Saturday, December 24, 2011

Another day to live

A blogger friend has been silent for the last couple of weeks, and just posted the reason why: her boyfriend has been diagnosed with a serious and incurable blood disease. Not in immediate danger, but they are both coming to terms with a stark reminder of their mortality.

And yet, this is also a reminder that the universe is not kind. This couple may be facing a future that seems short and bleak, yet what's to say that my time with my family will be any longer? Tragedy can strike at any moment. My future is no more certain that theirs.

So, today I am reminded of the sage advice to live each day is if it were your last, and I am thankful for another day to live.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

A full fridge

I came home from the weekly shop and started to put away the groceries.

I had some difficulty. The fridge was already full. Every item I went to put away, I had to get ever more creative, rearranging, stacking, taking stuff out that I knew we'd want for lunch, only to have to find room for it a while later. Alongside all the usual fridgely inhabitants, there's several bits of leftovers, and cartons of home-made sweets that my wife and daughter made at Guides. Several cartons and jars that are nearly empty and will leave room fairly soon, but not just yet.

It was becoming a task fit for a MENSA-level IQ test. I started to get frustrated. Then I realised, what a wonderful problem this is to have in the first place. How many people in the world would long to have this problem? I should be thankful, not angry.

And I am.

I still haven't found room for that half-empty carton of milk, but you know what? I don't care.