I took Gavin to McDonald's - we do probably go once a week. I'm so grateful for the indoor playground to keep us out of the elements that can be wet and cold here! Gavin usually gets chicken nuggets (which YAY are on the dollar menu) and we get water. What I get varies. Sometimes I get nuggest with Gavin. If I'm feeling rich I get a salad. Sometimes we just get cookies to share. I just cannot stomach the burgers there anymore. I like their ice cream cones too. Back to the point - we were enjoying a fairly rainy morning at McDonald's. I was sitting at a table next to 2 women whose kids were playing. They were chatting about how unhappy, miserable, completely worn out one of them was. She was married - and her husband was being mean to her. They were both strikingly beautiful. They were tall and thin and young and blond. Friend A was showered, had make-up painted on carefully, dressed in a cute outfit with a matching hat. Friend B was in sweats - hair tossled and thrown in a pony-tail holder, obviously had not showered that morning. Hearing her talk about how horrible things were in her marriage and how she was just so unhappy with her husband really touched me. I was very sad for her and for her kids. Her friend was being a good listener and I have been sending positive thoughts their way.
Of course that made me think about myself and my situation. I sometimes get tired of being single, of being a single mom, of being not tall and slender and blond.... and it was an important reminder to me that I'd rather be happy. I'd rather be happy and single then unhappily married. I'd rather be happy and just have Gavin then a husband who is mean to me and makes me sad. I'd rather be happy with myself the way I am then be tall and slender and blond - - and still unhappy. It just made me extra grateful for my situation. I'm grateful for the relationships I've had that have continued to illustrate this point to me and teach me that I do not have to put up with people in my life that do not treat me nicely. We should all practice patience and forgiveness of course.... but people who don't make me feel happy - don't get to stick around me - - or me and Gavin for that matter.
I'm so lucky to have a life that really does make me happy most of the time. With all the stressors - I'm lucky to have so much to be happy about.
