My Silver Linings

In retrospect, my last post ended up being more negative than otherwise.  It happens ... and I'm not going to apologize for it.  This is the one place where I can say exactly what I think and how I feel without being told how /why / to what degree I'm wrong.  That's not to say I feel negative toward my family very often, but when I do, I really don't appreciate having my feelings discounted or pooh-poohed with responses that translate to I'm either crazy, delusional, stupid, or a liar.

And now that I've got that off my chest ...

Last week was super-hairy-crazy-busy-overloaded stressful at work.  To the point where my IBS flared up so badly that by Friday I was spending half the day in the washroom and eating ibuprofen and loperamide like jelly beans.  Well, I knew that this week wouldn't be any better, but I was determined not to let it aggravate my system again.  So today, whenever I felt myself starting to react I just turned my chair around to face away from the desk, took three slow, deep breaths, and told myself not to take it personally.  And it worked!  I felt fine all day, and I still do.  Physically, mentally, emotionally.  So tonight seems like a good time to think about the positives in my life instead of the negatives.

Cloud:  super-hairy-crazy-busy-overloaded days at work.
Silver lining:  a job I love and that I'm really good at (and that incidentally pays pretty well too!).  And every now and them, a client actually expresses appreciation.  It means a lot, folks.  If someone has done a good job for you  -  tell them so!  You'll make their day, I guarantee it.

Cloud:   man and daughters who think they are and will always be my number-one priority.
Silver lining:  man and daughters who are and always will be my number-one priority.

Cloud:  elderly cats who yarf up dead bugs in the living room.
Silver lining:  elderly cats who are still healthy, active, and interested enough to chase and catch the aforementioned bugs.

Cloud:  house that never seems to get clean no matter how much I clean it.
Silver lining:  it's home, and it's mine, and what doesn't get done today will get done another day.  (Besides, cleaning a house with a man living in it is like shoveling the walk while it's still snowing.  And he cooks.)

Cloud:  never enough time or working space to do all the things I want to do.
Silver lining:  I am never bored.  I really mean that. Never.

I may not have achieved as much as some people in worldly or material ways, but I have everything I need, most of what I want, and the freedom to enjoy it.  I have more, in most areas, than ninety-nine per cent of the people on this planet. I have education, security, personal safety and freedoms, health and health care.  I have a roof over my head, suitable clothing for the climate, enough to eat, clean water, reliable transportation, and work that pays a wage I can live on.  What I don't have (except when the IBS is really bad) is any good reason to feel sorry for myself.  Compared to most of the world  -  and any number of people I know  -  I am fortunate.  And, most of the time, grateful.