Ian and I "road tripped to Toledo" (a couple hrs north) to my mom's house Sat. nite where my uncle and his wife and son were in town from Buffalo. I hadn't seen them since B.I. (before Ian, who is 8 now). We had a really nice visit, but it sure went quick. We had to get back on the road to home by 9:30 Sunday morning to be home in time for baseball camp. It was a whirlwind weekend, but a really nice once!
This week is tax week. I e-filed my Fed last Sunday, my State taxes on Thursday online, and worked up my locals Thursday as well. I am getting a refund from the Feds which won't quite cover what I owe on both State and local. All in all, the damage is much less than last year, I did a much better job of getting closer to a zero sum game come April 15th than I did last year. I feel my anger with our elected officials (State and Fed, that is) whenever I have to sit down and actually write out checks to those fools. Here I sit busting my ass, trying to take care of my family, like millions of other Americans and these idiots are down there and they have it made. And, they get to decide how much more suffering they want to put us through. I think our system is broken quite frankly. I pray that one day they find a way, someone has to the courage to fix it.
Until then, it's acceptance for me. I write my checks, cast my votes and try my best not to get wrapped up in all the BS in the media about politics. I teach my son and our Cub Scouts all the great things there are to know about being an American and pray to God that someday someone with some sense gets our country pointed in a better direction, more aligned with the principles in our Constitution and the principles within the major religions of the world including the ones we try to live a day at a time in AA. (and no, I am definitely NOT lumping AA in as a religion)
I have noted that the more I accept and just manage my little corner of the world, the happier, more stess free a person I become. I mind my own business, do what's in front of me to be done, clean house, trust God and, help others. So far that combination has turned out to be a consistent recipe for peace, calm & serenity when followed. AA taught me that.
4 comments:
Scott I noticed you had dropped by and left a nice comment on my blog. Thank you very much for that. Oddly' enough the tax forms have just dropped on our doormat. Acceptance as you say is maybe very helpful for me just at the moment. Good to read you.
There are things that I can't change and taxes is one of them. I just do my part.
It's funny, I used to read every newspaper, and watch every newscast to be informed. Since I've entered AA I haven't read or watched anything pertaining to news. I'm so busy managing as you put it "my own little corner of the world" that I didn't even realize this until now. I guess it could be God's way of letting me know that I have no real control over any of it. I agree, when I'm just focusing on my life, I am a much more happier stress free person.
This is the first year in at least a decade that I haven't had to pay (more) taxes in April. This is a tough place for me to accept - because I think we have a responsibility to be good citizens and pay attention to what they are doing to us - and right now that is plenty.
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