Something I read

A couple years ago I read an article in the newspaper that really resonated with me. I remember it every time I read another article stating how important it is to have balance in your life. You know the kind of article I mean, the ones that say how important it is to balance work, family, friends, housework, children, health, alone time, pet time and time wih your houseplants etc... That is key to happiness.

This writer said that maybe that isn't true. She said to think about the last time you were truely happy. When was that? Was it on a day you spent 8.5 hours at work, 0.75 hours at the gym, 0.25 hours having a significant chat with your significant other, 1 hour preparing and eating a well balanced meal wih your family, 1.5 hours family time, 0.5 hours chatting to friend, 0.5 hours writig a letter to a family member and 0.25 hours arranging to get the furnace serviced?

Or was it on a day you spent all day messing up the house playing arts and crafts with your kids and driving Tonka trucks up the stairs or the week you got totally engrossed in a cool project at work that you kicked ass at and barely kissed your spouse and children goodnight or the 2 days you spent with someone special in a warm sunny place, drunk on sun and sex and possibly free booze or the time you stayed up till 3:00 giggling with your girlfiends (or scratching yourself if a guy)?

Chances are you were truely happy when engrossed in something you enjoy. Reading that, I realised it was true and it made me feel less guilty about letting some dishes pile up, some emails go unanswered for a week, Mr Bob and I not having sex for 2 weeks, work boring me to pieces for a couple months. There was other stuff happening and I don't need to do everything all the time. Eventually, it all balanced out.

I suppose if you have children you do need to feed them every day or something.