Less Seen
Like most people around this time of year, I’ve been dabbling in a bit of introspection and thinking about—not exactly resolutions—but ways of making improvements for the upcoming year.
Because I’m a computer geek, and that’s the way my mind rolls, I’ve been thinking about firewalls a lot lately. Firewall is going to be my word this year. In computing, a firewall is a network security system that controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic based on a set of rules you put in place. A firewall establishes a barrier between a trusted, secure internal network and another network. A firewall is also defined as a wall or partition designed to inhibit or prevent the spread of fire. Some folks know the concept as a Chinese wall, described as an insurmountable barrier; especially to the passage of information or communication. Keeping stuff out, keeping stuff in.
So that we remain healthy and functioning optimally, your computer needs a firewall. I’ve been playing around with the idea of applying firewalls on a personal level. To stay healthy both physically and mentally, we need firewalls too. Flu shots, protective clothing, and prescription medication serve as firewalls against the bad stuff getting in and causing damage to our bodies. We also need to cultivate some firewalls for our minds to keep them healthy too. We can set ourselves some rules about what we allow in our minds and what we allow out of our mouths. Maybe just one thoughtful guy choosing to speak kindly and let in new ideas won’t change the world, but you never know, right?
So happy new year, my friends! Hope the coming year brings you plenty of the sunshine, great health, good hair days and many reasons to celebrate!
