This morning as Christie and I were getting around and preparing for another day of work I noticed something quite peculiar. Christie already had on her dress and her shoes....and walked over to our dresser and pulled out a pair of underwear and proceed to put them on. "Wow", I thought....I've never, ever put my underwear on last. That is something that I would never do, not because I think it's wrong, but just because in all my years on this rock, it's never even crossed my mind. Which then made me think of all the ways that Christie is different than me and it was revelatory.
Anyone that knows me knows that I'm an emotional guy. Unlike most guys, I operate from an emotional center. My emotions, for better or worse, lead the way in most of my life. Christie, however, is someone that is fact based. She is able to make decisions based on the facts that are present and able to do so without allowing emotion to enter, most of the time. I think it's amazing and I often come to her and run something past her, because I'm aware that my emotions sometimes lead me astray and always appreciate that Christie can provide me with a rational view of whatever situation I may be facing.
I've been called "cheap" before. More than once. I prefer to think of it as "cost conscientous", but whatever. I can be a little tight with money. Whenever something is needed I always see the item as a dollar sign. How much is this going to cost us? Christie is way more relaxed with money. Not overly relaxed, but quite opposite of me. She is a "fixer". If there is something that needs attending she thinks of the solution, without thinking about the cost that comes with whatever the solution may be. If left to my own devices, I would probably let things get well past their "best used by" date in order to save a dollar or two. This is not always a good idea. Christie over our relationship has helped me view money a "little" more relaxed. We compliment each other very nicely. I've learned to loosen up a bit and perhaps I've helped her save a little bit. It works.
If it was up to me, I would probably be fairly close to a hermit. I'm not naturally a super sociable person. Don't get me wrong, I love people, but I tend to get anxious around a group of people in a small room. Christie, on the other hand, loves to "entertain" and be with people. I have no doubt that the connections I have with the people in my life are infinitely stronger as a direct result of Christie's need to often prod me out the door. She's also taught me that having people over is not as bad as I sometimes irrationally think it will be.
These are just a couple of examples, but as you can tell we are as different as the way we put on underwear. It's easy for me to look at these examples and realize that not only is my life better as a result of having Christie in it, but I'm a better person as a direct result of her presence in my life. How lucky am I? Damn lucky...
That line in the movie Jerry Maguire that is so widely known...."You complete me"...a bunch of crap. Don't believe that any person can complete you. I would like to think that I was a complete person prior to Christie's arrival in my life. "1" is a whole number. According to Google, "whole" is defined thus:
Whole- Adjective: All of, entire -Noun: A thing that is complete in itself: "a coherent whole".
However, if you ask a mathamatician they will tell you that "1" is an "odd" number. I have no problem admitting that I was an odd "1" most of my life. I was complete, but odd, no doubt. Christie entered my life as a whole "1" as well. But the beautiful thing about our relationship is that when we are together we become "2" and that my friends, is even.
Christie has made me even in so many ways and there is not a day that goes by that I don't count my blessings for her presence in my life. I am aware that every good thing that has happened in my life since her arrival can in some way be attributed to her decision to hang with me. Today is Christie's birthday. Significant day in my world because so much of my world begins and ends with her. So today I celebrate the person who made me "even". I love her so very much and thought you might want to know how amazing she is, not that you needed to read this to know that....Even if she puts her underwear on weird.
I love you Christie Fitzgerald....happy birthday.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Don't be the cow....
I saw a cow in a beautiful pasture this weekend....
This pasture hadn't been eaten up by the ravages of a Texas summer yet, still had plenty of green grass around. Looked pretty much like a cow's paradise, as far as I could tell. Yet the cow was all the way up to the fence line, trying to pry it's head between the wires of the fence in order to grab some of the grass just on the other side. Stupid cow...
Then I thought a bit more and realized how often I'm a stupid cow. Have been blessed beyond measure yet not satisfied. Wanting what's on the other side of the "fence". Here's what I've found about fences though. There is a crap load of them. As soon as you get over one, there's another waiting for you. Our society has become quite the fence makers, it would seem.
