My good friend came up with a brilliant game for a birthday party. Instead of bringing your same old go-to gift for a friend’s birthday, she asked us to bring the five things we couldn’t live without for the birthday girl. I loved the idea immediately. I learned about some really cool stuff I want to try from the other ladies.
But afterwards, the exercise has kept me thinking. Every time I pick up a product, I think, “Would this be on my list?” So I decided to blog it out and actually put my thoughts into
words. The list I’ve compiled does exclude the obvious, God and family. Those are above all else, and I could handle losing all of the items on the list, as long as I have them. So here goes. These are in no order of priority, and trust me, the list is a bit random….just like my thoughts.
1. Books: It’s hard to imagine a life without books. From such a young age, I was transported to different times, exotic lands…all in the pages of a book. I am in awe (I’m doing a little curtsy for them right now) of those who can write with such talent that we see the world through their eyes. Love books. Love to read. Not always so excited when the
movie gets made. Some really good material has been ruined on the big screen. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part, reading a book and letting your imagination take over is the way to do it.
2. Gardening: I just can’t explain the difference between fresh garden veggies vs veggies you buy in a store, if you’ve never tasted both. It’s like comparing the ant hill in my backyard to Mt. Everest….or the mud puddle in the driveway to the ocean. I would wade through dirt, weeds, bugs and snakes (and I hate all of the aforementioned) to grow my own vegetables
and enjoy them all year long. If you’ve never tried gardening, get on it right now. You can even do it in a pot on your back porch, and you won’t be sorry.
3. Coffee: Let me put it this way….I am not, in any way, a morning person. It’s bad to talk to me before 10 a.m. In fact, it’s just plain ugly. Thank goodness for coffee. It makes me tolerable. Please, for your own safety, don’t visit me in the morning without coffee.
4. Running: My volleyball coach recommended that team members run track in the spring to stay fit and develop endurance. I think I honestly hated it the first season. It was hard and at times, downright painful. My coach told me that running would be a sport I could carry with me for the rest of my life. It didn’t mean as much to me then as it does now, many years later. In fact, at the time all I could think was, “Please don’t vomit…please don’t vomit.” Running, in my opinion, is 20 percent physical and 80 percent mental. It takes incredible mental stamina stick to it. But the benefits are really, really worth it….confidence, health, fitness, meditation. I have learned an incredible number of life lessons through running. And I don’t
plan to stop until age forces me to.
5. Pets: I can’t imagine how cranky I would be without my animals. It’s amazing to me that people survive one single day without a pet. They love you when nobody else does, snuggle with you when you are sick or sad (no, I don’t snuggle with the chickens…but I do love them), and make you smile when you just don’t feel like it. My pets have been with me through some tough times, and no matter how bad my day seemed, there was always a loving friend waiting for me at the end.
6. Bath time at bedtime: I am an extremely active person. I mean, I actually don’t sit down during the day, unless I’m forced to for a meeting, and then it’s like I have ants in my pants. I remember saying to my mom when I was little, “Mom, can’t you seriously just sit down for two minutes and watch this with me?” Well…no, apparently she couldn’t. And neither can I. So when I get to the end of the day, my mind is buzzing, and my body is sore. A nice, hot bath with Epson salt (yes, I know….sounds like something an old person would say) will do wonders for a night of rest. I soak every night. The salts actually take the soreness away, and I feel like a new woman the next morning.
7. Really, really, really good shoes: All you cute little cuties out there in your cute shoes, listen up. Once in a while, take a break from those cute high heels and wear some good,
supportive shoes. You don’t have to do it every day, but do it occasionally. I have been fighting a double heel spur from my years in the corporate world, trying to look tall and cute. It’s been six months, and after about twelve VERY PAINFUL cortizone shots in the most vulnerable part of the foot, I still have pain every single day. Save yourselves!!! I call it “body Karma.” The bad things you do to your body in your twenties will come back to you times one thousand in your forties. So if you drink heavily, chain smoke, wear no sunscreen, bask in the tanning beds, ignore exercise, eat terribly and wear super-duper high heels (ok, ok, the heels aren’t as bad as the other stuff), enjoy your thirties ’cause it’s all downhill from there.
8. Lipstick: If I’m ever stranded on a deserted island, I need only one survival tool….lipstick. It’s not a particularly useful tool. No, I don’t know any survival tricks with lipstick. I just like the fact that I don’t look like a corpse when I wear it. If you ever see me without a tube of lipstick, take me to the ER, because something is terribly wrong.
9. Laughter: When I was younger, it was difficult for me to laugh at myself. As I reflect, I realize I was pretty uptight….total perfectionist. But with age comes wisdom. And with wisdom comes learning that you can and should laugh at yourself. Life is funny. Enjoy it. People love being around you way more when you’re not trying to act perfect all the time. We all have flaws. Embrace those flaws. Learn from them, and laugh at them. They are the very things that make you unique and very often, they will eventually define you. Life is about making mistakes. It’s how you pick up and move on from those mistakes that’s important.
10. Good friends: Last but certainly not least, I love to surround myself with good friends. I have learned what friends are not, and that has helped me understand the handful of people who truly fit into this category. Friends don’t make you feel bad about yourself, they don’t talk about you behind your back, they don’t say mean things to you, and they don’t judge you. Ever. They have a positive effect on your life and make you want to be a better person. They are your greatest cheerleaders, and they never try to compete with you. They love you 50 pounds overweight, in sweat pants and when you’ve just made a huge mistake. I had lunch with one of those special people today, and I gave her the analogy of a strainer when you are draining pasta. When times are good, everyone wants to be your friend. But when things are tough, it’s like pouring spaghetti from the pot to the strainer. Everything falls through except the good stuff. And that’s the stuff you want to hang onto for dear life.
And that, my friends, is my list. I apologize. It’s long, but it’s been a blast to write. Every English teacher I’ve ever had is screaming, “For the love of God, STOP WRITING!” So I’ll stop now. But I would love, love, love to hear your lists, too.
Hugs and blessings always,
LITTLE JEN in the BIG WOODS
Youre so cute and I love your blogs!!
I would agree whileheartedly with all of your list except I had to quit wearing very high heels before 40. I would add tweezers to my list. I told my kids there’s only 2 things i ask they do for me when i am unable to do it myself and that’s put my lipstick on me & make sure i don’t have a beard and monobrow.
Some of these would be on my list. But definitely not the running, lipstick or shoes. I really enjoy your blogs. Thanks for the entertainment.
please don’t vomit… please don’t vomit