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On my way into work the other day I noticed that one of my neighbors has a Christmas bounce house in their front yard. I have to admit a part of me wants to stick it with a pin.
I know, kinda Scroogish, eh? Grinchish if you prefer even. At least that's what folks on Facebook & Twitter said when I asked about it.
Really though, there is a reason I have issues with bounce houses, and ball pits, trampolines, and even Christmas & New Years. (What? I had to stick to all inanimate objects?) It's pretty simple really.
I think they're all over-hyped things that end up, (with few exceptions) being HUGE disappointments. Dreams unrequited. Bitter tear-stained lists never completed. Injury upon injury. Crushing blow upon crushing blow...
Okay, maybe that's a little too dramatic. Let's break this down...
The first time I went into a bounce house I got stuck in a corner, couldn't get out and eventually had to actually be rescued feet first. The second time - an overcrowded mess. Nobody could jump.
But the third time... I had the bounce house all to myself. I could bounce to my heart's content. It was mine, all mine. Mwahahahahahaha!
Wait a minute:
Who wants to go in a bounce house alone?
BoooooooooRRRRiiinnnnnggggg!!!!!
Pretty similar experience with the ballpit. Only if you dive head first into the ballpit, and it's not really "full" enough as it were... Did you know that you could hit your head and maybe cause permanent brain damage?!!???!! Okay, maybe not permanent. (Would explain a lot though, eh? ;-)
Trampolines? Well, I ask you - How could anyone who has seen the movie Big ever think any ordinary trampoline could ever be worth their while?!? (And, oh by the way, why can't I find that scene on YouTube?) If you don't know the scene I'm talking about - go out and rent the movie.
Now!
You still here?
Moving on - Christmas? New Years? No, no. I don't have any detailed lists or stories. I've talked before about my issues with Christmas and New Years, and I think it's pretty clear that while I do have issues with certain areas of these two holidays, I also have come to terms with finding my own way to deal with them.
Huh?
Here's what I'm getting at.
If my 40th year was my year of inventory, then my 41st year has been my year of recognition. And the thing I've recognized the most is this:
Life is what you make of it.
You may have noticed I've been away from the blog and only found intermittently in the usual spots online in the past month or so. There's a few reasons for that, a few I'd rather not discuss, and a few I'm sure I'll discuss in the coming year. We're just gonna leave it at that for now.
As I review 2009, I'm recognizing that my life is a bit cyclical. Parts of that cycle are good. Parts of that cycle need to be changed. I need to make more of an effort to do that. So, that's where I'm going from here.
I need to find a way to adjust, to accept, to enjoy the bounce house and the ballpit, very much like I've come to terms with Christmas and New Years, and I cannot do it alone.
Wanna come with me?
14 hours ago
3 comments:
Absolutely. I'm sort of a control freak, so being out of control in a situation can leave me way out of my comfort zone. As we head out of 2009, my family has now lived through the 3rd year that my husband still doesn't have a permanent job. Would the money be nice if he had one? Sure, but we have been taken care of well enough. It's the no control of the situation that has been the hardest. I just recently said to my husband, 2009 was the year of trying to catch up and fix up from everything life has thrown at us these last few years. I declare that 2010 is the year of peace. I apply that to all kinds of ways to be peaceful. Here are just a few: Letting people be who they are and realizing it is not my job to change them. Being content with what I have by knowing that when I want what I have, I will have what I want. Being ok with not always having a plan of attack for everything that comes along or may come along...roll with it instead. That is painfully hard for me. And, most of all living a life of "Let Go and Let God." I have said that I do often enough, but in 2010, I really want to do it more than I say it. Cheers Jim! May 2010 be a year of peace and happiness for you and all your family.
It's about learning to love the crazy, Jim. Don't let the crazy make YOU go crazy - appreciate it for what it is, laugh at it, and move on! Ballpits and trampolines and holidays with family are full of crazy, but you only have fun if you let yourself love the tangled up disaster that it really is - and try not to worry if you get stuck in the corner. We all do once in a while ;)
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
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