Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Joie de vivre

Joy.  Why are y'all so afraid to show it? I could try to stand here and write why don't I show it but I'm not going to lie to you or smudge the lines. We'll save that for a good Smokey eye one evening. Is there some kind of mommy club now where y'all feed off of each other's jealousy, snarky comments about other mommas, and stale graham crackers? Does someone win a bag of old slimy potatoes for having the worst life?  Is your life really that bad? I would tell you I'm sorry your life is so terrible but I'm not sorry. I told y'all I'd be real.

I'm not talking about venting, or heartfelt used up exhaustion here, and I'm not going to tell you to stop complaining. That's not who I am. I'm a firm believer in being able to pour your heart out to someone before you get crazy eyes. Complaining happens. My moral code says you don't betray a momma who is venting out of frustration. Or judge your friends based on their complaints. She needs you. Feelings really and truly matter. Struggles with children matter. Telling a momma who needs you to listen to her to hush up makes me want to say hold my earrings and send my seconds out after you.

Yet there's a time when its not these genuine struggles or matters and it gets old. There's a time when it stops being venting and complaining and it becomes a concern. It stops being complaining and becomes a complete lack of joy. Maybe it's just me but if it gets to the point where someone is constantly complaining about their children or their life I want to tell them to do something about it like a lifestyle change. Go get a job, and see what that's like.  Maybe then life won't be so dang bad, right? It's not of my business though.

I get it. Babies are work. A house is work. Laundry is work. Everything is hard. Y'all it's hard for everyone. Life is work. Everyone is busy and tired. Self sacrifice y'all. Suck it up and deal with it. FIND THE JOY.

Joie de vivre, joy of living. It matters. Take pictures of the little things that make you happy. Stop being afraid that someone is going to think you're bragging about those flowers or that sweet thing your husband did. Take that step with me. Be happy for others.

Close your eyes when you take that first sip of sweet tea. Rejoice in the blessings of having children and enjoy them. Don't let others bitterness bring you down. Maybe it's where I'm from.... That I was taught to consider taking joy in so many little things like gumbo, flowers, rain boots, and pearls that they become huge things that magnify the joy in my life.

Blessed are those that are flexible because they do not get bent out of shape. Deal with it. Wipe the poop, put that poopy diaper in the garbage, wash your hands and put on some lipstick. What we have is good enough and there is more joy and blessing in that 15 year old comforter than that fancy new one I bought on sale 2 months ago.

Roll your eyes at the garbage and just breathe.

When some of us say we're blessed, we really really are blessed.

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