Many years ago, when Pete’s dad was still around, he espoused what he called living the good life. He was a philosopher who put the theories of Plato to practice. At the time, I thought that he was both acting in an elitist fashion, and self-serving. I have since come to think differently. Now I think that Dr. Michael Praetorius was really on to something.

Living the good life is, really, something that we should all aspire to. Eating well, sleeping well, shitting well, engaging in meaningful discussions with friends, all these things are integral to this concept. But not only should we aspire to live the good life, but we should also assist others in doing the same. This is a pretty tall order, especially since we live in a time where there is such a high incomedisparity world-wide. Some have too much and some have too little.

Michael Praetorius

A good life is a meaningful life. Today I got to thinking that my life is pretty meaningful right now. I have a routine and I adhere to it because its components, combined, are the good life. I get up when I feel like it, go outside, feed the goats, feed, water, and clean up after the horses, come back inside, eat breakfast, write, take the dogs for a walk/run, then eat lunch. After lunch I groom and ride the horses, then before heading back in the cabin, I again clean up after the horses, and clean up after the goats. I next eat dinner, and after write some and read some before turning in.

I don’t do things that I think are the antithesis of the good life – which is watch television, eat junk food, consume alcohol or caffeine, and spend inordinate amounts of time on the telephone. I also don’t junk read. Some might say that I’m both acting in an elitist fashion and am self-serving. Maybe so. I think not because I’m not at all judgmental about others who aren’t doing the same. They could if they wished. How many times this summer did I hear “you are doing what I’d like to be doing” or “I envy you taking so much time to do a trip.” My response was simply, “if you wanted to do this or something similar you’d find a way to make it happen.”

This is all well and good because I’m doing what I want to be doing. If the days were like taffy I’d pull them further apart and then have more time to do that which I am doing.

I know that I’m leading the good life because I don’t want (at the time) to do anything besides what I am doing.

The question that I am now asking is – how might my good life be better? Well, I’d like to again be teaching full time for having an intellectual component in my life would be a good thing. At the same time, having an income would in time enable me to acquire pasturage for my horses and to do more trips.

I think that all in all, Michael Praetorius would approve of my thoughts on this matter.

Next: 218: 10/31/13: Arf