplishing. I have a job that pays the bills, challenges me, and employers who respect and cherish me. That is an accomplishment as well.

I have a small but happy following on my blog and podcast. I get feedback and people find meaning and joy in both projects. This truly makes me happy. Jeff and I are meeting on Saturday to start recording the rise stories, the B side of the tower moments. This means that I need to sit down and give my tower a listen again. I know the material, but I want to give it the respect it deserves to give the story a follow-up.

So yes, I say this week was average. However, average is something I longed for, I have fought for, and I have dreamed of. Remembering the hard time in the average ones is truly one way to frame reality. 2017/2018 Bishop could never have dreamed of this average week in the darkness. So I truly am grateful for the opportunity to have this average week.

Not everyone who was a staple of my existence from the dark days is in my average life today. This too is ok, you see not everyone is a lifelong partner or friend. Many of the things I have accomplished today would not have been possible without changing my stars. I am not the same person I was then. For this I am happy. For many, I will always be viewed as the Bishop of old. Only understood from the lens and perspective of the past. Want to know a secret? That is not my problem. Not everyone will like me, not everyone would care to learn about the man I am today. Not only is it not my problem, the opinions, theories and beliefs of others are none of my business anymore. I gave up people pleasing and man did it make ME happy.

So my friends enjoy the average weeks. When they seem hard, remember what hard was. When you miss someone who is alive but gone from you remember why. Either they left or you did, but a reason was had. Just don't get lost in the past because you have days, weeks and years ahead of you. Use them to live, not wasting time dreaming for a time machine. Because that is truly a waste of what could be. Bishop :(: