New Shoes

“I cried because I had no shoes, until I saw a man who had no feet"

This saying popped into my head this morning.  When I was in college I had a little book that I had filled with quotes that I had read or heard that really resonated with me.  If I remember correctly, this quote graced the first page of that book.  At that time I was going through a rough spot. I am not really sure why, probably just the last bit of teen-aged angst showing its face. I had to remind myself all the time that as much as I wanted to complain about my mediocre grades and my lack of funds or clear direction in my life, I really had no right to complain. 

I have found that that attitude is a double edged sword. Sure, it is great to keep things in perspective and count your blessings. But sometimes, no matter how many blessings you have, counting them doesn't do much to make you feel better about life, and that is doubly depressing.

Jealousy and longing are really ugly traits, and I am feeling fugly these days. I wanted to speak to my attitude for just a moment, and to say that if all of my updates are quick family status reports or pictures of my beautiful girls for a while, I am just following that the universal rule, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."