My parents taught me to respect elders, no matter the age difference. Everyone has something to share that you could potentially learn from. Saturday I was at a Christmas party amongst elders, chatting with this really fun woman about 15 years my senior. This woman is pretty amazing; she’s had some hard times, but ALWAYS has a smile on her face. I remember my mom once invited her over to her house to pick raspberries and she dropped everything came over with her daughter and they picked every ripe berry in that patch then gave them all to my mom. My mom was a little flabbergasted by the gesture, she invited them so they could take the berries, my mom was capable of picking her own! That’s just the type of lady she is. She’ll do anything for you and I look up to that.
When she grabbed the seat next to me I was looking forward to hearing what she had to say. In hindsight I was NOT expecting this outlook on life.
First a little backstory: I’m a passionate person, often times that involves over-reacting. A few months ago there was a life issue that came up involving my husband and this unimportant girl, while I generally know how I’m going to handle things sometimes I reach out to my friends for other points of view to make sure I’m seeing clearly and not over-reacting. Soon after I collected the points of view, I posted on Facebook asking, “What age does wisdom finally kick in? Do you have to turn 30 for that?” One of my mother’s friends commented on that basically stating that you’re more wise than you know and it comes from experiences and living. She said that Alice in Wonderland once said, “I give myself such very good advise, but seldom ever take it.”
Saturday night, she asked me if I have giggle until you pee friends. I have great friends, few in numbers, but fantastic friends. Maybe it’s because only a few of us have kids and we’re still young that the bladder control issue isn’t really an issue, but no, I don’t really have giggle until you pee friends. She said I need to get some because (ready for this?) life sucks. I. Could. Not. Believe. She. Said. That! This coming from the only other person, besides me that ALWAYS has a smile on her face. I cannot recall one time where she had a frown. I’m not quite sure her face even knows how to frown and I’m very certain Botox is not part of the equation. How can life suck for someone that doesn’t show it? Makes one wonder if more people struggle than they let on or if the ones that do frown don’t know how to smile.
Life isn’t always peachy, but it’s hardly handing me lemons daily. If you never experience sadness can you even understand happiness? Often times I tend to enjoy the not so fun tense “rainy” days only because it makes me appreciate the sunny great days even more. I also believe this is the reason I live in Minnesota. If I lived in Hawaii or California I think I would take every sunny day for granted because tomorrow is going to be perfect too. But when I’m buried in 4 feet of snow and ice, for what feels like half the year, that really makes me look forward to the days that aren’t 20 below zero and it makes summer months a little slice of heaven.
I still respect this woman, but I’m going to take what she says lightly. Life is what you make of it. For me it is an adventure filled with surprises and memories to be made. Some of those surprises are poop filled diapers or Picasso drawings on my couches but the kids are only little once so you might as well enjoy it!
xo Jes