Perspective

Sometimes I think that contentment just isn't in our nature as humans (or maybe it's just not in mine).  We seem to always be in pursuit of happiness rather than being grateful for what we have.  Over Christmas vacation I read The Book Thief and The Storyteller.  I didn't set out to read two books about the holocaust in a row; those had both been loaned to me and I was trying to get them read in order to return them.  I read about starvation, death, torture, and deplorable living conditions.  We've also been rewatching Frontier House with the kids and these people worked all the time.  Laundry day literally meant the entire day was spent doing laundry.  It's all made me realize how wondrous our lives really are, and how much there is to feel grateful for.

• I have plenty to eat (too much actually).
• I can always get warm, which was really brought home to me this past Monday morning when it was 2 degrees and I was walking to work downtown past people sleeping outside.  
• My family is safe and secure.  
• There is a creek behind our house and open space that surrounds our suburban home with nature.
• I have a lovely view of the Flatirons out my kitchen window as I do dishes.
• I have a job where I get sick time, vacation, and holidays off with pay, and where I get weekends off with my family.  I get to do work that I enjoy and at which I excel.  I make enough to support my family.  I know not everyone is so fortunate.
• I had all four of my grandparents until shortly after I became a mother.  My kids are already down one.
• We saw this spectacular sunset from our back deck last night.

I know that I have it so much easier than so many others, and I feel pretty small when I whine about the fact that someone spoke unkindly to me, or that I had to work through lunch.  So maybe it is helpful to read and watch shows about people who aren't as fortunate as me.  Maybe that will help me to have the proper perspective and to keep my frustrations in check.

On another note, I've made it through day three eating the proper amount of calories.  The scale is inching down each morning.  We even had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory today because it was one of my coworker's birthdays.  They have a new "Skinnylicious" menu that had some really interesting choices.  I was able to get chicken enchiladas that came with the most wonderful steamed veggies (there was some kind of spice on them), all for about 590 calories.  Not bad for a restaurant meal.