“Superficiality is the curse of our age….The desperate need today is not a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but deep people.” (Richard Foster)
If by deep is meant ones who do not blindly accept anything told, but those who search out a matter and as much as possible, find contentment in themselves that something is as it is represented, then count me in.  If deep means weird music and one with eyes half closed then that is not me, and I cannot relate. 
Deep to me is intensely practical.  A matter to attempt to solve may be physical or philosophical.  Either way it is approached in a way the simplest or most profound can arrive at a conclusion that satisfies.  I do not hold to the idea that in matters relating to “life, the universe and everything” a 12th century person misses out because of something only found out in the 21st century.
That is hard to say in an understandable way.  I guess what I am trying to say is that the age in which one lives does not determine arrival at a desirable destination.  Sure, things are easier in many ways these days, but I cannot help but think all our learning has made us mad.  So often now I hear “where is common sense?”
I guess I am a bit of a rebel.  One of the key questions I am asking myself at the moment is, “if all these ideas are so good, why is the world not a better place?”  There seems to be a universal feeling worldwide that thing are out of hand.  One of my favourite illustrations I heard somewhere, but forgotten where, is things are like reading a book at dusk.  I get so absorbed in the book, that it is only when I pause and look up that I realize how dark it has gotten.
I know I am not alone.  Those of like mind may appear superficial to some, but there is another side.  A questioning side.  A side not content to accept without question.  A flawed side with a hopeful side.

Yesterday was a typical day where something required effort, and it finished with us going out with friends for dinner.
I arose early which is typical.  We were expecting the builder of the granny flat to come with a few others.  He has been off sick (he went to hospital) and was wanting to make up for lost time.  He duly arrived about 7am with others and worked in the granny flat.
I was also expecting a visitor about 8am to take some mature hedge plants we had.  It was win win really.  We wanted them gone and he wanted them for his yard.  So it was worth the effort to remove them.  Our plan is to open up the “bush garden” at the front.  I had planted ot out with trees in the hope of alleviating mowing.  I did that but it is way more work than mowing would have been!
He did arrive about 8am and set about removing the plants.  I gave him a hand.  Boy was it hot.  It’s funny, but looking at the vacant ground one would not know that there were established shrubs there that had been removed.  We ended up getting rid of three of them.  We had removed three previously and there is one to go.  He also has a trailer so we could put the plants to save in it along with any vegetation to go to the dump.
After that work we had a coffee together.  He went home and I got some lunch and then had a shower and sleep.  The builder had gone to another job he was finishing up.
I was glad for the rest and work up and got up in a hurry wondering what time it was.  It turned out it was only not long after three.  I decided to make a coffee and while doing that I saw a van go past and wondered if it was of here.  It was.  He was delivering tiles for the granny flat.  He had phoned to say he was coming.  That was while I was asleep.
He duly delivered the tiles.  While he was doing so he said the lawn mower we had sold him worked well.  I had no memory of him getting it but he was happy.  Good thing really as he was bigger than me.
In the evening Merril and I had dinner with friends of ours.  One was from England and is going back tomorrow and the other was her son who lives here.  We knew them in table tennis days and have kept up our friendship with him via get togethers every now and then.
It was a good day and both Merril and I were zombie like at the end of the day.  We had enjoyed good food and good company.  The next day heaps is planned.

I know I have said it before, but it has been true for years for me, and will remain always so I imagine.  I am an “eat the worms, spit out the germs” kinda guy.  In this context that means to me that what I find valuable I will hold on to.  Other stuff I discard.  It may be discarded forever, or it may be just for another time.  It is not for this time.
I listen out for things that impact me.  I can go ages, and nothing stands out while at other times heaps stand out to me.  That is what is happening right now.
What I heard that I really liked and find a real source of motivation is - we live life on schedules and often if we want something it means making the time.  Often what matters is not something that is a part of my schedule right now - so I make time for it.
Work is a schedule.  Ok I am retired now but for 40 odd years I turned up for work.  Mostly I felt like it.  I was into it.  At other times I did not feel like it, but I turned up anyway.  Either way I got paid.
We are getting a new kitchen and granny flat.  That activity was not a part of our regular schedule, but we wanted it and made time for it.  The granny flat or “cabin” in particular, we have dreams for.  But those dreams could never happen without changing our regular schedule and making time for its construction.
That one has been totally weird.  Merril ended up in hospital during the time and the builder also ended up in hospital and has had a few days off.
The lesson for me is some things that matter big time do not always go as thought.   But they are worth it if it is something we feel we want to do.  We know our dream also benefits others down the track.
The point for me is what I want and feel may be best for me is sometimes not what I am doing right now.  Yet I know it is important enough for me to make room in my schedule to do it.  I may mean getting rid of other things, but the other things are improved by what I do.  Or if they are lessoned or discarded, they may never have really mattered in the first place.
Being retired may mean my schedule is different to what it was, but for me it matters as much as it always has.