Living Room Leglifts

Who would have thought one bedroom would make such a difference?  I used to live in a studio that was a good size for just me.  The kitchen was separated from the main living space and it worked.  A little over a month ago, I moved into a one bedroom apartment and it is huge compared to my old place.  Its great to be able to go into another room for a change of scenery.

I love sitting on my bed reading and having the sunlight peeking through the blinds.  Even on a cold, wintery day when the sun is bright it's so easy to imagine I am somewhere else.  This is one of my favorite things to do.  Lay about with a warm blanket and a good book.  Of course when the sun is shining through and life is good, and my book is entertaining I can't help but allow my mind to wander.  I am currently reading Jodi Piccoult's "Picture Perfect."  Sometimes when I turn the page and begin a new chapter I look around and start to think about life.  This is what I did today.  Reading makes me want to write.  I get sidetracked so easy, but instead of putting the bookmark in its place, and grabbing my laptop I stayed right there in bed and read.  And then when I got tired I took a nap.  Daytime naps are the best.  I feel like a cat sprawled out on the bed soaking in that sun and dreaming.

Today has been good.  I have to remember this feeling.  I try to remember that my life is pretty darn good.  From the beginning I have been lucky.  My parents are still married and I have one brother and one sister.  Everyone is healthy.  My childhood was filled with all the "right things."  Birthday parties, school field trips, family vacations, weeks at my grandparents' house in the summer.  Life has definitely been good to me.  I have to remember this when I'm feeling jealous or ungrateful.  It's important to know that there are people who have it worse. 

 Watching "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" is probably not the best way to keep things in perspective.  It makes me greedy.  But I should not blame this silly show.  It's the whole world that does this.  Its America and consumerism and big box stores and Extra Value Meals.  Its "bigger" and "new" and "improved."  Its wanting what we don't have and forgetting about what we do have.  It takes natural disasters for people to look at their lives and think "gee, I suppose I got it pretty good."

In ninth grade Sociology class we had an assignment that helped me to define how I feel about the world as a whole.  In my essay, I wrote that I'm glad the world is the way it is.  I'm glad that there is death, violence, hurricanes, and cold weather.  I'm glad that there is inequality in the work place, that Wal Mart is trying to take over, and that some people are just plain mean.  I'm glad that there are these bad things, because if there wasn't, how would we know when to be happy?  How would we appreciate the sun and good health and a stranger's smile?