Friday Follies - It's Great to be Grateful

Who doesn't love Winnie-the-Pooh?

Getting caught up in life's little annoyances and problems is unavoidable, but I think Winnie-the-Pooh had the right idea.  Gratitude can change everything.  We all fall into the trap of letting inconsequential hiccups cause much more grief than necessary. I know with myself, I can slide down this slippery-slope very easily and quickly.  As reflected in the lovely silver 'wisdom' hairs on my head, I'm much older now, and have learned that it's not worth the energy to let these things affect me more than they should. 

Sometimes when I'm just minding my own business, thankfulness for my life whacks me across the face like being slapped with a big, wet fish.  It's pretty hard to ignore.

Some things I'm grateful for....

- As I age, my body is changing in ways that I don't appreciate and quite frankly, horrify me.  But it all works (mostly) and I am grateful that I am mobile, semi-sane (matter of opinion) and reasonably healthy.

- People irritate the shit out of me in general and I don't have a very active social life (okay, that's not a negative - I'd be a hermit if I could), but I have many, many good friends that I know I can rely on.

- Although I may not have as many pets as I dream of, but I have changed the world for the pets that I do have and have had, and hope with all of my heart that I am giving them the best, most loved life possible.

- Work annoyances usually don't bother me, as it's just work.  This week I've had to have a stern talk with myself to remind me of the positives of my job. It has been a week of observing an overbearing bully attack most of the staff at one point or another.  All I can do is just quietly smile, remind myself that it doesn't matter, and am quietly satisfied that my life is a heck of a lot better than hers and she clearly has a very sad internal life.

- I have made some poor decisions in life (and I am VERY grateful that most of mine were made before social media....I dodged a bullet there!), and when I look back on some of mine, I can only cringe and push these memories back into the box in my mind that keeps them hidden away from sight.  I prefer to focus on some of my better decisions, such as moving to Australia to spend more time with my family. Not only have I enjoyed the company of my parents (yes, I actually like them and consider them my friends - don't tell that to my teenage self, she would never believe you in a million years) and I am happy that they are still in good health. Many others of the same age have increasingly declining health or are no longer with us.  My move to Australia also means that I no longer have to endure the torture of long, dark, bitterly cold winters, for which I am so, so thankful (did I mention that I was thankful?)!  The thought of never having to shovel a driveway again is a very nice thought indeed.

- And, of course, my decision to move halfway across the world meant that I met my ever-suffering husband, and we are still together and in what I consider (and hope he does to!) a solid, healthy and loving marriage.  We drive each other crazy sometimes and push each other's buttons, but we are a team, and a pretty good one at that.

My father gave me some advice at once when I was wallowing in the depths of despair and bemoaning my life (also known as being a 'drama queen' according to my dad) that I still use today and find incredibly useful at putting things into perspective.  "When something happens, think about how it will affect you.  Will it still matter 5 minutes from now, 5 days from now, 5 months from now or 5 years from now?  Give it the attention it deserves."  As soon as I remind myself of this, it becomes easier to let the small irritations go and remember that everyone is dealing with their own crap.  I'm pretty sure that none of these will be brought up at my funeral, so in the immortal words from Frozen, I'll let it go.

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." William Arthur Ward

"Let us be grateful for people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust