The dishwasher and the misadventures of Anna…

There I was, 2: 00 am and most likely another hour to go. I was exhausted and felt like I was having an emotional breakdown. Perhaps I was. I was tired from a long day of work, mommy duties, and around midnight, my dishwasher decided to start leaking all over the kitchen hardwood floors. I know…dishwasher…third world problems, right? As a kid, a dishwasher would have been a dream come true. Now, it is one of the appliances we are simply used to on a daily basis here in the US. I was tired, and I started complaining to myself about having to sit in this tiny area soaking and drying up the water. My back hurt. I started planning the ways of how to pay for its possible replacement. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to cry or laugh because this is the kind of  crap that happens to me at 2:00 am and 3:00 am. Please don’t tell me there is live streaming video out there of the misadventures of Anna. It would be pure embarrassment, but would be good entertainment for all. HA!

Nearly in tears, I had to take a step back and think about some of my closest and dearest friends affected by the recent hurricane. Many still unable to go home. Many facing serious property damage from the strong winds and major flooding. Some unable to work, without power, and dealing with REAL problems.

It’s natural, right? It’s what we do (well many of us). When negative or crappy things happen, it’s human nature…we complain. But sometimes, situations like these also make us appreciate things. So that night, I put my big girl pants on and worked on getting the water cleaned up for a few hours. I had to do a real attitude adjustment. I instead took the time to say a prayer for all those affected by the hurricane and took a mental note of all of my blessings.

I am almost embarrassed by my attitude that night. But sometime between 2:00 am and 3:00 am, sitting next to my dishwasher, listening to The Revivalists, I reminded myself of how lucky I am. I told myself to that it’s ok to feel upset, but to not let it ruin my next few days. We cannot always control the things that happen to us, we can control how we decide to respond. Learning to ignore the small things is a great path to inner peace.

To all of my friends affected by the recent hurricane, lots of love and prayers from our tribe. I love you.

Anna

Fuel The Soul