A previous neighbor once spat at me, “Don’t you have a charmed life?”. At the time, it really p*ssed me off. I felt like she was insulting me. Her tone certainly helped to convey the insult – but, in truth, the words alone stung. Some time later, I told another friend about the neighbor’s comment. My girlfriend couldn’t understand why it had upset me. She said something to the effect of, “So? I have a charmed life. Always have.” Huh. That was something to chew on…she owned her charmed life. She expected and deserved her wonderful life.
So the original charmed life insult was about 4 years ago. The conversation about my friend’s also charmed life was about two years ago. And yet the whole thing still feels fresh! Both women were right – I DO have a charmed life. No doubt about it. But, I had originally equated charmed with perfect. But it just ain’t so. And I think it ain’t so because while lots of people have charmed lives*, no one has a perfect life. So, the big picture is that my life is C H A R M E D! However, there are also many, many moments of uncharmed imperfection each and every day. And the two can actually live in harmony.
What has me thinking about all of this is that my afternoons have just gotten a little more charmed as I just found a fantastic mother’s helper a couple of afternoons a week. I wasted a lot of time feeling guilty about it… But one mom suggested that if I got more help, it would help me to relax and thereby put my children more at ease as well. Brilliant! And another amazing mom asked me to consider that if I am not being my best self, because I am burnt out/stressed out, what am I teaching my children?
And so I will shout it from the rooftop: I have a charmed life!! No apologies. No guilt. Just gratitude.
*I think that charmed lives are tied in with abundance. There is a saying to the effect of “the universe will provide as little as we ask for”…so dream big!
Well said Tracy
By: marlena27 on November 28, 2012
at 8:23 pm
Thank you, Marlena!! You always send a little cheer my way, just when I need it! Love, T.
By: Tracy Barsamian Ventola on December 4, 2012
at 8:22 pm
Life is good. So great to see you last week! xoxo
By: Jenny on November 28, 2012
at 9:12 pm
Life IS good! Were you channeling/remembering mom when you wrote that?! Great to see you, too! Love, T.
By: Tracy Barsamian Ventola on December 4, 2012
at 8:21 pm
Hmmm, would you have been less upset if she used the word “blessed” instead of “charmed”?
By: Andrea on November 28, 2012
at 9:52 pm
Hmmm…blessed would have probably sat better than charmed…but I think it was more the tone! Even the most lovely words – like, “you look beautiful today” when said in that tone of voice, become a not-so-sincere compliment! It’s like giving a compliment to someone while flipping them off!!! Or rolling your eyes!
By: Tracy Barsamian Ventola on December 4, 2012
at 8:20 pm