Paul Kilmon: A Life Illustrated in Words & Photos: Summer 2020

Welcome!

Through my writing, photography, career, and personal challenges, you will discover I am just like you, a person on a journey. My goals are simple, to be healthy and happy. You will learn I have many interests. The driving force for all I do is communication, the sharing of ideas and my passion for laughter. It really is the best medicine and a great stress reducer.

I consider myself a down-to-earth guy, who is just making it up as I travel through life, adding a virtual laugh track here and there to amuse others and myself. I have a friendly personality, which is expressive, warm, upbeat, fun, and positive. I love meeting new people. I thrive on communication, organization, diversity, creativity, and laughter. – Paul Eric Kilmon (paerki)

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Summer 2020

I’ve heard a few friends refer to summer 2020 as the "summer that wasn’t" or "a year without a summer". For many, their complaint lists were long. I must admit, I don’t understand the latter.

I had summer plans, traveling with friends to California. I was hoping to visit New York city a few times, too. There were other opportunities, but I opted to spend my summer season close to home for one obvious reason – COVID 19.

Do I feel slighted in the least? No! There are times when you have to reprioritize your life, especially when our choices have the ability to affect more than ourselves.

I accomplished much this summer… Creating a fire escape garden that allowed for meaningful experiences, which had me reading outdoors more, connecting with neighbors and my favorite – tea in the mornings, sitting in silence to decompress (I cherish my alone time and can’t get enough of it)… I was able to nurture a longtime friendship (I had somewhat put on the backburner), spending the evening hours walking and talking life (those three-hour walks brought me much joy)… Hikes with friends that always make me smile and laugh… I was able to work from home for five months, which I never once took for granted, and I was able to catch up on movies and documentaries. I was delightfully busy, for the most part.

It’s important to stay positive even when things don’t turn out the way we planned. Knowing and accepting change is inevitable might just make the unpredictable more predictable.

This pandemic requires all of us to connect in a whole new way – embracing the unknown, weighing our options, while creating an action plan for success.

I had written the following in a previous blog and it’s worth mentioning here. Because of a friend’s poor actions, I learned to value "Plan B":

And, the next time things don’t go your way, and trust me, there will be a next time – take a deep breath and channel your energy to a new direction, which will definitely lead you to a place where you are meant to be. This works for me… Well, most of the time. I believe disappointments often bear hidden gifts. "A" is overrated. Think plan "B". It works every time. – paerki

Additional Photos: 2020-1, 2020-2, 2020-3

What would life be like without memories? It’s fair to say, there would be no life at all. Memory is our communication, reason, coherence, our action and more importantly, our feeling. Memories create our path in life, developing our psychology and leading us emotionally.

One of the best ways to create and store memories is with video. These simple effortless little snippets of time create diaries and become perpetual time capsules, which justify our walk on earth, telling all with great enthusiasm… I was here! I mattered! I lived! Please, don’t forget me.

Share your views, thoughts and opinions in the written word. Snap photographs so your eyes can travel back in time, remembering the happy and sad moments that made you the person you were, are and became in life. But, whenever possible, capture video to enhance the memories you leave behind, so that others may pass the essence of your life on to future generations. – paerki

I love photographs! They have this amazing ability to tell stories of fun places, special moments, memorable events, and exciting places. They give us reason to pause and remember friends, family, coworkers and so many others. One photograph can conjure up a flood of memories taking us on a journey. They help us remember the past, enjoy the present and ponder the future.

On a cold and rainy day I love sitting in my living room with a roaring fire, a glass of wine, classical music playing in the background and my many photographs scattered about me. I love sifting through what I call my special collection, which refers to my favorites. They remind me of the saddest and happiest moments of my life. They remind me of challenges and overcoming.

My large collection of images are a testament to a life lived. Life happens all around us so it’s important to collect special memories, and what better way than with a photograph. – paerki

It’s hard to believe I’ve been blogging for more than 12 years. This art form has allowed me to showcase and express my creativity. It has bolstered my confidence (not that is was lacking). At times it has been therapeutic, but more than anything it has given me a much deeper view of the world and how I see myself in it.

I use my insights as a barometer for self-change, which helps me reconcile the past, adapt to the present and navigate carefully into the future. I have enjoyed the roller coaster ride of thought as my hands write it and my eyes see it. As always, I hope you can relate to my stories, appreciate my views, savor the wisdom, reflect on the concepts and, more than anything, respect my friendly and genuine interest in connecting with others.

Find you own voice. Think about writing your own blog. Learn your style, share your views and open a whole new world of possibilities for you and your readers-to-be.. – paerki