Perception

“It is one of the commonest of mistakes to consider that the limit of our power of perception is also the limit of all there is to perceive.”

- C.W. Leadbeater

I had a brief conversation with someone earlier today (you know who you are). It made me pause and think and reflect, mostly on blogging.

I started this blog because I thought it would be a fun, creative way to document our lives with our 2 little ones. I am able to post pictures and keep an ongoing journal of the daily happenings. But, this blog is not the whole picture. Our life is full and happy, but far from perfect. My daily routine often consists of whining children (and sometimes adults), diffusing a temper tantrum, constant messes and what seems like mountains of laundry. I do not like to cook and often don't, and most of the time I feel guilty about it (something I need to work on). Sometimes, I'm painfully shy and uncomfortable in social situations and until recently wouldn't order anything from the deli counter. However, I have happy, well-adjusted and healthy children who make my days full and worth waking up every morning. They are kind-hearted, silly, smart kids who constantly make us laugh. I have a husband who laughs with me, stays grounded when I go a little astray and loves me unconditionally, even in spite of my bad cooking.

I then started thinking about myself and how I perceive others through their blogs: "Look how beautiful her house is! What a great wardrobe she has! I wish my pictures would look like that!" I enjoy going through my list of blogs everyday, but, I must admit, sometimes I have a bit of blogger's envy....

Don't get me wrong, I am grateful every single minute of the day for my blessings, but I am constantly striving for better. And, while it may be good to work towards bigger and better goals, it's important to keep things in perspective and do so while being content in the moments taking place right before your very eyes.

It's not the whole picture...on my blog or anyone else's. I choose to write about the things that make me happy. Generally, making a craft with Little Miss or watching E move to the next level belt in Tae Kwan Do rank higher than conquering the mountain of laundry, but that's just me. Someone else may rank those things in a different order....

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

-Frederick Keonig