Monday, March 26, 2012

Here Comes 53!

Every now and then I like to assess my life.  I think it helps put everything in perspective as I travel from age to age.  It also enables me to stop, rethink, and set goals. As I approach my 53rd birthday in May, I have many things to be thankful for and some things I am not happy about.

I always like to end on a positive note, so here are a few things I am not happy about:

1.  The pile of jeans I can't fit into. 
      I have an assortment of jeans in an assortment
      of sizes and styles that have fit me perfectly at
      one point or another.  However, at my current
      size, which is larger than I've ever been,
      NONE of them fit.  I am currently making strides
      toward becoming a smaller me.

2.  My relationship with two of my siblings.
     It would be nice to have one big happy family,
     but I've come to accept that it most likely
     will never happen.

3.  My parents are both gone.
     I know I can't change this, but miss them terribly.

4.  My husband's snoring.
     Again, it's something I have to live with. 
     However, getting a good night's sleep in the spare
     bedroom helps.  It's the quality of the time spent
     together during the waking hours that matter the most.

5.  Rachel from cardholder services.
     I know I'm not alone on this one.  Rachel calls
     me almost every day, on my home and cell phones.
     I've tried blocking the incoming number, but she calls
     from a variety of numbers.  There is a Facebook page
     entitled "Shut Down Rachel from Cardholder Services",
     so I know she has been bothering more people than
     just me.  If a presidential candidate promised to shut her
     down,  he would probably win the election.

And on a positive note:

1.  My parents are both gone.
     I know this doesn't sound very positive, but two of the
     things I've always dreaded in life was losing my mother
     and losing my father.  Those worries are over and done.
   
2.  My husband.
     We have made it through the tough years of raising
     our family and have settled into a comfortable, relaxed
     time when we can enjoy our almost-grown children
     and spend more time together.

3.  My kids.
     I have three wonderful but very different children who
     are all at exciting times in their lives.  I am loving watching
     them continue to grow into adulthood.  It's nice to see we've
     done a good job as parents.

4.  Creative outlets.
     My personality needs creative outlets in order to be
     truly happy and excited about life.  I love writing this blog
     because it forces me to reflect on what's going on around
     me and write about it.  I love my photography and the endless
     possibilities it gives me to capture the beauty of the world. 
     And I love gardening because it lets me work hands-on
     to make my physical world beautiful.
  
5.  Contentment.
     I am content with the person I am.  I pretty much don't
     worry about what other people think about me anymore
     like I used to.  I know that I'm a good person with good
     intentions.  Everyone living in this world is different. 
     Sometimes we understand each other and sometimes we
     don't.  Sometimes we like each other's ways and at other
     times we clash.  I don't have to be like you and you don't
     have to be like me. 

6.  God.
     I have learned that I can worry less,  knowing that I am
     not the one in control.   No matter what happens,
     it will all work out, sometimes in ways you could never
     imagine. 
    


“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.”


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