Another year with A to Z Challenge

Aesop’s Fables for Our Times.

A year ago I participated in the A to Z April 2018 writing challenge.  I had read about it on a blog that I follow, and it seemed like a perfect opportunity for me to commit to writing every day.   I was too late to register for the official challenge or develop a theme, but none the less, I participated by sharing mental snapshots forged in my memories and used the letter of the day for my title or opening sentence.

I promised myself that the following year, 2019, I would be prepared with a theme and even planned to write some posts beforehand so that I would not feel so overwhelmed or pressured to write posts daily for 26 days. Life became somewhat complicated as the year passsed and my best intentions did not get me very far.  

I do have a theme; however, it is Life Lessons with a Parable-A-Day. The idea for came about as I reviewed and revised some of my writing.  I noticed that most of my blog posts share a memory and a life-lesson or a philosophy of life that I have as a result of my experiences. Sometimes my thoughts may seem cliché while others are a new take on a common belief. 

Aesop’s fables have been a favorite collection of mine since I was a child. An elderly neighbor gave my mother a few vinyl Disney albums with music and stories that had belonged to her children.  We played them over and over.  Through the years, I’ve remembered stories especially the catchy tune “The world owes me a living, which ends with “I owe the world a living.” 

My beginning post reminds me that we can count our blessings, but the world does not owe us a living.  If we are able-bodied, we must work and strive for our own happiness and personal fulfillment.  I’m not necessarily talking about money or status; I’m talking about taking personal responsibility for our lives, including reaching out for help when we need it. 

Hope you can enjoy this old Disney cartoon that I’ve included.  It’s funny to see how far they have come with animation.  Please come back and share your own favorite fables and life lessons.