THOUGHTS: 

I have been thinking of disruption lately:  of routine; of belief; of ‘the way things have always been’; of comfort; of stability; and of sense of reality.  I know that one of the biggest human issues with disruption is that it brings to light the repressed truth that life is chaos: it cannot be controlled.  I personally think that – most of the time – life pretty much carries on in a similar pattern and disruption is not a frequent as the doldrum of our everyday activities.  But when disruption comes…it reverberates for a long while.  

My father’s parents have recently uprooted themselves from Illinois (a place they have lived all their lives) to Thomasville.  There have been many factors that have led to this move and it has been a great eye-opener into the effects of disruption on a human being.  Because it is not just my grandparent’s lives that have altered course, it is my immediate family’s lives that have been thrust off course as well.  Our past routine and rhythm will never return to how it was before this move.  It may eventually look similar, but it will never be exactly the same.

I recently listened to an hour complication of Alan Watts and Ram Dass talking about the spiritual pendulum.  In one lecture, Alan talks about giving oneself to everything in order to gain control over our selves.  “Say to everything, say to it all, ‘Now it’s your turn’.”  By releasing this belief of control to everything else, we end up getting the control that we wanted.  By letting our minds decide what it should do, it does what it needs to do seamlessly.  Just like how our bodies function without ‘us’ telling it what to do, it functions on its own.  By relinquishing power to everything else, we gain power in “such a way that instead of having to lie awake nights, controlling everything, you do it beautifully by trusting the job to everyone else”.  By trying to obtain power over the universe, we “only disturb it and antagonize it and make it seem less one of us then ever”. 

“We do not know where our decisions come from.  They pop up like hiccups.”  The time leading up to the big move, my parents had tried to plan and control everything.  Or – I should say – as much as they could.  As soon as they got to Illinois to pack up and clean the house, everything kept changing:  the house closing in Illinois was bumped up; the U-Haul size was changed; the house closing in Thomasville was moved up; etc, etc.  Then, of course, as soon as my grandparents arrived at our house for their temporary stay until we could all move them into their new home, all our daily routines and agreed control was shattered.  Disruption.  It caused us aggravation and frustration only because we continued to try to function in they way things had been functioning before.

Since the pandemic shutdown and disruption of the world, my father has been trying to beat it into our heads (my mother and I) that it is no longer a time to plan.  It is a time to react, to make snap judgements.  That we just need to roll with it and make decisions in the moment they are asked of us.  What I have come to realize over the years, is that “the time to plan” has always been an illusion of control.  There is only so much planning one can do as we have absolutely no idea what is going to happen, where we will be, what we will believe and who we will even be when the time actual arrives.  It is such a hard thing to get into our heads as we have been raised to think otherwise.  That “if we can dream it, we can be it”.  Such is not always the case.

Surrendering to the truth of life as chaos is such a scary thing to do, especially in a culture that engrains in its people that they have control over everything.  We ultimately have control over nothing, only the way that we will react to any given situation or disruption in our day-to-day.  I know I am guilty of griping that everyday is the same as the next, but it’s not.  We only seem to realize this retrospectively, huh?  

I often wonder what our society would look like if we all became more ‘go-with-the-follow’ and stopped trying to control everything to our will.  Would we all be less stressed?  Would things run more smoothly?  Would we all be more mellow?  More content?  Less angry and less inclined to take that anger out onto someone else we believe to be the cause?  What would life look like?  No one knows because all we can do it deal with that is dealt us right now in every moment.  I’ll I can hope is that I can become a person more willing to surrender her control to everything else.  I am tired of fighting against the current.  When disruption comes again, I want to be able to flow with it and not allow myself to pull myself under.

-Samantha Hanchett, Marketing + Outreach Coordinator

*Please note that the opinions of “Thoughts” are just that and do not necessarily represent the views of the Thomas County Public Library.

 

Art exhibits:

Away We Go! 

An Art Exhibit from Thomasville City Schools Exceptional Students

May 9-19, 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

In collaboration with Friends & Stars, Inc, the Thomasville City Schools Exceptional Students K-5 share the results of their work in this one-of-a-kind art show.  Displayed in the Henry Flipper Room.

 

For adults: 

Beginner Yoga Class

Every Wednesday, 9:45 a.m.

This is a free introductory yoga class that moves slowly through a simple vinyasa sequence, focusing on alignment and breath while working on strength, balance and flexibility.  Great for beginners.  Yoga mats available.  Registration is appreciated but not required.

