MARC TAKES ANOTHER TURN

Another Turn

BY MARC LEE SHANNON FOR TDS PHOTO: ANGELO MERENDINO

The end of summer is at hand, and in the air is the scent of fall. The trails in the Cuyahoga Valley are calling me, whispering that a magic change is coming. Soon we will all be dancing in the swirling colors of the deciduous trees, searching to find our favorite fall jackets, and maybe reflecting and looking in the rearview mirror of the summer of 2021.

The month of September has always been exceptional for me as it holds the anniversary of my birth, and just like every year, it comes and goes with a turn of a page with some unexpected twists and turns. It is my story, and it rises and falls every 365 days. This year, I have been reminded so personally and painfully that it will reach its conclusion at some point. For now, though, I do feel that there are still some exciting chapters yet to unfold.

The year is three quarters finished, and so far, there is much for which to be grateful. I am not going to riff on the things in my life that I am fortunate to have and enjoy. Instead, I want to be mindful of the human beings that occupy the cast and characters of my private play and fill my story pages. After all, our tales will be remembered and told by those left in that virtual credit roll at the end of our life’s movie. The ones that remember our life in the way that it touched their hearts or eased their burdens in their walks through life.

Here is some of what I am thinking about as I watch another turn of the calendar year and add another digit to the years I have lived:

Happiness is an inside job. It’s a daily decision to remember what is good about myself. Forget about that nagging head voice that occasionally mentions that comment your 7thgrade teacher said about you that one time. And that poor lady? She was doing her best, even if she was always cranky and maybe a little hungover. Forgive her and yourself every day.

Your principles and values define your life brand. The thing everyone sees coming when you walk into a room. Let them speak before your words are heard, and your voice will carry influence. Be the last to comment, and the softest articulated opinion, and your purpose will ring. Leadership is always about trust, and trust is about being trustworthy. Be authentic because originality is almost always redundant and replayed by bad actors. No one is genuinely original, but many are amazingly authentic. Pick the right one for yourself.

A good pet is a gift. Loyalty from a dog is the best example of what is good in life, and I should pay more attention to this. My best friend Martin (the dog) is the one thing that is the constant sparkle in my day. All he wants is to be my best friend. Nothing else matters to that gentle spirit with the big brown eyes and the best dog breath smile. That is all he wants. And some more of that salty, crunchy thing you just dropped on the floor.

Food is for living and is one of the best rewards. It’s not the enemy. When I enjoy it in moderation, I am happy. Less is always, really, more.

True love is hard to find and harder to hold. Our hearts can seem like a broken-down hotel full of rooms with leftover half-eaten sandwiches. We all need a comforting turn down, maybe a visit from room service from time to time, and help to find our room after a long day. It gets dark sometimes and lonely, too. The good news is that we should be all right by morning. Speaking personally and all, I guess I wouldn’t change a thing. I have been fortunate and have had the chance to love some beautiful human beings. It has not always lasted as long as I wanted, but that story is not over as long as I breathe. You just never know what is around the bend and down the road. You just never know.

Family. Oh, my word! I would like to state that I define my family as the humans who show up when glass and metal lie in the street and red lights flash in the rain. Who is standing next to you when the sink is overflowing, the car won’t start, a foul smell is coming from under the fridge, and everything seems broken? Look around. Who is there for you when you need to say, “please help me?” Whoever it is you are thinking of right now, let me introduce you to your real family. Cheers.

Social media. Ugh, it can be worse than the wrong drugs. And like the good drugs, you should only take them when needed, or the doctor says it’s OK. Otherwise, use with extreme caution and when it’s the last resort.

Anger. Me being at my worst. No possible good result ever was decided amid my wrath. Step away.

Friends and Frenemies. I am blessed with some very exceptional people in my life, but that blessing comes with some hard decisions. Who to let in my life and who to lock out. Not everyone who comes around gets to stay, and I have been more careful to smile and say no to the toxic personalities that do not enrich my life.

Forgiveness. The act of forgiveness begins with me. I am a perfectly flawed human with a great deal of grime, grit, and stinky life laundry that requires frequent washing. Learning to let go when I have been harmed or have caused unintentional harm to another has been a problem for me. Just like my favorite jeans will occasionally have to go back in the water, soap, and rinse cycle, then hung up in my kitchen to dry, there is no permanent getting clean with the art of forgiveness. Pick a day. Maybe it’s Monday. Just spend the whole damn day letting go of the hatred, hurt and ill will to others, and you will feel so much better. Then get ice cream.

What you think, you are. That is the simplest, most important thing I have learned. And yes, I am pretty sure of this.

Gratitude. I am so humbled that many of you tackle reading this and all the other Sober Chronicles I have put out since July 2019. It means a great deal to me that I get to do this, and your comments and emails are the best. Please, stay in touch. Tell me what you want to hear about going forward.

So for now, and until the next turn. Be Kind. Start with yourself. Stay standing and,

Steady On,

Marc Lee Shannon is an Akron, Ohio native and member of TDS Board of Directors in the seat of Working Artist and can be reached at: marcleeshannon@gmail.com. Listen to “Recovery Talks: The Podcast” from 91.3 The Summit at: www. recoverytalks.org, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Find his music on bandcamp. com. Contact photographer Angelo at Angelo@angelomerendino.com.