Equal Rights

Every morning I read an excerpt from a book of daily reflections. It's part of my self-maintenance plan; I need to be reminded of why I'm here and make sure I'm on the right side of happy (and if it starts off bad, at least I am giving myself the chance to start my day over again)! This was my favorite part of today's reading - "Depending on my attitude, I can view the people in my life (paraphrased) as menaces or teachers." I think this is a great spin to put on the situations that cause me grief now and then. Sometimes I'm (aren't we all) faced with situations where I feel some 'judgement', or even just some tension that could get my mind spinning into "oh-no-what-did-I-do-wrong" land. Sometimes it's me being sensitive, and sometimes there are people who are just plain rude. I'm learning every day to take responsibility for my actions and when I encounter something like this, I try to remember not to blame, and to let people own their stuff and me deal with mine. I'm not, however, always successful at this. So the idea of looking at everyone around me as 'teachers', people who can show me how I want to be, or how I don't want to be, is very appealing to me. It puts a positive twist on every situation I encounter, and adds a curiousity and a possibility of learning something new from everything.

Gratitude for the day: My new house came with a piano. I grew up with no musical instruments, but with a love of singing and an ear for music. I found that I seem to have at least a l

ittle bit of natural instinct to play the piano. I've been after my husband Patrick to move it upstairs and into the dining room for the last two months. Our nanny moved into the basement this weekend so it had to be moved, and for the last three days it's like the 800lb beast has been sitting on Patricks' shoulders. You know - I have the great idea and he has to execute it. It's a fam

iliar story, right ladies? So today, after many, many reasons why this is a very difficult thing to do, six guys came

over and carried the piano (which is old and extremely

cumbersome) in short bursts out the back door, around the house, and into the front door. Of course, I laughed at them and took pictures of the whole excruciating journey, and said many encouraging things along the way....and tonight I have a beautiful piano, everyone, and it's in my dining room, and I'm SO EXCITED about it! Thanks guys, and thank you Patrick - you rock! And it wasn't such a big deal after all, was it...? (ducks and runs)....!