This post is written in conjunction with the 30 Days of Writing, a blog challenge devised by Nicky and Mike at “We Work For Cheese.” I’ll be participating throughout the month of June. If interested, you can see my post with the details of the challenge.
Please note that some of these posts will be serious, some will be normal, and some will be an attempt at humor.
If you think of the grand look of this world and existence, a life is a little more than a speck.
Through this life everybody makes many decisions. Some good. Some bad. But every action has a reaction. Again, it can be good or bad.
Life also has moments.
Not to be repetitive, but some are good and some are bad.
Graduations. Births of children. Marriage. Trips. Jobs. These are all moments. Some can be small — a championship in an adult sports league. Some can be large — your first car.
But these moments can help shape you and make you look at life in different ways.
In my current situation — unemployment that is — I’ve learned to live like there’s no tomorrow. Well, maybe not fully, but to an extent. It’s not hard to do this when the basis of life is job applications, interviews and anything else to go with the job hunt.
But — it makes you look at things differently. It really does.
It makes you look at your surroundings closer. It makes you enjoy small things more. It makes you react to things different.
I can’t say I’ve fully changed. In fact, this situation has made me a bit more jaded in some aspects. But in others, I’m different. I’m starting to see it that way, too.
Allow me this one quick story. I’m on a pretty competitive softball team. We have fun, but we play to win. However, we’re usually fine after a loss. For some reason, it’s been tense lately. I’ve been part of that group, too. Well, until recently.
See, a few games ago, one of our outfielders dropped a routine fly ball. It happens. But, people get irritated. In the big scheme of things, however, who cares?
As he came in when the inning ended, he smiled and says to me “I was all ready to throw the ball home and get the guy running. Then I remembered I had to catch the ball first.”
How can’t you laugh?
It’s puts it into perspective.
There are many people who can’t go out, run around and compete and do what we do. To be able to do that, I am thankful.
There are people who are sick around the world. There are wars and terrorists. People disappear each day and there are murders. Life isn’t easy and it isn’t always safe.Places throughout the world live in poverty, don’t have modern technology or have problems living day to day.
So how my life is going is miniscule, compared to what others have to deal with.
It sometimes takes major happenings to look at things differently. My major happening has been what I have been dealing with in the job world.
I know, eventually, when I get back into the work force and am back to the grind, I may switch up my looking at the world. But I’m hoping that this time will give me that bump to realize that life is short and sometimes you just need to smile, even when things might not be the better.
With the way things are, you never know if there will be a tomorrow.
So live it that way. Or at least try.
Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!
As I was reading this, I thought about your softball experiences. I have never been particularly coordinated with athletic activities. I wish I had to ability to play sports, but believe me, I cannot. It’s great that you can and that you enjoy it. There are moments that disappoint us, but it’s important to think about the good more than the bad, isn’t it?
I know being out of work is really frustrating. And I’m sure knowing a lot of other people are in the same boat doesn’t really make it that much easier. Just keep fighting the good fight, P.J.
Linda Medrano recently posted..Like There Was No Tomorrow! The Rapture!
Nothing makes it easier, that’s for sure. The only time it peeves me, though, is when somebody becomes unemployed and is like “I know what you feel like.” I just want to say — “you don’t. And I hope you don’t. Because I’ve been out a lot longer than a week (or whatever).”
It’s tough. But, there are people far worse than me. I’ll keep fighting as it’s the only thing I can do right now!
P.J. recently posted..Train coming
I agree so much! With all the ptoblems in the world, why get angry over stupid stuff!
Katherine recently posted..Like There’s No Tomorrow
Well, it’s not “stupid,” per say, but petty. No need to let the petty things bother us. Competitive people compete. So I have no issue with intensity. But when it infringes on other people’s enjoyment of playing and competing, it can get tough.
“As he came in when the inning ended, he smiled and says to me “I was all ready to throw the ball home and get the guy running. Then I remembered I had to catch the ball first.”
That’s a great line, and it helps to laugh at oneself first.
It really puts things into perspective.
Bravo! Well said.
I was unemployed off-and-on for two years and underemployed for one. You’ve adjusted to it better that I did. Hopefully, you’ll find something soon.
After a year of working 3-day weeks, four hours a day, my employer increased my hours and days, gave me a raise and added me to the payroll.
That was my version of Christmas.
Here’s hoping Christmas comes early for you this year. In the meantime, enjoy watching the grass grow. When you start working again, you’ll curse ’cause you have to cut it.
Lauren recently posted..Favors I’d ask of Satan or Satan Party Favors
I’ve adjusted a bit, but I put on a good front, too. “Behind the scenes,” I’m a bit different. But I work at it.
And thanks for the positive thoughts. I take all I can get of those. Something will happen, I hope!
I try and live my life in a way that when I’m on my death bed, I’ll be ready to go, not wishing I’d done certain things or regretting other things.
The problems you mention here are commonaly referred to as “first-world problems”.
Michael D’Agostino recently posted..Spread Wars Episode IV: A New Post
I can’t say that my life is lived without any bit of regret. I can’t always make the best choices. I look back now and know many paths I took where I wish I took the other. But there were reasons, at the time, that I went down the one I chose. And I’m OK with it. A life without regret, I think, is near impossible. It’s great to strive for, however. I just hope when my deathbed comes, I can say I lived a decent and honorable life.
Yeah I guess it’s more important just to be ready when the time comes.
Michael D’Agostino recently posted..My Rules for Life
This is a great post! Your ideas are right on the mark! It took our home burning to set me on the better path. I really try to save my energies for the things that really count.
laughingmom recently posted..30 Days of Writing – Like There’s No Tomorrow
Thanks for your thoughts! Though I haven’t been through what you have, I can imagine it’s one of those things where things really get put into perspective.
‘Then I rembered I had to catch the ball first’ is an awesome line! We get so busy planning what we are going to do next, that we forget to focus on what we are doing right now. I’m convinced that living in the moment is one of the keys to happiness. Just got to figure out how to do that on a regular basis and I will be all set!
Agreed that it’s an excellent line. And it really helped put things in perspective!