REINVENTION TIMES

     How many times lately have you heard someone complain they are bored, nothing to do, need to get out, do something? So a funny thing has happened in our home - we are running out of time. No, not talking of that eternal time clock, just the time of day, the hours in a day, the time necessary to do all that one wishes to do.
     First, at the beginning, we relaxed. It was almost a gift. No running around, time to read, catch up on stored programs, sit and talk. And of course, the eternally always with us doctor visits that seemingly managed to blossom and grow in number, so nicely filling in spare hours! But then more was needed.
      So we attacked bookshelves, kind of a waste of time as we now have ordered more books, some for fun, some for interests, some to complete sets, and guess what! Shelf space is now SRO. And yet there are more books coming. Uh oh. Maybe there is an organization Booklovers Anonymous? But what to do when so many of the new books are connected to a serious new reinvention of ourselves?
    That is the reinvention I am talking about. Instead of being bored, rather than only reading or gazing at a screen or pressing little buttons on a phone, think of something else. We did. We have now indulged a long time wish to research the family history. It is intensive, brain shattering and tiring, heart warming, mind expanding, exciting, tedious, and rewarding, with discoveries that range from facts to new relatives never thought to be alive. We have made wonderful new relationships with people in the field, with relatives, and with ourselves as well. It is nice to be able to fill in blanks, to confirm family stories. To know from whence and from whom one came. For me, especially, it is seeing the history I learned about in school come alive as reflected in the history of the family. It is in understanding the power, history and value of a name.
      However, one also needs a rest from this work or the headache behind the eyes after staring at old records will never go away. Reading is pretty much more of the same, and sitting was just done for several hours. Physical activity is needed, but challenging, as some are out of bounds at this point.  So, what to do.
      Got it!! We took a look at all the 'stuff' acquired over the years. Beautiful and wonderful items, submerged in historical facts and connections, many antique. Nothing worth great gobs of money, mind you, but all important, not deserving to be discarded or donated to thrift stores. Enter: shadowboxes. All forms, sizes, shapes. Then necessity demands that we check and clean and organize the items, decide what will go where, with whom, figure out how to maneuver with the size of the little cubbies. All the time moving and standing. All the time thinking. All the time evaluating. All the time remembering where and when these items were bought. Then, suddenly, another day is gone, simply vanished, and boredom is never an issue.
      But the reinvention continues apace. Now we need to be more specific in our needs and create what we cannot find. Shopping expeditions, not to clothing stores or curbside pickups, but to DIY stores, art stores, questioning experts, and daring to step out of line and buy our own implements to create and/or improve these boxes so necessary to our new interest. Did you know that one can actually stand there at the paintbrush area for 30 minutes, discussing which brush is best for which stain or size necessity? It is amazing at the amount of knowledge that other people have who readily, happily, transmit it to you, excited for you in your reinventing phase.  We love it!!
    At present, we are on our fifth and sixth boxes, actually making and staining them and I just took a look at them as they dried overnight and I love them!!! I am so proud of us! Look what we did! Next up, after we complete these, will be the resecting of an antique shadowbox so as to better serve our needs. Never would I have thought we would be able or even wanting to do this. But it is fun. And so satisfying.
     It is reinvention in a timely manner. It is reinvention that causes us to wonder how and when we will ever find the time to read those books before they are due, or before a new batch arrives in the mail, or watch those shows before sometime next year! And not to forget, our genealogical research is still singing its siren songs to us, to return, and we will - today. After we finish the staining.  Oh, dear, we have created our own monsters! Worse, our kids think we are 'cute', doing these things together. Oh dear indeed.
     Reinvention is a great idea. Apparently one is never too old or too bored or too busy or too whatever to find the time to reinvent. Try it. Experiment until an area is found, a challenge that is enjoyable and achievable. I promise you fun and pride and definitely no boredom.
      And sorry, but I need to add in one sour note. We, as a country, need to reinvent ourselves as well. We have allowed an apathy to set in, a blah attitude as we immersed ourselves in stagnating activities, our thinking skills deteriorated, and we reaped the results. Children are "immune" to Covid-19. Really? Reinventing the truth. More than 240,000 kids are documented to have had it, 300 developing that scary disease that follows, and children have died. Yet another truth reinvented.
     I could go on and on with these reinventions, but we must put a stop to it. We can change it, change the country, free it from a man who threatens all who disagree, who refuse to reinvent their minds until they are as dull and as twisted as his.  "You'll never know who the winner is, but the winner is going to be me,"    No, this cannot be, will not be.
      Let us all reinvent the world, reinvent history, find another path for it, a good one. And along the way, reinvent your own selves. Even quarantined, there is so much that can be done and so much fun and promise awaiting you. Go - reinvent! And do not forget to vote!