don't worry be happy

I always liked this whimsical tune, it is a gentle reminder that attitude is everything. Yeah, don't worry..be happy, not always easy.


I remember when we were preparing for our move to South Korea and I was very stressed and worried. We had never lived in another country and I was nervous about it.
A very memorable moment in this process was when I caught a glimpse of the following words on a poster;
“most of the things we worry about never come to pass”

Hmm this gave me pause. How true! We spend so much time worrying in our lives about things that thankfully, don’t happen.

As it turned out,none of my worries about moving came to pass. We had a wonderful experience in Korea. I think of this from time to time and, after further reflection on this, I have come to the conclusion that the statement is true but I would like to include a little addendum;

“most of the things we worry about never come to pass…..
it’s those meteors that come out of nowhere that tend to flatten you”

So I keep reminding myself of the fact that worry is very counterproductive. It really doesn’t add anything to your life and worse, it robs us of our present over something that may never happen.
So what the heck..even though it looks like the world as we know
it will never be the same and things are crumbling all around us.
I am chosing to be grateful for what I have and whistle that happy
tune.

Don’t worry…be Happy

Another Retirement

Hmm Retirement. There is a lot of that going around these days.
Just when we finally think we have it figured out.. ..benched!
“Put me in back in coach” we say… Hurry while everything still works, the inevitable physical decline is looming on the horizon.
(the way, way DISTANT horizon)
Here we sit muttering “where am I going and what am I doing in this handbasket!)
(Note for those of you non Americans reading this or for the dull and humorless, this is a clever play on words based on the expression
“going to Hell in a handbasket” well...I thought it was clever!)
Anyway let me go on record as saying there is nothing wrong with retirement, we are looking forward to it, it is just retirement when you are not ready for it.

Today I am writing about a retirement that I have seen coming for a long time. There have been glimpses of its coming, foreshadowings that have hinted of this day.
And here it is arriving way too soon. Those ever turning pages in the chapters of life have recently changed gears and have turned into rifling pages zooming along. The retirement I am experiencing is a Mom retirement. I have just packed up my youngest child and moved her to Colorado where she will seek her fortunes. She has graduated from college and is ready to make her way in the world. She is turning into a grownup with a capital G. This is a good thing, as a mom, it is what we work hard to accomplish. But it is a definite transition. It is weird not to have her an hour away, and she is no longer a student. This is definitely a closing of a chapter. It will take a little getting used to.

Realistically I know moms never really retire, the role just changes. Now I must go.. I have to clean my empty nest..

note.. it isn’t REALLY empty she did not take much of her stuff!