day 6 of 30: things to be happy about
By diana on Aug 14, 2014 | In capricious bloviations
School started yesterday, and I got to meet my students today. I have four students I had last year as freshmen, two of whom are brilliant writers, and all of whom are good kids. I'm strangely happier now with the ongoing mission with its endless responsibilities and deadlines. I'm not sure why, but I'll take it.
It may be too early to tell, but I don't think I have any of those "prove literature is a worthy subject" students in any of my classes this semester.
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It's been an incredibly wet year--so wet that we've had to bail out the window well in the pool room downstairs--and overcast and floody-like, and I shudder to think how awful and awesome this winter will be but...we've not had a danger of forest fire all summer.
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I accidentally deleted all the messages in my in-box this morning, but my in-box needed cleaning out, anyway, and once you recover from the shock of the accidental keystroke, it's rather soothing to look at a blank in-box for a change. If they really need my help, they'll call or email again, anyway.
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Our dog doesn't have the sense to stay out of the rain, but on the bright side, she loves me. Particularly when she's soaked.
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I'm rich.
This is a conversation I was having with Ross, a friend and colleague, yesterday. He commented that we should have been lawyers, since what they do looks pretty easy and they make such good money. I don't know how easy it is but I hear lawyers do all right. My response was this, though: "I'm rich, Ross. Seriously. I grew up in a trailer house in the middle of nowhere.* We rarely ate meat because it was just too expensive. We wore hand-me-downs. I'm rich now and I never forget it."
* There is no shame in any of these things. I see no shame in them, anyway. I do acknowledge, however, that we lived that way so we could have food, clothing, and shelter without having to choose two of the three.
That same conversation cropped up yesterday afternoon with our department's two lieutenants, one of whom is prior service like I am (and who was my student as a sophomore--they grow up so fast!). He told the butterbar (casual lieutenant) that when he was an Airman Basic, he earned $600/month. I nodded and said, "After taxes?" He said yeah.
When I was an Airman Basic, I earned $639/month before taxes, and it was the best money I'd ever made in my life.
I have no plans to ever be above middle class, wherever in that demographic I fall, but from where I came from and where I now sit, I know I'm rich. Perspective is everything.
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I cannot think of anything I need or want that I don't have, except the house paid off.
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I have a great relationship with my superiors, my subordinates, and my peers at work, and I count most of them good friends.
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I have friends in many countries on multiple continents, people I could walk up to five or ten years from now and they'd hug me and take me in if I wanted or needed it.
Two weeks ago, when I was almost unbearably depressed, Erin bought and shipped me some candy ("You can't be sad with Fun Dip"), two funny movies, and a funny book. Out of the blue. Because she wanted me to know she loves me. And she wanted me to laugh. And she isn't the only friend like that I have.
This may be how I'm richest.
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I'm not allergic to cats.
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I have a happy, respectful, fun, interesting, supportive relationship with a woman who is educated and polite and beautiful and kind and who ensures I don't look like a color-blind bum, should occasion demand that I be presentable in public. She's smarter than I am, too, but she's kind enough to never mention it.
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We have a doe and two fawns here at Chez Black-Dean. The babies were born a month or two ago and they still have speckled blankets on their backs. Their mom is probably the same doe who gave birth to and raised two fawns here last year. The five-foot climb-proof fence makes them safer here, and they know it. It's very cool coming home and having these practically tame deer wandering around in the yard. I love nature.
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I haven't had an accident since mid July. I'm on a roll.
d
2 comments
Diana, I can relate to this one—I feel that I, too, am rich, in many ways. As you know, I grew up even more poor than you did, and my children grew up a bit more “rich” than you did. ALL of us, though, have learned how to be happy in whatever state we are in at any given time. And we have also learned that the lives we live now can easily be gone, at any time! I think that is what helps us continue to be happy and hopeful, even when troubles hit.
Keep writing, dear! I love your writings almost as much as I love you!
“…but she’s kind enough to never mention it. “
Diana,
But you do, right? (Well, duh, you just did. Sorry.)
There’s nothing wrong with growing up in humble circumstances. Living someplace dry, warm, and with food on the table is better than what some (too many) children have. As long as it doesn’t drive one towards jealousy of people who had more. And that’s more likely caused by poor parenting, not poor surroundings. I’d say you’re a pretty good illustration of how it’s done right.
Dave
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