A Funny Little Thing Called...Life

There's a thing to understand about life...and that thing is that life is not always understandable.

Curve balls can be -- and often are -- thrown at any moment, without warning. We may think that we have everything all planned out and moving along like our favorite movie's storyline....but it doesn't always work that way. (Wouldn't you love to have an umpire shout about the "next batter"?)

And then there's the comparison trap. We look around at friends, neighbors, movie stars/singers, and even strangers and think that they have it all together. They're so much more successful than us. Their lives are moving along swimmingly, like our favorite movie's storyline. So why aren't ours?

Because those people don't exist.

Hang on a moment. They don't exist?

Huh?

Stay with me.

They don't exist -- not in the realm of our own true reality. They don't live with us, right? We can't look into their houses or apartments or work spaces, like a little child playing with a dollhouse, right?

And while, in truth, their reality is exactly the same as ours, filled with curve balls that throw them off course and create bubbles of confusion, frustration, and envy, they aren't here.

Of course, in realness they are. They are every bit as real as you and me. If they came to visit, they would eat and drink and talk and laugh the same as we do.

But when they're not with us? Who knows. Maybe they're just cardboard cutouts made to keep us in comparison confusion, virtual reality to look like they're there. They aren't living with us. They are people we hear about on the news or read stories from on Facebook...so how do we really know? And why do we really need to know?

Like the Schrodinger's cat experiment, they might be there...they might not. And in the spirit of getting on with our own lives, who cares?

I'm not saying we shouldn't care for or about each other -- that's another blog post (and probably one that I've already blogged about lots in the past). I'm saying we shouldn't care about what each of us is or isn't doing.

Because, if you think about it, everyone is struggling in his or her own way. Everyone feels down at some point. Not everything is "great" in a person's life, just because he or she has money, a good job, a seemingly fantastic spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend, sweet, obedient, and talented children or pets.

We're so focused on others and how they are doing in their lives that we forget our own lives.We need to leave behind the "what ifs" and "if onlys" and get to what is.

Enjoy your own job. Have fun with your own kids or pets, Love your own significant other. Worry about your own finances and feel blessed with what you have.

And when you have a curve ball thrown at you? Pray. And, in doing so, remember to pray for others who also face curve balls.

In the big scheme of things, everything else is just fluff.

==============

What are your thoughts? How do we get off the comparison train that seems to derail us in life?

Eating Crow...Gracefully

Recently, my job at the newspaper has given me more than the usual amount of opportunities to teach my kids important lessons. It seems the busier I get -- ie. the more stories I take on -- the less organized I am and the more mistakes I make.

Sigh. 

Mistakes are, of course, a part of everybody's life in some way or another...especially as children when we're "learning the ropes" in life, so to speak. So it's not an unusual or uncommon lesson to teach.

Just hard sometimes.

Sigh.

Still, that's when it becomes such a valuable one. 

Through my attitude and actions, I am showing them how to accept mistakes and fix them properly...and, hopefully, gracefully.

Basically: Eat crow.

In today's world, so many people want to hide from their mistakes. They want to pretend nothing happened and just let things roll by. It's an age of "it's not my fault."

I must admit that it's very tempting to join in.

But, while "crow" isn't very tasty, and I won't be perusing Allrecipes.com for crow recipes anytime soon, it feels so much better to do the right thing and make sure to admit my faults, apologize, and move on.

After all, a little "crow" never hurt anyone... Because, look! I'm still here.

Saying Another Goodbye...

How do you say goodbye to someone who wasn't really a part of your life?

How do you listen and nod in agreement as the priest recounts what a "good life" he led? Even though...even though, you know differently.

*****************

I guess you mourn the passing of someone who was a part of your genetics but not necessarily a part of your life.

*****************

Yet, he was.

If only in a small way.

*****************

My grandfather died last Monday. My mom's father. My children's great-grandfather.


He was the only one I had, since my paternal grandfather died before I was even thought about.

We went to his funeral this afternoon -- to say goodbye to someone I never really greeted very often. But funerals are for the living...not the departed.

It's strange really. A very odd way to feel. Going to a funeral and not feeling, well, really much of anything.

*****************

But I love horses. And he loved horses, too. And I love studying World War II. And he lived through and served in World War II. And according to the "day you were born" poem, being born on Thursday means I have "far to go." And he worked as a conductor on trains.

I guess we really are linked.

If only in some small and quirky ways.

And I'll miss the chance to really get to know him better.

Two Guys, a Girl, and a Little White Bear

I'm afraid my Monday musings will be a bit more sporadic at the moment.

The holidays and busyness of trying to keep my household from imploding going insane disintegrating...er, um, just keep my household going has gotten the best of me. So I may not be able to keep up with my daily posts like I usually do...

...and this makes me very sad.

I began blogging nearly three years ago to get myself writing again. It was my once-a-day forced dose of "getting back myself," and I loved it. I had a bit of "me" back...and it felt great!

Now, with an infant in tow again, I am unable to keep up with it all and need to regroup to figure out our new normal.

But I'll be back in full-swing before too long.

Until then, enjoy:

Two guys (in matching brothers' shirts)...

A girl (accepting her 3rd-year award/present at 4-H)...

And a little white bear. (Ethan, 12 weeks old)

10 on 10 - Day in a Life

I pinched this from picking.up.purls who used it from the 10 on 10 photoblog.

The idea is to chronicle the 10th day of the month by taking 10 consecutive photos -- one an hour for 10 hours. You can see another example here.

As this is my first time doing this and my camera isn't that powerful, it's a bit ordinary...but I feel inspired and excited to do it again next month. Join in the fun!!

Here goes June's edition of a very ordinary day in our lives...

8 a.m.


9 a.m.


10 a.m.


11 a.m.


12 p.m.


1 p.m.


2 p.m.


3 p.m.


4 p.m.


5 p.m.