 

ESOL Meetup (English to Speakers of Other Languages)

Every Saturday, 10 a.m.- Noon

Are you or someone you know interested in learning to speak English?  Every Saturday, native English speakers will be available in the Library to help you learn.  Whether you understand English well or are just beginning, our volunteer tutors can help!  For more information or if you are interested in volunteering, contact: Garrett – 229-977-1293 (English, Spanish), or Samantha (English) – 229-225-5252/Marketing@tcpls.org

 

Friends of the Library Book Sale

Tuesdays, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

 

For youth:

Toddler + Tykes Story Time

Every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.

Join us for an hour of read-aloud stories, rhymes and songs designed to encourage language and literacy development in your child.  Story Time wraps up with a fun, simple art + craft activity.  An excellent space to meet other caregivers and children in the community.  Intended for ages 2-4 years with their caregivers.  

 

LEGO Club

Every Thursday, 4 p.m.

Calling all child LEGO masters and first-timers!  Our LEGO group meets every week to create and build whatever they can imagine.  A great place to meet and mingle with other children interested in 3D creation. We also offer larger LEGO bricks for those who may find the smaller bricks tasty.  Intended for ages 4-11 years with their caregivers.

 

At the branches:

Boston Library – 

Quiddler Club

Every Tuesday, 2 p.m.

The Quiddler Club meets each Tuesday at our Boston Branch for an afternoon of the fast, fun word game that challenges you to make words with your hand of cards faster than your opponents.  A great space to meet and mingle with others in your community!  Intended for ages 18+.

 

Coolidge Library – 

Tween/Teen Bingo

Tuesday, May 23, 4:30 p.m.

 

Snakes of Georgia

Wednesday, May 24, 3 p.m.

Interested to learn what slithering reptiles will be out and about in this warmer weather? Join us at the Coolidge Library as we welcome Syndi Ingram, Thomas County UGA Agricultural Agent with the UGA Extension Office.

Sydni will be speaking on the various snakes that live in the Georgia-North Florida region. Learn what snakes are venomous, which are not and different ways to co-exist with these reptiles while staying safe.  Intended for ages 18+, but all ages are welcome.

LEGO Play

Wednesday, May 31, 4:30 p.m.

 

Meigs Library – 

S.T.E.A.M. Project

Thursday, May 18, Drop-In Activity

Stop in anytime during open hours for a S.T.E.A.M. project (science, technology, engineering, art and math).  We are challenging children between the ages of 6-12 to build each of the Three Little Pigs homes and see if it stands up to the wolf-breathing test.  Intended for ages 6-12 with their caregivers.

 

S.T.E.A.M Project

Wednesday, May 24, Drop-In Activity

Stop in anytime for a S.T.E.A.M. project (science, technology, engineering, art and math). We have a classic science experiment for kids between the ages of 4-12 to conduct that is so big, it can only be for an elephant: toothpaste! Intended for ages 4-12 with their caregivers.

 

S.T.E.A.M. Project

Tuesday, May 30, Drop-In Activity

Join us another S.T.E.A.M. project (science, technology, engineering, art and math). We will be making Ocean Zones jars so that your child can clearly see the ocean layers and learn about liquid density in the process. Intended for ages 4-12 with their caregivers.

 

Ochlocknee Library – 

Tween/Teen Crafting

Tuesday & Thursday, May 16 & 18, 4 p.m.

Stop in after school hours for a do-it-yourself project. This week, we are personalizing decorative candles using tissue paper transfer. All supplies provided at no cost.  Intended for ages 12 and older.

 

Kids Arts + Crafts

Tuesday & Thursday, May 23 & 25, 4 p.m.

This week’s art activity: painting with recycled materials.  All supplies provided at no cost.  Intended for ages 4 – 11 with their caregivers.

 

NEW RELEASES:

Where Are the Children Now?, by Mary Higgins Clark

The Wisdom of the Bullfrog, by Admiral William H. McRaven

The Rescue, by T. Jefferson Parker

Shell Beach, by Davis Bunn

Breaking New Ground, by Amy Clipston

Homecoming, by Kate Morton

 

A QUOTE TO THINK ABOUT:

“We all have a certain knowledge about how the universe works. And when someone comes along and challenges that knowledge, we don’t know how to deal with it. We aren’t hardwired that way. It’s difficult to question everything you’ve ever thought to be true. So, like I said, it’s not your fault. You can believe me or not, but whichever you choose, you’re the one who has to deal with the consequences. So, make your decision wisely, grasshopper.” ― Darynda Jones, First Grave on the Right

 

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Website – www.tcpls.org