Homeostasis

Is homeostasis a new rapper in Hollywood? Sorry, that's another dad joke that evidently, I cannot resist. The definition for homeostasis for us older cats read as follows: "the tendency towards a relative stable equilibrium between independent elements, especially as maintained by the psychological process." This is nothing more than a fancy (and longer) way of saying that when things are right with the world there is usually harmony between our minds and our bodies.

If there is disharmony in our lives it might throw off how we eat or possibly our sleeping habits. Granny was known to offset her body disharmony with castor oil and soda crackers. Weirdly, I am one of those people who notice right away if things are out of whack or a half bubble off plumb. When things start bothering me it definitely throws off my sleep patterns. I'm a bit like Radar O'Riley in that I know if my wife is going to ask me to open a jelly jar even before it happens.

I am not saying that I am one of those whack-a-dos that is going to make you herbal tea, attempt to read the leaves, try to cleanse your ora, or burn sage to scare away unclean spirits. I own a King James Bible if I find myself in that kind of pickle. Jesus sent away nasty demons with the power of good, not the power of sage. All I am saying is that left to its own devices, anything can go sideways if it's not properly tended to. Crops can easily get too much water or sun; or vice versa. Fertilizer can easily go rouge. Have you ever seen a pile of chicken manure catch fire? I have, and it's not pretty to either smell or attempt to put out. It's also interesting that many people think if you change the noun used to describe a chicken's hidey hole it can change the location. To be sure the balancing act we all partake in this life is delicate. We must all be careful when we are trying to balance on the high wire of life. Whether said wire has been sprayed with WD-40 is a different issue and a whole other blog entry.

Grandpa had a saying that went something like this: "life is hard enough when you play by the rules, when you start breaking those rules you can expect at any moment it could all go south." What he was trying to say with all of his folksy charm is that there are many ruts in the road and it takes a delicate balancing act to keep your tires out of them. Everyday things like holding hands with your spouse or helping your kids with their homework could become humdrum if we let them. Always remember that the relationships we forge are made stronger by the ordinary, not the extraordinary.

Lobster tails and fillets in a fancy setting are great now and then but never underestimate the power of mac-n-cheese around the dinner table while taking in a great old rerun of the Andy Griffith Show. Homeostasis at home is the glue that binds families together and it often dries when we are paying the least attention. Although, that is less likely to happen these days as people are too enthralled by their electronic devices. Never underestimate what we can learn about each other over stale donuts and three-hour-old coffee IF we are paying attention to one another. Just remember, life moves quickly. If we all knew how surely, we would try to figure out a way to save time. Singer Jim Croce wrote a tune about saving time in a bottle, but I assume because he is no longer with us that not even, he figured out how to do that.

My brother is often infuriated over the overused phrase, "it is what it is." This is likely because he is a wordsmith and the phrase sometimes falls flat and comes off as glib. But think about how many situations in life it can encompass. The neighbor's dog just crapped in our yard again; it is what it is. It's Monday morning and my car conked out on the expressway; it is what it is. My subscription to "Modern Cowboy" didn't go through; it is what it is. Every time my wife heads out the door for work, I try to give her a little whack on the fanny and remind her to play well with others. She enjoys this less as the years go on because according to her the amount of cushion she has left in her bum goes down a little each year, OH WELL; IT IS WHAT IT IS! See what I mean?