Come Thirsty
You know how they say everything is 90% reaction? It's true.
I've been having really awful encounters on the road and I get really riled up over some idiot who refuses to be safe and then makes it a point to express their, um, resentment to wards me for insisting on keeping to a lane, or signaling... Whatever it is, I flare up and literally feel the life drain out of me from the stress. And this is just with driving. I'm also having the same bursts of exasperation and indignation over people I work with indirectly. So far, so bad.
But then I remember a time when I used to email you guys and just say, today I decided to be happy. And it worked! It still works!
No matter how much is put on our plates, as Anna puts it, and no matter how spread thinly we become in our demanding from ourselves quality output, we can go home jubilant or at the very least, content. The idea is to find joy in what you do. I'm not saying it's easy. We can confuse finding joy with what we do with finding joy with who we work for or with who we work with or with what we reap or with what time we are given to ourselves. And that's not it. We need to find joy in what we do as a person, not as an employee or co-worker or sister or daughter or friend.
I'm so proud of all of you for what you've become and I'm honored to call you gals my friends.
I'm proud because you take pride in your work. I'm proud because you find it important to spend time with family. I'm proud that you make an effort to make others feel appreciated. I'm proud of your strength. I'm proud of your courage and humility in changing jobs, or in handling pressures at work. I'm proud that you don't tale shortcuts despite the overwhelming temptation to do so. I'm proud that you are honest and open to share some of your fears with the rest of us. I'm proud that you are taking on a lot of responsibility at work because each of you have shown the passion and competence for it.
I've been having really awful encounters on the road and I get really riled up over some idiot who refuses to be safe and then makes it a point to express their, um, resentment to wards me for insisting on keeping to a lane, or signaling... Whatever it is, I flare up and literally feel the life drain out of me from the stress. And this is just with driving. I'm also having the same bursts of exasperation and indignation over people I work with indirectly. So far, so bad.
But then I remember a time when I used to email you guys and just say, today I decided to be happy. And it worked! It still works!
No matter how much is put on our plates, as Anna puts it, and no matter how spread thinly we become in our demanding from ourselves quality output, we can go home jubilant or at the very least, content. The idea is to find joy in what you do. I'm not saying it's easy. We can confuse finding joy with what we do with finding joy with who we work for or with who we work with or with what we reap or with what time we are given to ourselves. And that's not it. We need to find joy in what we do as a person, not as an employee or co-worker or sister or daughter or friend.
I'm so proud of all of you for what you've become and I'm honored to call you gals my friends.
I'm proud because you take pride in your work. I'm proud because you find it important to spend time with family. I'm proud that you make an effort to make others feel appreciated. I'm proud of your strength. I'm proud of your courage and humility in changing jobs, or in handling pressures at work. I'm proud that you don't tale shortcuts despite the overwhelming temptation to do so. I'm proud that you are honest and open to share some of your fears with the rest of us. I'm proud that you are taking on a lot of responsibility at work because each of you have shown the passion and competence for it.
So don't beat yourself up. People love who you are. And when you hear me complaining about not spending time, it's a mere short-term irritation because I miss you. But it doesn't change the fact that I celebrate your success every day.
I ask only that you give yourself the opportunity to enjoy life. At work and at home. Not by counting the hours you put in each but by reveling in the knowledge that you are blessed by opportunities, by stability, by understanding, by love.
I'm waxing philosophical and probably getting too dramatic. I just need all of you to know that we're living a good life and that's enough to make you sleep peacefully at night. Be joyful. Be grateful. I stopped waiting for my life to get easy, and decided to go easy on myself instead. And so far, so good.
I ask only that you give yourself the opportunity to enjoy life. At work and at home. Not by counting the hours you put in each but by reveling in the knowledge that you are blessed by opportunities, by stability, by understanding, by love.
I'm waxing philosophical and probably getting too dramatic. I just need all of you to know that we're living a good life and that's enough to make you sleep peacefully at night. Be joyful. Be grateful. I stopped waiting for my life to get easy, and decided to go easy on myself instead. And so far, so good.