Hey, here's the Iphone 4...this phone will make you waffles for breakfast. FENCE....Here's the Iphone 4"S". This phone is ten times better because it will tell you a story while it makes you waffles.
Here's a perfectly good pair of shoes that will do everything a pair of shoes should do. FENCE...Here's a shoe that will magically take inches off of your butt while you do nothing more than wear them.
But it's not just corporate America that are fence makers. We are quite adept at making fences ourselves. I have a beautiful house. The nicest house I've ever lived in. More room than we use or need. Yet I suddenly have a FENCE because they are building new homes right across the way and man those houses look really nice. Bigger patio, more square footage...one of those would be a better house, I know it.
You just recently started working out and you are feeling great about it. Feel better, have more energy, more confidence, taking steps in the right direction. FENCE...hey you're old friend that you haven't seen in 15 years just posted on Facebook that they started working out recently and have already lost 12 lbs. Suddenly, you are not happy with what you were completely content with before....you want what's on the other side of the fence.
You get the point. It's everything you want, until you have it, then it's not quite enough. Now I'm all for bettering yourself and striving to become a better you. But I have a sneakin' suspicion that most of us are spending so much time trying to get through the fence that we forget all that is already in our proverbial "pasture".
If you would have told the 14 year old me that I would have the family that I have, the job that I love, and all the "stuff" that I've acquired, that 14 year old kid would be stoked. That's more than he thought was possible. Yet here I am, blessed beyond measure, and still find myself scraping up my neck trying to get on the other side of the damn fence. Stupid cow.
Do you think about your pasture? How blessed you are with the people, opportunities and life that you've been given? Do you lose sight of how good your life is, looking over the fence? Don't be the cow.
This pasture hadn't been eaten up by the ravages of a Texas summer yet, still had plenty of green grass around. Looked pretty much like a cow's paradise, as far as I could tell. Yet the cow was all the way up to the fence line, trying to pry it's head between the wires of the fence in order to grab some of the grass just on the other side. Stupid cow...
Then I thought a bit more and realized how often I'm a stupid cow. Have been blessed beyond measure yet not satisfied. Wanting what's on the other side of the "fence". Here's what I've found about fences though. There is a crap load of them. As soon as you get over one, there's another waiting for you. Our society has become quite the fence makers, it would seem.
Hey, here's the Iphone 4...this phone will make you waffles for breakfast. FENCE....Here's the Iphone 4"S". This phone is ten times better because it will tell you a story while it makes you waffles.
Here's a perfectly good pair of shoes that will do everything a pair of shoes should do. FENCE...Here's a shoe that will magically take inches off of your butt while you do nothing more than wear them.
But it's not just corporate America that are fence makers. We are quite adept at making fences ourselves. I have a beautiful house. The nicest house I've ever lived in. More room than we use or need. Yet I suddenly have a FENCE because they are building new homes right across the way and man those houses look really nice. Bigger patio, more square footage...one of those would be a better house, I know it.
You just recently started working out and you are feeling great about it. Feel better, have more energy, more confidence, taking steps in the right direction. FENCE...hey you're old friend that you haven't seen in 15 years just posted on Facebook that they started working out recently and have already lost 12 lbs. Suddenly, you are not happy with what you were completely content with before....you want what's on the other side of the fence.
You get the point. It's everything you want, until you have it, then it's not quite enough. Now I'm all for bettering yourself and striving to become a better you. But I have a sneakin' suspicion that most of us are spending so much time trying to get through the fence that we forget all that is already in our proverbial "pasture".
If you would have told the 14 year old me that I would have the family that I have, the job that I love, and all the "stuff" that I've acquired, that 14 year old kid would be stoked. That's more than he thought was possible. Yet here I am, blessed beyond measure, and still find myself scraping up my neck trying to get on the other side of the damn fence. Stupid cow.
Do you think about your pasture? How blessed you are with the people, opportunities and life that you've been given? Do you lose sight of how good your life is, looking over the fence? Don't be the cow.
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