It's Saturday morning. I woke up with a headache three days in a row. Perhaps I'm not drinking enough water. The sun is too bright for morning. I planned on going to the farmer's market today, but not under this heat umbrella. I decided to stay put.
A couple weeks ago a teacher from the school I attended as a child wrote to me on facebook. It was a surprise to her from her but a very welcomed surprise. I replied to her message this morning. Doing so brought back childhood memories. I used to spend the night at her house, playing with her daughter who was a couple years my junior. Her daughter would spend the night at my house too. Now her daughter is married with two children. I can still picture her vividly as being a little girl shorter than me with blonde pigtails. She is by far much taller than me now.
A friend of mine purchased a house. What a cute place! She hasn't lived in it for a month yet, but she's imprinting her mark on her new space. For a girl who has never mowed the lawn in her life, she already purchased a lawn mower and operated it. The responsibilities of adulthood and homeowner keep piling up as she is learning how to trim her bushes and prune her young tree in the front yard. With an energetic puppy she recently purchased, I would qualify her as a single parent. She's enrolling him in puppy school; she keeps a meticulous watch over his diet; she rushes home to walk him. Now her weekends will consist of yard work. She's happy. She has a good job; her dream for a house is fulfilled. She is purchasing furniture. I see her glow with the contentment of being an adult.
My life is different. I am single with no pet or children. I rent my abode. We do share a common thread though. We're happy with our lives. I am happy not to own a house. As I told my mother I don't want to do yard work. Whenever I need something fixed in my place, I contact the landlord. (This is totally a digression, but by me just writing 'landlord' brings to my mind a picture of a serf work the lord's land to contribute to the taxes he enforces.) All that to say is that I can't compare my life, or rather my station in life, with my friends. Why did I bring that up? I was presented with an opportunity to compare what I don't have with what they have. That's not right, in fact that is harmful for it could rob you of your own happiness. Why would you do that--why would I do that? Hence, I stopped the thoughts and did not follow it.
I was reminded of a statement from a podcast. Each day we make memories. So make it good. What I take pleasure in are writing, photographing, cooking, learning. I am able to come home from work and choose to either cook a lovely meal or eat something simple, to spend time blogging or journaling, to read a book or learn something online. Whatever I do with my time though, I want to fill it with inspiration. Not all days are easy, but I do believe that it is within my power to either make my day memorable or horrible.
All pictures © Sriprae P. McDonald
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