Perspective

Today was trying hard to be a sucky day but I refused to let it get me down!

First of all, I got up early to get things done, dressed, with make-up and everything, and went to a meeting at 10:00 to find out the woman I was meeting with had been called away and wasn’t available. Did she call me to tell me she was called away so that I didn’t drive over there in the rain? No. She didn’t. Not only that but I e-mailed her to re-schedule the meeting and I haven’t heard back. So I have no idea where that stands. But I refuse let it get me down.

Did I mention that on the way to the meeting, in the rain, one of my windshield wipers came loose? I had to turn off the wipers before I lost it, drove into a parking lot and re-fastened it. As I drove home from the failed meeting, it came loose again and I realized it was probably not just an easy fix but needed to be replaced. So that was an added inconvenience in my day. But I refused to let it get me down.

In the afternoon, I decided to get the shopping done for the bean supper this Saturday. I also picked up some items for myself. When I reached the register, I said to the clerk: “This will be two orders. The first order is for church and the second is for me. I need two receipts so I can be reimbursed”. She said ok and began scanning the order. When she finished with the church stuff, she said, “That will be $33.88”. I ran my card through the machine while watching the bagger to make sure she put the items in the bags evenly (for some reason they like to put all they can in one bag and one item in the next). Then I noticed the clerk was scanning the rest of the items. I asked her for the receipt for the church items and she said “Oh, you wanted two receipts?” I stayed calm. I didn’t reply sarcastically, “yes,when I said I needed two receipts I meant that I needed two receipts”. Instead I said “yes, so I can get reimbursed from the church…I need the church items on a separate receipt”. So she deleted my items off the order and gave me a receipt for the church stuff and then re-scanned my items. I know, I could have just deducted my stuff from the receipt and turned it in that way but it is easier to just have all the items for church on one receipt. But I guess the clerk misunderstood my clear instructions and felt that if she just shouted out what the total was, I would memorize it and just tell the treasurer at church and he would just hand me the money. I think that is what she was thinking. Or not. I do know that it was all highly annoying but I refused to let it get me down.

After I dropped everything off at church, I came home, changed and sat down to relax and drink some coffee (de-caf…of course). About a half hour later, an ambulance pulled into the driveway and a few minutes later they left with my upstairs neighbor in the back.

I saw my next door neighbor come down from upstairs a while after that and I stuck my head out the door and asked her what was going on. Her niece and his daughter played together all summer so she knows him much better than I do. As I stood on my step for the next half hour or so and heard the sad tale of what was happening in his life, his daughter’s life and her (my next door neighbor’s) life, I realized that I have NOTHING to complain about. Soap opera writes have nothing on the drama that has been going on in their lives.

Yes, I had a series of annoyances happen to me today. Yes, I could have let it all get me down. But, even if it had, hearing what was happening in the lives of those who live near me would have made me feel really bad if I let my petty problems depress me. There are people who have so much worse things happening to them.

Nothing like a little perspective to help me keep my priorities straight. And makes me realize how truly blessed my life is…minor annoyances and all.