Favourite Things Friday

Hello Friday. Do you have any idea how much I love you? It seems like only a few days since you were last here but you're always welcome. 

My week has been full of good intentions and subsequently a healthy dose of feeling sorry for myself. I intended to get into work early some days this week and it didn't happen. I intended to sew after work - it didn't happen. I intended to keep my house tidy and clean during the week so this weekend would be completely mine and free of housework  - and that didn't happen either. And that set me to thinking about how much it sucks to have to work , and how I don't get to sew whenever I want and how much I hate house work.  A lot of my time this week  has been spent feeling resentful about the things I have to get done every week and the fact that a lot of my life is taken up with things that given the choice,  I'd rather I didn't have to do. 

Until last night when I was reflecting on my week and playing my favourite mental game of comparing my life to every other person I've ever even heard of. I love that game because I start off by thinking about how much better or cooler or easier everyone else has it and wind up by coming to the realisation that everyone has stuff they wish they didn't have to do-no matter how great their life might look from the outside. 

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle and mundane of every day life we forget to be thankful for the things we have . Things that seem like annoyances or barriers or mundane things and so we take them for granted  or spend a lot of time being resentful of them. The conclusion I came to was that  I was spending too much time looking at those every day things all wrong. So I started thinking about the things that had been making me pissy in a totally different light. Epiphany.

I have no right to complain about my job. I'm lucky to have a job when so many people don't. It's a good job and I work with fantastic people. I have a boss who believes in giving credit where it's due and recognises that the people who work for her are experts in their field. There is no interference or micro managing or checking up.  Plenty of people would kill for my job and while it comes with a high degree of stress and unpredictability  I can't think of anything else I'd rather do. (unless I won lotto and opened my own book store )  And that job brings in the money that enables me to have a life when I'm not there. 

There is no point in whining about housework. If you live in your house stuff is going to get dirty. It shows you're really living. And the fact that nobody is home during the day should mean the house doesn't really get that grotty. Oh who am I kidding? We have inside horses dogs . Our house is a tip. But our house is still ours and we have a roof over our heads and this house reflects who I am. It's my safe haven from the world. This is the place where living and loving and crying and wound licking happens when the world is unkind. It's warm and dry and full of the things and people I love.  Lots of people don't have that security.

Next time I whinge about not being able to eat fillet steak every night or that we have "nothing to eat in this house" I really need to remind myself that we eat very well. Sometimes I cook things just to see if I can. I don't usually worry about the price of things too much. If I want a lamb roast I go and buy it. Lots of people don't have that luxury. I've never known actual hunger like many people on the planet who would be grateful for that two week old suss looking avocado in the bottom of my vegetable crisper. 


The conclusion I came to at about midnight last night is that I have a pretty good life. So ultimately my favourite thing this week is the ability to be thankful for those things and the gifts I've been given. Good friends, my health,  the ability to make choices and have a bit of fun occasionally. (But I'm never going to adore doing house work )

I'd love to hear what little things you're thankful or grateful for or any other favourite things you'd care to share this week.