You missed the Pity Party!

Last week was one of those
terrible,
horrible,
no good,
very bad
weeks.

(Wish I had come up with that clever opening, but Judith Viorst beat me to it.)

Before you get too worried, I will hasten to add that nothing life threatening or shattering happened, just a combination of MANY little annoyances that added up to make the molehill seem like a mountain.... A large mountain.... A range of mountains- like the Alps. You get the idea.

a small sampling of my inconveniences:
Cars with flat tires,
dishwashers (1 year out of warranty) that wouldn't stay closed without a bamboo stick,
minor (of the most minor kind) surgery where the local anesthetic hurt worse than the rest of the procedure or recovery,
snow and ice reigning supreme over the school district and my best laid plans,
gallons of goodies consumed with the kids while we sat out the school closures decimating any thoughts of weight loss.

So I did what came naturally. I had a pity party. I pulled out the off-brand soda, the stale chips that had been hidden in the back of the pantry, put on my most ill-fitting sweats (the ill-fitting jeans won't...ahem....fit) and most unflattering t-shirt and proceeded to feel sorry for myself. I also invited (forced) the rest of the family to attend the party by loudly proclaiming my misery whenever and however possible. Misery loves company, doesn't it?.

While surfing blogs (do we surf blogs like we surf the internet? Why don't we call it skateboarding the internet? Biking the internet? Who decided we "surf" the internet? Al Gore?) I read the following quote at Laura's blog (see Laura's life on the right...she's funny and clever but doesn't blog often enough)

Elder B. H. Roberts of the Seventy said "those who have to contend with difficulties, brave dangers, endure disappointments, struggle with sorrows, eat the bread of adversity and drink the water of affliction, develop a moral and spiritual strength, together with a purity of life and character, unknown to the heirs of ease, and wealth and pleasure."

The pity soda went flat, the pity chips went into the trash. The pity clothes were hung up for slimmer days. Although my "trials" this past week were frustrating, and not at all huge in the world of trials, I do think they were a vehicle for growth in my life, however small. And I am grateful that I can "surf" or "bike" or "skateboard" the blogs of others, to find the inspiration and comfort that I needed!