Tuesday, April 20, 2010

trials -- not that I'm asking for some... (now where is that wood?)

I went to Time Out For Women to discover what I knew all along -- I am so blessed.  We heard from some very enlightened women who have been through a lot.  I don't think the intention was to exhibit them as people to be pitied, merely providing a place in which to share their combined experience and wisdom.  So we had heard from the woman who had had breast cancer, been RS president, whose husband had lost his job, etc. all in the same year; the woman who had had cancer on her eye and had to have the whole eye removed; and the woman from Sierra Leone -- no more explanation needed.  Then we were asked to write down our trials.  Did I hear that right?  I stared down at a blank page completely flummoxed.  Trials?  That's a negative.  I don't think I have any.  Let me deliberate on this a little more, there must be something.  We had to eat the same meal twice this month.  I didn't really like my last haircut very much.  I accidentally bought a gigantic pack of 1-ply toilet paper again. Oh, oh, I know!  My five beautiful children healthfully mess up my abundantly sized (by the world's standard) house practically every day and I have to use my fancy vacuum to dust off my shiny floors.  I also have to drive my well-running car with said children to all the activities that we are able to afford and make them practice the piano that we have in our nicely furnished living room.  On a regular basis I have to visit the sprawling grocery store and wade through heaps of fresh, delicious food and actually decide what we are going to have to consume every day.  On top of all that, I have to throw piles and piles of lovely clothing into a fairly recently purchased washing machine that sings a little melody at me when everything is sparkling clean.  And, and, and -- I had to spend the winter in the south of France of all places.  What a pain.  I don't know how I am possibly expected to endure all of this.

7 comments:

corn fed girl said...

Ha! I totally understand! When we went shopping at the big shiney mall, with clean waterafter the conf. All I could think of was....they hacked off her legs!
I will try not complain....& when I feel an urge I will try to remember those women. It will cycle & cycle...selfish, woo is me thinking...then feeling bad that I feel bad. We are blessed. Thank you for laundry!! Thanks be for dirty dishes!

HARA said...

This is one of my favorite post of anyone in a long long time! I'm sharing it with my friends, hope you don't mind. I adore you!

Normal Mom said...

Always good to get a little perspective on things isn't it? Thanks for lunch today!

Stacey said...

Great post, Mary! It was a great conference and much needed!

amylouwhosews said...

ahhh, what a little perspective can do. I need some of that right now, so thank you for sharing!

(while I type this at my new fancy computer, in a home, while agonizing over the impending birth of a 3rd healthy child.)

Jen said...

I often feel the same way. However, when I feel sorry that I must have a weak character not to deserve any trials, I just remember that Brigham Young said something about prosperity being one of the greatest trials. I'm sure there is something to that. Great post.

My name is Lexi said...

i like this

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