Some friends of mine came for a visit this past weekend. At one point, we were sitting around eating homemade marsh mallows and drinking hot chocolate while listening to holiday music and enjoying the lights on the Christmas tree. We must have been trying to remember the names to all of Santa’s reindeer, because at some point, I can’t for the life of me think of why, we segued into the names of the seven dwarfs. (You know, the ones from Snow White?)
Needless to say, we could only recall a few.
Tonight as I let the dog in out of habit, without thinking, (I had just mopped the floor) I thought how fitting that little muddy event was to end my day. Although nothing tragic had transpired, my life of late had not come without some very un-welcomed stress.
I always feel sorry for the first person that sees or calls me when I am in the midst of frustrating days or unsettling personal situations. If they are a close friend, without their permission, I just seem to unload on them. I am working on this little annoyance, as I am fully aware that these well trusted friends would rather have their teeth pulled then listen to my rants and whines.
With that said, it ocurred to me tonight that I was just flat-out, officially grumpy. And I was not proud of it. No one likes to be around a grump. If they see you coming, they suddenly take ill or remember that they have to drive their 90-year-old great uncle to the doctor.
So, I guess the best thing I can do is try to be as pleasant tomorrow as is possible. And, if I see or talk to the poor people that got the brunt of my poor attitude today, at least I can have another shot at mending the breach so to speak.
It isn’t a sin to be grumpy. I get that. But if you think about it, the reality is, acting out in that fashion doesn’t solve anything. It’s a lot like a nasty cold or virus. It certainly isn’t something that people want to catch, and folks would rather run the other way when they see it coming.
In the morning, I will once again remember that life is pretty good. Bad things do happen. And, when they do, I will have to be a big girl and tell myself it truly is not the end of the world. People have suffered worse before and survived. Take Snow White for instance. Things were pretty miserable in her life for awhile. But it all panned out in the end.
So, I may not meet seven dwarfs to help me whistle while I work, but just think, if I play my cards right, someday that prince might come.
(Hey, we’re talking fairy tales here. Work with me, people, work with me.)
🙂
Not-so-grumpy,
S.