Gold Plated Problems

My good friend, Elsie, and I love to gab on the phone, and some days we just love to bitch.  One day she gave me a card as a humorous reminder of our occasionally nutty rants, and it said:

"Helen and Ruth bitched all day... then they bitched some more."   

This will be Elsie and me in 40 years...still bitching on a bench.

Whenever I run across that card it makes me laugh out loud, and it also gives me pause to reflect.  It reminds me of the common, if not obsessive, tendency that we all have at times to get caught up in the negative spin cycle of life.  As I consider the card's message, and think about my daily interactions with friends and even strangers I encounter, it occurs to me how pervasive this habit can be.

When Elsie and I start down the yellow brick road of complaining, I often catch myself saying, "Let's be honest, Elsie, our problems, while real and painful at times, are really just gold plated.  We have food, shelter, clothes, family, friends and love in our lives.  Truly, what else is there?"

And yet we continue to identify and complain about what is missing in our lives.

I am a work in progress, and while my daily goal is to focus on the 'good' things in my life, I still slip into old habits and obsess about what's wrong.  When I do get stuck at my own pity party, I look for inspiration to break me free, which I usually find in books and movies.

I discovered a particularly inspiring book this summer while preparing for our vacation.  We were taking a road trip to San Diego to visit my brother and sister-in-law, which takes about 10 hours each way!  I have learned that 20 hours in the minivan with three kids and the dog, is the perfect Petri dish for some serious bitching.  To reduce the pain and suffering of our long road trip, I downloaded an audio book that I hoped the whole family would enjoy (and keep the moaning and groaning to a minimum).  Trust me, this is a full proof method that makes the miles whiz by peacefully.

I selected UNBROKEN, by Laura Hillenbrand.  The subject didn't attract my attention at first, (World War II, ugh!), but  my friend, Amber, (who is rarely wrong) said it was great and was sure the whole family would like it, too.  From the moment I hit play everyone in the car was quiet and listened intently, except for my 4 year old daughter, who watched Little Mermaid (thank God for the built-in DVD player with its own headphones!)

This gripping biography follows the life of Louis Zamperini,  a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Force, whose plane gets shot down over the Pacific Ocean, where he is lost at sea for 47 days on a leaky raft...only to be captured by the Japanese.  About half way through the book I wasn't sure I could take any more bad news for Louis.  I mean can you say tough breaks?  Now he was my definition of a guy who was not having 'gold plated' problems. 

Gratefully, just when I was losing all hope, my husband reminded me of a book review that he had read that basically said you will wonder why you're reading this book, until you hit the final twenty pages.  The review was spot on.  UNBROKEN was a rough ride, but one I would take again just to be a witness of this totally inspiring man, life, and book.

If you are in need of a reminder of how good you have it, read UNBROKEN.  I think of  Louis Zamperini often, and I am grateful for his example of what a truly forgiving and loving heart looks like.

I want to take a moment and thank my wonderful and supportive husband who has given me hours of help editing, not only my blog, but my novel as well.  I love you and really appreciate all your loving encouragement. You are the best friend a girl could ask for.

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