Thursday, October 29, 2009

Small Things . . .

Anyone living in Brisbane will know how welcome the storm was on Monday night. My daughter said "the rain smells so beautiful" - and so it did! I ran around pulling pot plants out to make sure that they got the soaking that they so desperately needed. I went to bed to the sound of thunder and watched the lightening though the windows.

The next morning I awoke to find a "small" flood in my bedroom and walk-in wardrobe . . . my initial thought was to ask my children which of them had "spilt" some water - that was until I realised you could sail a small boat though the "flood". What was already a busy day (I was due to start a new TAFE course) suddenly became much busier as I spent hours on the phone with insurance and repair companies negotiating times, services and insurance policies, and then started that horribly task of "cleaning up" aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh. Anyone who knows me knows that cleaning is one of my least favourite things. While the psychs at work once diagnosed me with "clinical perfectionism" that does not mean that I enjoy cleaning - and this situation was taking on a whole new meaning of "cleaning".

My annoyance grew to a BIG angry monster when it was discovered that the cause of my flood was because an insulation installer had "forgotten" to put one of the roof tiles back when they finished my job. Just one little tile is all it took to create this huge mess that could take weeks (if not months) to rectify. Industrial dryers were installed in my bedroom (it was so noisy we couldn't sleep in any of the bedrooms); damaged installation was removed from the ceiling; ruined Christmas presents were layed out to be photographed for insurance purposes; clothes had to be found new homes as the wardrobe could no longer hold them; and "mess" got shuffled through the house from one location to the next.

I am frustrated that one little tile (or the absence thereof) is all it took . . . and the song "from little things big things grow" keeps going through my head as I avoid my bedroom and what awaits me. It got me to thinking about those "small things" that impact on us so greatly - "good" and "bad" - depending on your belief system you may see them as "challenges" or "opportunities to grow". Some days I just see them as a big pain in the rear end!

There are little things that get me through the day. A really good coffee! A bargain at the shop. A hug from my children. A phone call from a friend to check in and see how I'm doing. That order for 100 cup cakes. A new business idea. The smile from a stranger. The sharing of a special moment. Having a special moment. And the support of friends, family and work mates . . . that is what is necessary to get me through the day.

Those small annoyances also seem to grow. An order that doesn't arrive on time. A client that doesn't turn up. A rude shop assistant. The stubbed toe at the most inconvenient moment. These are the things that can stop me getting through the day . . . if I let them!

From small things, big things grow.

I hope you'll share those things that help you get through the day. What are the small things that make it possible for you to lead your FAB life? What are the things that get in the way of having a FAB life balance? Hopefully we can share some thoughts that might help us all.

I still think that the rain smells beautiful . . .

Remember, it's a FAB life . . .


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