I have a good life. Not a charmed life. Or a won-the-Nobel-Peace-prize kind of life.
Just a simple life. One that’s had its ups and downs. A one day seems to blend into the next day kind of life.
I’ve won and I’ve failed. Both persisted and given up. Got married and divorced. Took me three times to figure out I’m not the marrying type.
I’ve loved and I’ve lost. Felt exquisite joy and bone crushing grief.
I am the type that enjoys solitude, peace and relaxation. Rather than parties, drama and excitement.
And I now know that I live my best life with pet babies rather than with people.
I live in a one-bedroom apartment with a patio garden. And that is enough.
I raised two beautiful daughters and smile down on three lovely grandchildren. Well, the oldest is 16 and growing like the proverbial weed. And he now looks down on me.
He comes over to lift heavy pots for his Grammy and that boy’s smile lights up the universe.
If only everyone had a roof over their head and food to eat. That children didn’t go to school hungry or come home to houses reeking of violence.
At least I can say that my life is the life I have chosen. In some ways I guess it chose me.
But it is my life. Made up of my choices. Directed by my mistakes that I’ve tried hard to correct as best I can. It is a straightforward and uncomplicated sort of life.
So live your best life. Whether it be filled with adulation and notoriety, or calm with a steadfast love beside you.
And buy yourself flowers.
Unless, like me, you have a cat that would pull off every petal with sheer delight and glee.
Which, to me, is another kind of “enough”. Because as long as I’d gotten a little enjoyment out of them, it would give me a good laugh to watch her doing it.
You have so much wisdom, Brenda, and you share it in such lovely ways.
Hi Brenda,
I so enjoy your post! Look forward to them everyday.
Your girl kitty is something else! Great pic of her made me smile.😊
Finding the “joie de vie” is what life is all about and it looks different to every person. You seem to have found yours. Thank you for sharing with us… I look forward to your post every day.
It’s sounds like a perfect life! I’m glad you are enjoying your life with pets and content in you sweet apartment and patio garden.
Thank you for spreading joy Brenda!
I love your posts.
Angie
Very good post today. It would be wonderful if everyone had the same outlook about their own life. Some are never satisfied, the grass is always greener and so on. Peace comes from accepting who you are, living in your own skin as the saying goes.
I agree, Brenda! My life has certainly had its ups and downs – and of course, everyone’s has. I don’t think there’s a single human being alive who hasn’t been through some sort of tragedy in some form or the other. That’s how life goes. I think that me and my husband have suffered just about the worst kind of tragedy – the death of one of our children – but somehow, life keeps going on and if we let ourselves wallow in our grief, what good would it do? Phil would’ve never wanted that anyway. So we just continue on with our simple, mostly-peaceful, humble life and put one foot in front of each other and take each day as it comes. We count our blessings all around us. Living your best life in no way means living a luxurious one. And we each have a different view of what living our best life even entails. You could point to millionaires living in a mansion and think, “Ooh, they’re so lucky! They must be so happy with that huge house and I bet they get to travel and have fancy cars and expensive clothes, etc.” But appearances are deceiving. They could be unhappy, miserable, depressed, alcoholics, dealing with a horrible illness or infidelity…we just never know what goes on behind closed doors.
Continue to count your blessings and indeed live that best life!
Beautifully written Brenda. Your words show your wisdom today. I always enjoy visiting and reading what you have to say.
AMEN!!!!! Brenda.
I remember when it seemed like it was all over for me, I had made awful mistakes and alienated my children…
10 years later,I live just like you(without the garden), my grandson isn’t quite old enough to help me yet but the fur kids and I enjoy everyday!
My dear mom used to tell me that you take the lemons you are dealt in life and make the best lemonade you can of them. I think that is all any of us can do…certainly not EVERY single part of life is our choice. Most days I am content though my life is much smaller and simpler and quieter than it was when I was younger. I do wish I was in a closer relationship with my kids, but I am in a better spot than many others and am grateful for that at least.
Brenda, IF I had your way with words (and believe me that’s a huge IF) today’s post could well have been about my life. To paraphrase lyrics from one of my favorite Jimmy Buffett songs “some of it was magic, some of it was tragic, but I’ve had a good life along the way”. That pretty much sums up things to date and hopefully will continue that way for the remainder of my life. And by the way those will be the closing words in my obituary.
I liked you post very much.It sounds like you have found your calm . In this time of such unrest, turmoil, violence and a lot of uncertainty all of us need to find our calm.
Such a beautiful post. Your words are wise and how grateful you know to begin each day with appreciating the simple breath of air as well as the choices you have made to surround yourself with. If only we all saw some good instead of tearing down And finding fault.
An astoundingly wise, honest and touching post. Wish that every female could read this starting at age 16 and re-reading it at least every five years.
Amen Beverly!
Hello, Brenda! I read your blog every day, rarely comment. This touched me. I have been painfully introverted my entire life. It caused me to stick with men I should not have and try to pretend I’m something I am not for years.
Now, in my 50s with a breast cancer diagnosis, I finally found the courage to boot the last jerk and be happy alone. Like you, I find my fur babies to be my best friends. My dog, Hugo and 3 cats, Louie, Lucky and Tweek. I do not miss having to try and be a social butterfly. I enjoy my solitude and no longer care what others think.
I am so glad there are others like me. I feel like a kindred spirit and wanted you to know how much your words touch others. Even hundreds of miles away. I’m in northern NY state. Keep on blogging and I will keep reading!
You have verbalized the legacy of a well-livING life, Brenda, and I applaud your succinctness!
Joan
So sweet to read this today. I think with everything going on in life we all need to just feel good about the life we have. Find the blessings and joy that we can have in life right now. Happy Thursday. Enjoy today.
Kris