Complaining

Last Friday I went to my company picnic. While we were there they gave us these bracelets:



If you click on the picture, you can hopefully see that the bracelet says "A Complaint Free World.Org" You can go here to see what it's all about. Basically they told us that people are wearing these bracelets to become more aware of how much they complain or gossip...about anything! You start off with the bracelet on one of your wrists. If throughout the day you find yourself complaining or gossiping, you switch it to the other wrist and start all over. The goal of this is to try to go 21 days without complaining or gossiping. Why 21 days you ask? Well, they say that is how long it takes the average person to break a habit. 21 days...piece of cake! Yeah...I tried...it didn't last two long. Whether you have the bracelet or not, try it. See how many days in a row you can go without complaining or gossiping...it's not as easy as it seems!

To my child

I saw this posted on another web site, and it just really hit home with me. As we go through our daily lives, we sometimes worry about everything that needs to get done. What we really need to do is sit back and realize our kids are only young once and to appreciate them...I really needed to read this tonight!

Just for this day.

Just for this morning, I am going to smile whenever I see your face and laugh when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning, I will let you wake up softly, all rumpled in your flannel and I will hold you until you are ready.

Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to wear, and smile and say you're beautiful.

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I am going to eat a huge breakfast, with bacon eggs, toast and waffles, and you don't have to eat any.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that 100 piece puzzle together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the garden blowing bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up or who you might have been before your diagnosis.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to 'fix' things.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you put all kinds of barettes in myhair, and put lipstick on my face, and I will tell you how pretty you have made me look.

Just for this afternoon I will take you to McDonalds and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born, and how much we love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the bathtub and not get angry when you throw water over your sister's head.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch swing and count all the stars.

Just for this evening, I will bring you glasses of water, and snuggle beside you for three hours and miss my favorite show on t.v.

Just for this evening, When I kneel down to pray, I will simply be grateful for all that I have and not ask for anything, except just one more day.

No portion of this poem may be reproduced without permission of the author. c. 1999 Sally Meyer