Just Another Manic Monday… To Put Into Perspective

Woke up this lovely Monday with two flat tires, one nonfunctioning furnace, indoor temp of 55 degrees, two kids needing to get to school, a booked afternoon clinic downtown, and an evening wake to attend.

Before the morning was done we discovered that one car wouldn’t start, either.

We had thought we’d gotten off too easy… Last week the Northeast was pummeled by a hurricane-style storm, and hundreds of thousands of people were impacted. Some still don’t have electricity, including my colleague whose home is near the coast. My morning woes are minuscule compared to hers, with no electricity nor heat for going on four days… and her with four kids. Ugh.

But still, she and I both stood here and laughed, laughed it all off. We howled relating our similar mornings– we both skipped showers because our houses are too cold! We barely looked at the clothes we threw on! We’re texting back and forth with our hubbies trying to organize utilities services and appliance repairs and mechanics!– and it’s all funny, and all just fine. Hey, it’s nice free educational experience for our kids, to get a small taste of how most people in the world live every day.

Me, I was thinking of my friend whose mom just passed away, a great shock. Such a wonderful, warm soul, a role model extraordinaire for us and our kids who adored her, too. We’re going to that wake come hell or high water… broken furnace, flat tires, and dead battery be damned.

My colleague, she was thinking of friends of hers, a couple who have both been diagnosed with advanced cancer, who are preparing to leave their school-aged kids forever.

Just another manic Monday, right? Just small annoyances to be handled with humour, and perspective.

My front passenger car tire. Oh well!