I swiped the title from a headline in the N.Y. Times. The article was by Ben Brantley, theatre critic (http://tinyurl.com/4s4hhga). I sent him fan mail that I loved the headline. I cut it out and taped it to my giant list of smiley, happy things. It’s the perfect fit for what I was thinking of writing today!
I’d been scribbling notes about being happily surprised/astonished how things turn out, this after a conversation with my husband last night. We’ve both been so taken by one of our new kittens. He has so much more personality/quirky-ness than we ever could have imagined back when we adopted Simon and his brother Rooster in April. I said to Dave (the husband) that we’d been Simonized (meaning effected by Simon, but also a term from when I was a kid that had something to do with dry cleaning. Here I mean the cat thing not the laundry thing. Don’t get the reference? Ask an old person.) was like “What’s behind door number 2?” on Let’s Make a Deal (Don’t get this reference either? Ask the same old person. Old people can be very handy to have around. Remember that.).
Door Handle Smiley
And just like Let’s Make a Deal some people agonize over a choice to the point of losing the opportunity or spoiling the enjoyment. I’d suggest that most choices are between things that are both really pretty good. So what’s the harm in maybe picking the one that’s not quite as good? No harm; not a thing. Who knows, in the long run it might even turn out to be the better choice.
You know the saying “6 to 1, half dozen to the other.”? Long ago I changed it to “6 to 1, 5 to the other.” I figure getting 5 really isn’t so bad. Adopt this outlook and being decisive is easy. Make a decision and go forward without regret or teeth gnashing. Why tie yourself up in knots? 5 really is good enough.
This is Mr. Rogers. If you don’t know him, you should take the time to get to know him via YouTube or Netflix! Ask any old person you know and they’ll tell you he was wonderful.
General George Patton said: A good plan executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.
Bet you never imagined the Smiley Lady quoting a war guy. I’ll be sure to post something by Mr. Rogers or the Dalai Lama soon to balance things out.
Make a choice.See what happens. Be astonished. It is most important to be astonished. Let life happen and enjoy.
Smile. Be Happy.
Ruth
B.T.W.: in Kitties Smiley at the top of this post, it’s Simon=white and Rooster=orange.