Look on the Bright Side
I.
Therese has this new obsession with the song Mr. Brightside.
She heard it somewhere and said, "Oh I love this song!" and then immediately began hounding Simon to put it on her i-pod.
She's a lot like me. When she gets an idea in her head, and wants someone to help her with it, or when someone says they'll help her with something or do something for her----she Holds Them Accountable.
It's actually kind of stressful for everyone else.
And, might I add...(?)...annoying?
She's a lot like me.
Ha! And when I realized that, when I realized that she was remembering things, reminding people, getting upset over the human errors, the life-getting-in-the-way-----and taking it personally-----well I could see myself in her, and in her disappointment and frustration, and I just felt kind of bad for her. Because it's hard to live like that, actually. I know.
Also, I realized that sometimes it's ME she's nagging to remember to do something.
So I'm the pot calling the kettle black? Sometimes?
Or something like that.
I was talking to a friend about this recently. She mentioned that in her relationship it's her partner who's always reminding her to do things: "You SAID you'd do that yesterday/today/last week," and this friend, who's on the receiving end of the reminders, she said, "Well, I'm like, 'Whatever'. It's not a big deal. I'll get to it when I get to it."
Not in a really awful way, but just in a relaxed way.
(Ohhhhhhhh I bet her partner HATES that!)
But it was kind of eye opening for me. Just, what's the big deal? Why such a rush?
And why do I take it so personally when someone else doesn't follow through on things? Why do I REMEMBER the THINGS that were SUPPOSED TO be done? And fixate on them?
When other people just don't?
Trust me, I know it's good to be accountable to others, follow through on things, all that, in general. But I'm coming to believe it's not the be all end all I'd thought it was.
And I'm realizing, yet again, that even though we're all similar in so many ways, these differences in how to be are real. And hard to change. That's one reason why relationships are so important. They stretch us and make us think and challenge our ways. At least, they should.
So, in the end Mr. Brightside was put on Therese's i-pod. And the night it was she rocked out to it over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again. Laying in her top bunk with her head phones on. Singing loudly as if no one else could hear her.
She got what she'd wanted.
She'd just had to be patient.
And it felt good to show her that, yes, people DO follow through on things. Sometimes we just have to be gracious and wait.
..........................................................................................
II.
...Ode to the bright side...
It's hard seeing your own challenges highlighted in your own children, but then you learn something
I had a sore throat when I was supposed to do a show, but then I had to talk quieter to the kids, I got much help and support through strangers online, my man let me rest, and someone who sings many nights a week in a cover band made me realize how lucky I was that I was only doing 2-sets, not 3-sets, and only one night of it, with my sore throat
Greta slept over here without her brother and sister a few days ago and she was a little bit lonely, and then realized she actually doesn't want her own room
In a heavy show we're watching, well one of the evil-est characters finally got killed off, and I could look on the bright side again
Hosea got all soaked and shivering on the playground, and then said to me, "I guess I should've worn my jacket"
My man and I had a ridiculous date night: too much walking in the freezing rain, not being able to choose a place, high stakes because of my own way of being, TENSION and near RUIN-NESS, and then finally choosing a place...and the place was awful...and then we laughed about the whole thing and looked on the bright side: it's a great story
I live in an old building, but they recently put in new windows, and someone put up a quote downstairs about how maybe the new windows will help us all see things in new ways
I owe the bright side
Try it yourself, it works wonders, giving an
...Ode to the bright side...
...................................................................................................
III.
Everybody now, SING!!!
1-2-3:
Well, there's a dark and a troubled side of life
Therese has this new obsession with the song Mr. Brightside.
She heard it somewhere and said, "Oh I love this song!" and then immediately began hounding Simon to put it on her i-pod.
She's a lot like me. When she gets an idea in her head, and wants someone to help her with it, or when someone says they'll help her with something or do something for her----she Holds Them Accountable.
It's actually kind of stressful for everyone else.
And, might I add...(?)...annoying?
She's a lot like me.
Ha! And when I realized that, when I realized that she was remembering things, reminding people, getting upset over the human errors, the life-getting-in-the-way-----and taking it personally-----well I could see myself in her, and in her disappointment and frustration, and I just felt kind of bad for her. Because it's hard to live like that, actually. I know.
Also, I realized that sometimes it's ME she's nagging to remember to do something.
So I'm the pot calling the kettle black? Sometimes?
Or something like that.
I was talking to a friend about this recently. She mentioned that in her relationship it's her partner who's always reminding her to do things: "You SAID you'd do that yesterday/today/last week," and this friend, who's on the receiving end of the reminders, she said, "Well, I'm like, 'Whatever'. It's not a big deal. I'll get to it when I get to it."
Not in a really awful way, but just in a relaxed way.
(Ohhhhhhhh I bet her partner HATES that!)
But it was kind of eye opening for me. Just, what's the big deal? Why such a rush?
And why do I take it so personally when someone else doesn't follow through on things? Why do I REMEMBER the THINGS that were SUPPOSED TO be done? And fixate on them?
When other people just don't?
Trust me, I know it's good to be accountable to others, follow through on things, all that, in general. But I'm coming to believe it's not the be all end all I'd thought it was.
And I'm realizing, yet again, that even though we're all similar in so many ways, these differences in how to be are real. And hard to change. That's one reason why relationships are so important. They stretch us and make us think and challenge our ways. At least, they should.
So, in the end Mr. Brightside was put on Therese's i-pod. And the night it was she rocked out to it over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again. Laying in her top bunk with her head phones on. Singing loudly as if no one else could hear her.
She got what she'd wanted.
She'd just had to be patient.
And it felt good to show her that, yes, people DO follow through on things. Sometimes we just have to be gracious and wait.
..........................................................................................
II.
...Ode to the bright side...
It's hard seeing your own challenges highlighted in your own children, but then you learn something
I had a sore throat when I was supposed to do a show, but then I had to talk quieter to the kids, I got much help and support through strangers online, my man let me rest, and someone who sings many nights a week in a cover band made me realize how lucky I was that I was only doing 2-sets, not 3-sets, and only one night of it, with my sore throat
Greta slept over here without her brother and sister a few days ago and she was a little bit lonely, and then realized she actually doesn't want her own room
In a heavy show we're watching, well one of the evil-est characters finally got killed off, and I could look on the bright side again
Hosea got all soaked and shivering on the playground, and then said to me, "I guess I should've worn my jacket"
My man and I had a ridiculous date night: too much walking in the freezing rain, not being able to choose a place, high stakes because of my own way of being, TENSION and near RUIN-NESS, and then finally choosing a place...and the place was awful...and then we laughed about the whole thing and looked on the bright side: it's a great story
I live in an old building, but they recently put in new windows, and someone put up a quote downstairs about how maybe the new windows will help us all see things in new ways
I owe the bright side
Try it yourself, it works wonders, giving an
...Ode to the bright side...
...................................................................................................
III.
Everybody now, SING!!!
1-2-3:
Well, there's a dark and a troubled side of life
There's a bright and a sunny side too
But if you meet with the darkness and strife
The sunny side we also may view
But if you meet with the darkness and strife
The sunny side we also may view
Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way
If we keep on the sunny side of life
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way
If we keep on the sunny side of life
Oh, the storm and its fury broke today
Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear
Clouds and storms will in time pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear
Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear
Clouds and storms will in time pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear
Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life
Let us greet with a song of hope each day
Though the moments be cloudy or fair
Let us trust in our Savior always
To keep us, every one, in His care
Though the moments be cloudy or fair
Let us trust in our Savior always
To keep us, every one, in His care
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