Gratitude

People are silly.
I think the more you allow others to do things for you, the easier it gets. And I don't refer to laziness necessarily - just seeing it as something "other people" do. I constantly do things for people at work that I would never ask others to do for me -and am still amused at it all. I think there are advantages to asking others do some things (I mean I am infamous for trying to do EVERYTHING and then having a meltdown) but I think you do yourself a disservice if you *expect* them to.

It's an attitude thing.

While I would love to have someone come to my house every few weeks and clean it, I don't. Even if I could budget for it - I think you need to do things for yourself occasionally to remember what you *aren't* doing. So you APPRECIATE what others do for you, often, even when you don't ask them to. Yes, even when it's their JOB to do those things. Because you sure notice it when they suddenly aren't there to do it, or someone incompetent starts to fill in for them...or (gods forbid) you have to do it yourself.

While on holidays, we had a family movie night and found a film even my parents would enjoy - Bucket List. Pretty good film actually...the Jack Nicholas character in it really got me thinking. He had a lot of money and people to do things for him...PAs to order about and keep him looked after, but in the end, when left to fend for himself he found he couldn't do it...and he had to ask for help because he didn't know how to do some things. The people he had ignored or pushed away didn't HAVE to be nice to him...because he wasn't kind to them. This was an extremely minor thing to the story of the film, but it's really stuck with me.
Why? Well, I never want to make someone feel small or inferior because they are doing something I feel is "below me", and therefore *they* are somehow less important than they really are. Even if there are others (or handy dish robots) to do it for me I want to understand what they do, and how much effort and skill it takes for them to do it. The gratitude and appreciation I feel when I focus on these things really changes the focus of my mood. It reminds me to be focused on what is a big deal and what really isn't. Sometimes it is important to know that I'm just another person doing "my thing" and that I need other people doing "their thing" to do mine. To be reminded that not all things are fun or enjoyable, but someone has to do it...and do it well. To remember that when I give to others and it is noticed and appreciated that they see that kindness and give it to others as well. It passes from person to person. Things get better.

Where am I going with this? Nowhere really...just what's been floating thru my head this morning.
Thank you. All of you. For all you do.

Gratitude. Patience. Hard Work...Not just for chumps! :)