Piecing Together a Perfect Life

Have you ever thought about what you'd really like your life to be?

I do.

For me, my perfect life would look something like this.

I'd live somewhere beautifully green and insanely interesting, where there's no shortage of rain clouds, like the outskirts of Portland, Oregon:



My house would be big and spacious and old and full of character, like my uncle Charles' house in downtown San Antonio:



I'd have a flower garden and a vegetable garden and a swimming pool and a trampoline and a hammock and lots of room to run and play, and I would have room for all that because my amazing house would be on at least a two acre lot:



I'd have a couple of dogs running around those two acres, while the cats stayed in the house:



I'd work very close to home, in a beautiful little studio where I'd spend the day writing and taking photos and editing and revising my musings and images. I'd be able to walk or ride my bike (or my little scooter) to work, and as I made my way to my beautiful studio each morning, everyone I passed would say, "Hello" and "Good morning." I'd practice yoga and write in my journal and eat healthy every day. On the weekends we'd do fun things, like hang out with family and friends and go to museums and playgrounds and parks and movies.

Each day would be a blessing. Especially when I'd come home and find my two best guys waiting for me:



As it turns out, my life is far from perfect. I live in the smoggy desert of southern California where the heat is brutal, where many people can't be bothered with learning your name. My house is small (but exceedingly charming, I admit), and our back "yard" is cement. Before I went on maternity leave (which will be over soon, by the way), I hopped on the crowded freeway and drove quite a ways to get to work. I spent each weekday in a cramped office absolutely hating the fact that I sat chained to my desk, pushing paper and wasting my talent, time, and education.

But what would I do with a perfect life, anyway? After all, "nobody said that life would be easy. They just promised it'd be worth it."

And worth it, it is.



****

I had a crappy day. When things go wrong, I like to think of all the ways they could be better. Even so, I know if I were to die right now, I'd die a happy woman, because of all the things I do have.

So take that, shitty day! I'm choosing gratitude instead.