Monday Morning...

I haven't had much to say lately; or I guess, more correctly, haven't had much I wished to share.  The past few weeks, I've let life's little crisis get in the way of most, spending more  time being annoyed at incompetent customer service representatives, angry at people for not living up to my expectations, doubting my own abilities and so on and so forth...no use in spewing out the negative crap, so I chose to be silent instead. But what is it they say?   

"It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters." Epictetus  

That line has rung true for centuries, and still is.  It's all in the attitude. I know you have heard me say it before, but I guess I needed a reminder (read attitude adjustment!) myself.

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Some times life seems overbearing, but really, all one has to do is turn on the news to realize that things could be so much worse!  

My kids may  be loud and obnoxious, ungrateful at times, and definitely argumentative.  But they are alive and healthy, do well in school, have good friends, and I doubt, will ever be targeted as a "suspicious person" based on their looks by a neighborhood watch person, with the tragic consequences that has proven to have. I may not have a large family or a million friends, but my family is close; we all care about each others well being and enjoy each others company, and my friends I can count on to always be there for me when I need them as they can with me. I don't need to be Ms. Popular, I just need a few good women and men :-) I don't have the biggest house, but I have a place to call home. In these times, that should no longer be taken for granted.  

Yes, I want more out of life, and yes, I want to better myself and provide better for my children.  But in the mean time, I really try listening to my second favorite quote;  

"He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have." Socrates

So here's to a happy Monday and a great week!!

Some Times Happiness Is Found in Letting Go

There are so many wonderful sayings about living in the moment, getting the most out of each and every day, loving and appreciating the people you surround yourself with, being thankful for friends and family and so on. However, as much as you may appreciate someone's presence in your life, some times, more joy will come from letting them go than to force their continued presence. 

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We all serve a purpose in each others lives. But some times, we are only needed for brief periods.  We grow apart, move away, change our life situations etc., and the memories from our encounters will live on, but our time together may not. Is that a bad thing?  Not at all.  

Our every day is enriched by new people and new experiences, while we still hold on to the solid core in our lives.  For children that is most often their parents. However, as adults, while we still respect and cherish our parents, we also have our own family and our own homes; our own core built on our own beliefs and standards.  Some times people fit in to our lives and serve a purpose for a while - as a friend, co-worker, lover, neighbor; and then it is time to let them go.  No hard feelings, we have just served our purpose in each others lives.

That sounds a lot easier  than I think it is. I find myself over and over again fighting the letting go part.  It is as though I have become the "hoarder of the heart", wanting to fill my life with all the people I care about, whether they want to be part of it or not.  Mostly because I truly value their friendship, and believe we still serve a purpose in eachother's lives, but some times, I have to admit, it is because I don't want to be left behind. Maybe because I want to be appreciated and loved, or because I always think I can fix every situation. But it might also be because I often am afraid to move on. As if letting go will somehow make my life less valuable. As much as I talk about change, that word often scares me.

Photo by Evgeni Dinev/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I know I am not the only one to feel that way.  Many of us hold on to relationships passed their due dates, because we think we can fix them; we hold on to jobs we are unhappy in, because we don't think we can do better, or deserve better; we continue to follow the same paths in life,  because we think that is the only way. But enough is enough!  

As much as change scares me, there is one thing I truly believe I deserve, and that is happiness.  In pursuit of happiness, I see that there are many areas in my life I need to "clean out". I know what I believe will make me happy, and I know what I believe I truly deserve. But I also intend on enjoying the journey of pursuing my goals. With that in mind, it's time to find the path less traveled, and I will no longer allow anybody and everybody to be part of my journey, at least not up close and personal.