Keep Your Life in Perspective People!

At age 4 success is not peeing in your pants.

 At age 12 success is having friends 

 At age 16 success is having a drivers license.

 At age 20 success is having sex.

 At age 35 success is having money. 

 At age 50 success is having money. 

 At age 60 success is having sex. 

 At age 75 success is having friends.

 At age 70 success is having a drivers license. 

 At age 80 success is not peeing in your pants.

I had one heck of a week!  From crazy work hours because of the Month of the Military Child, an FRG meeting, working all day Saturday, a formal event last night, and the normal craziness that comes with having a deployed husband and two teenage boys, and two daughters in college!

But as all of it kept rolling straight at me like a freight train and I fought to keep the balance, one thought remained a constant.  It was..."In five years will this matter to me?"  

In five years will the last minute tasker, or the crazy response from the powers that be in Tennessee really matter to me?  Will the frustration raised over wording in the FRG committee guidelines really matter to me?  Will the messy living room, kitchen, and every other room in the house due to spring break really matter to me?  Will the lack of email from the boat, and the schedule changes really matter to me? 

I am going to go out on a limb and say, that no they will not matter to me.  I am sure I was frustrated about something five years ago, and knowing myself back then I am sure I was passionate about that something.  However, since my mom passed away, two of my daughters have gone off to college, and we have moved to Guam I have realized that some of the things that frustrate us, sap our energy, and we give the power to take away the joy of living in the moment really don't deserve all the attention we give them. 

While in the moment these things frustrate us, but do they really deserve all the attention that we give them?  Most likely not, and they may be taking attention away from the good things in life that will matter to you in five years like, your family, your health, your friendships, your own personal goals, and your peace of mind.

I am trying to find a place in life where I can address the situation as it is before me, deal with it and move on.  And when I say move on I mean, let it go, give it no more power, and treat all those involved with respect. 

So I ask you to join me in this journey of hanging on to those things that will matter in five years and letting go of the things that won't!