Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Don't Complain!!

A little bit ago I read an editorial piece that basically said Americans need to stop complaining all the time. The other day when I read a person's blog (not going to say whose, but if you're reading this it's probably not yours so don't worry!!), it's all I could think of. This person has had it rough, I absolutely positively will NOT deny that. Their road has been rough and rocky and I think their blog is mostly for getting some of their anger out, true, but it was taken to just such an extensive level that I thought "woah. simmah. step back and look at your life."

As the column I read said "Is the word "Darfur" in your address? NO? THEN CALM DOWN.

I'm not saying I don't bitch because, oh hell yes I do, and let's face it, we all have bad days. The thing is that as sucky as our lives can get (like ripping your second pair of ATL pants in less than 6 months DAMMIT!!!) I think we can all put it in perspective, and this blog I read made me worry a little because I'm not sure this person could.....I don't know for sure, maybe I'm taking everything the wrong way, but whenever I'm really internalizing crap that doesn't matter really but at that moment it's the most important thing in the world I think:
1. I'm not a patient at my place of employment (the cancer hospital). Bonus.
2. Darfur is definitely not in my address
3. I don't have to wear a burka when I go outside
4. I can go to work by driving/taking public transportation and walk from the subway to my office pretty confident that I'm not going to get shot, attacked, or blown up by a roadside bomb 5. I have a job, and that in and of itself is more than so many
6. I have food. I f*cking HAVE FOOD PEOPLE. THERE ARE STARVING PEOPLE IN THIS VERY COUNTRY and all over the world and I have food - as much of it and whenever I want it. 7. I live in a nation where I am a free woman and go out with whomever I choose and can get as much education as I want and am able to keep a personal blog. There have got to be countries that don't allow that (the blog..well and the relationship....oh and the education and going out. Ok everything I mentioned).
8. My work address does not have the word "Iraq" or "Afghanistan" in it
9. The air I breathe is clean (relatively)
and finally the most important
10. The Red Sox are up by 10 1/2 games

Now taking all this into account, especially number 10, there really isn't anything to complain about, is there? Except for the fact that this morning, on the train, this guy sat next to me and.....
No seriously - stop complaining ;)

1 comment:

Excalibur said...

There seems to be an epidemic of people that complain for no reason at all. I think as you mentioned we are all entitled to vent from time to time, but some times taking a step back to realize you're not in the worse situation, something my mother constantly made us do (by looking at the family where both parents were alcoholics and the oldest daughter sold herself so that her younger siblings could eat--and the younger brother bagged groceries--and they all had poor health)--was certainly worse off than we ever were.