March 8, 2010 – More on Perspective

Do you see how some people make difficult things look easy? 

Tonight’s perspective came after a visit to a fast food restaurant/play area with a group of parents and children, myself and my kids.

----------------------
I was frustrated with myself for not being able to deal as well as I perhaps should have with the kids.   I was thinking about how I was sweating at the play castle, how I was chasing the kids, counting down the minutes until we could leave, wondering why I thought this was even a semi-entertaining idea and hoping that my behind was not hanging out of my pants while I was chasing a 2 year old up and inside of a play gym between bites of dinner, all the while silently gagging at the impending viruses now onto my hands and his mouth.   So disgusting.

And then I looked at the girl next to me, there alone, like me…  plus a kid.  She’s in a mini-skirt.  With make-up on.  Smiling.  Engaging.  Loving every minute of it.  Talking to her kids about what fun this was. 

I became frustrated at why I wasn’t  able to d-e-a-l better…

I took it another step and began to think of a friend I know who is dealing with a lot right now… and still doing it.  Still with the ability to call and laugh (and call and cry) but with shreds of positivity.  I then thought of a friend I know who is also dealing with a lot but who isn’t really dealing… just doing.   I’m not here calling people out or trying to covertly depict people in my life.  After all, I began this by confessing my complete inadequacies as a parent at a fast food joint tonight for starters….I’ve hardly room to talk or to point greasy germ covered fingers.

It’s just that all of this thinking and then this…. gives me a little more to think about.

“The difference between a mountain and a molehill is your perspective. – Al Neuharth”

Food for thought tonight.   Her molehill was my mountain.   Maybe my molehill is her mountain.  Maybe not. 
Something to keep in mind, for me anyway.   Regardless of my excuses (or justifiable reasons) for being stressed overboard or hers for not being so, the bottom line, is her evening looked more fun… I want to be like that.    Not just in play castles (because really, that just MAY not be my thing) but in all aspects of my life… the ups the downs, the good times, the bad.   Something to think about… a work in progress here… but most certainly enjoying the work.

~K