Tag: tranquility

The Greedy Need For Speed

Carl Setzer

Lately I’ve thought a lot about traffic. First there’s the ever increasing volumes on northbound I5 through Marysville to Arlington  My trips to Bellingham have stretched out from 60 minutes to an hour and a half…on good days. Then there’s taking this new position in Bellevue, which has thrown me into heavier traffic then I’ve dealt with for some time, if ever. 

I’ve jokingly told myself many times “welcome to LA”. 

I live in a place that’s attracting new people at an exponential rate. Can’t blame them. Jobs are cool. 

With this, though, I’ve noticed an uptick in aggressive driving. Whether tailgating, cutting people off; there are myriad examples of destructive behaviors. I believe the challenge here is simple: A sense of entitlement for speed. Anything that slows us down challenges us a  to our birthright. This explains why people get homicidal over the bicyclist, a pedestrian, or that car doing 50 in the fast lane. I should be able to go as fast as I want, statistics and public safety be damned!

This, combined with the aforementioned increase in the sheer volume of cars pushes us hard. No wonder people are snapping. 

Our culture needs to calm down, to slow down. This rage kills, but not just on the road. Increased stress causes all kinds of horrible things to our bodies and minds. We need to walk more, get on our bikes and ride, getting out of our cars. And we need to remember that the other drivers out there are people. Doing the best that they can. 

Just like us. 

[Editted because I hit “post” too soon and, thus needed to clean up a bunch of grammar] 

And now this weekend is done 

Carl Setzer

​Spent the evening with my folks celebrating Mothers Day. I love that I’m physically close to them, so can keep an emotional closeness. Though, at times, it’s surreal to be back in Lynnwood, within sight of the home I grew up in.

Many, many memories can and went. Stories told with my son, developing the generational connections. So much of my life took place right here, within a short drive of my folks’ home. So many transformative memories flowed through my mind today.

Most of the day I slept. Fighting some kind of virus, wakefulness was elusive.

Yesterday we went to the Reptile Expo at the Monroe Fairgrounds. Then down to the old Woodway highschool for the Edmonds Heights production of Addams Family. The reptile expo was cool, opening my eyes more to herpetological fans, and what they see in their fine scaled friends. And I thought the kids were wonderful.

Now I’m on my couch listening to St. Mark’s compline service on KING FM. So many rich memories here. I was a member at the cathedral for many years. I’ve so many memories of the halls there. And many evenings, sitting in the darkened gnave. Surrounded by this microcosm of Seattle. Wealthy socialites, broke college students, street kids, the roughest-edged folks, all crammed into the cathedral every Sunday evening.

The tranquility I’ve felt there has rarely been equalled. Someday I need to take my son down and introduce him to this ancient worship style. It holds deep meaning​for me.

Blessed Rains

Carl Setzer

I find this sleepy/not-sleepy feeling annoying. Awakened by bursts from this brain of mine. So, laying here listening to the gentlest of rainfall, I feel somewhat peaceful. And fatigued. And then there’s still the buzz of my active brain, rattling out randomness. When I hear the rain, though, slowly dripping from the firs onto my roof, forming tiny rivulets down to the earth, tranquility gets pulled from my core. This speaks to spaces deep within me. Reaching the better parts of my childhood, my youth here, listening to water flow across cedar shakes. Connecting to deep childhood moments of quiet security, of the moments of parental love and safety, deep, internal warmth, this overactive mind calms. And I feel, yet again, richly blessed.

November Morning

Carl Setzer

This morning, gazing outside, I watch the fog drift through the treetops. This multitude of gray, muted varieties of darkness and light, both delights and calms me. Today’s chill holds a sharper bite: I re-befriend my sweaters. The gentlest of breezes activates the chimes upon my porch. So gentle, their movement imperceptible.

Northwest winter rains
Calming my mind deep within
Strange comforts I find

Such things reach deep into my psyche. Memories of early mornings, awake before everyone else, quietly reading. Such things being forth love and contentment. The glories of this northwestern life.