I don’t know if it is the natural course of aging, all the additional stress of trying to live in another country or just plain grumpiness but I have been noticing my “grrrs” have been getting stronger lately.
do the taxes- grrr,
clean the house- grrr,
get up early, grrrrr,
pass the salt – grrrrrrrr.
I’ve been talking to God about how I can get rid of my “grrrrs” and being aware of them is a good first step. However, I have not been entirely successful in ridding myself of the “grrrs” beyond noticing them. In fact, noticing them is making me “grrr’ more. It’s the kind of feeling when you play Monopoly and land on your partner’s set of properties with a hotel, and you must hand over all your “life” savings to their great delight. And then I learned a little phrase in French. “Avec plaisir”. It is a response to “Thank you” and means “You’re welcome” or literally “with pleasure”. Well, it feels like anything but pleasure, however somehow just saying it takes the sting out of handing over the cash, doing the taxes, or passing the salt. I believe it has something to do with my attitude or willingness to accept and surrender.- to the task, to my lot, to the daily grind, and ultimately to God who has all things in his hand anyways. Well, it surprised me to discover that;
It‘s hard to be grumpy when you are passing the salt with pleasure.
So, the moment of truth. What is your biggest “grrr” right now? Are there things in your life that would help to do them “Avec Plaisir”? Bye for now, I need to go do my taxes………with pleasure.
