WHEN I'M SIXTY-FOUR

Did anyone else think you’d be 64 before your body started aching all over?  I sure did.  I never paired my 30s with pain.  I came across this little meme today and though I laughed, I also sighed…

I don’t know about you, but this is what I feel like most days.  And as of today, I’m far from sixty four.

Relating to this though, kind of irritated me.  I don’t want to be the frumpy, tired, grumpy adult that gets all negative about life whenever anyone asks, "How are you?".  I like to think of myself as the “glass is half full” kind of girl, but lately I feel like my glass is half empty… and has a crack in it.

Lately, I find myself thinking back on my own childhood and early adult life and remember how easy it all seemed.  As a kid, my parents did all the worrying…all I had to do was wake up every day and breathe.   As a young adult, I didn’t have much, but I also didn’t worry much either.  (I mean, I could grocery shop using only a basket!!  A basket!!  You know what I’m talking about?  That sweet little carrying unit the stores provide for people without kids and mortgage?  Yeah, THAT basket.  Ahh…let’s bask in that for a moment, shall we?)

But it’s all about perspective.  As a kid, though breathing was my only task, I found ways to complain and think my life was horrid.  My parents weren’t ones who believed in sleeping in on Saturdays (or any day for that matter) and as a teenager I truly believed their form of torture was to wake me up at seven or earlier.  And then, at 7 am they made me do the most heinous work – like clean the house, mow the yard, do the laundry, work at their office!!  Can you believe I was able to survive?  It’s a wonder I’m here today to write about it…

As a young adult carrying my small little grocery basket, I remember watching the families shop together thinking about how they would go home to their nice house and savor an amazing meal, then kick back and enjoy each other’s company.  All the while, I went home to my quiet, empty, little duplex, shoved my Lean Cuisine in the microwave and graded papers.  Poor me.

Now I would kill for these previous times with so little work and worry.  And I’d kinda like to kick younger Jaime’s butt for not being more appreciative of what she had going on…

As a child/teenager, I wasn’t thankful that I never had to worry about money or how to provide for a family.  I didn’t have to buy clothes for myself, I just accept the ones purchased for me.  I didn’t have to think about what was on the table to eat, I just show up and consumed.  As a young adult, I wasn’t thankful for the lack of responsibilities in my life.  Yes, I had a job and was a functioning adult in society, but I was only responsible for myself.  I had to cook FOR ONE.  I had to do laundry FOR ONE.  I had bills to pay FOR ONE.  That’s it…just ONE PERSON.

You can see where I’m going with this, can’t you?  Mother’s of the world, you know what I’m going complain about without even writing a word, don’t you?

Why do I keep doing this? 

Instead of hating to grocery shop and make dinner every night, shouldn’t I be thankful for the means to provide for a family and enjoy their entertaining conversations?

Instead of being frustrated at the noise, the finger prints, the never-ending piles of mud that seem to accompany my children where ere they roam, shouldn’t I be thankful for two HEALTHY energetic boys?

Instead of being overwhelmed by the tasks to keep up my home, shouldn’t I be thankful God has blessed me with so much to take care of?

Instead of longing for the days when I thought my life was easier and simpler, shouldn’t I be thankful for what I am experiencing RIGHT NOW?

Yes.  I should.

So, bring on the backaches!  It only proves I have been busy working hard.

Bring on the exhaustion – it just means I’ll get a better night’s sleep!

And bring on the forgetfulness – it just proves my life is so full I can’t keep track of it all!

Here’s to you life – bring it.  

And maybe, when I’m sixty-four, I will have learned how to be thankful for the present.