Buddhist cosmology tells of Trāyastriṃśa, or the Heaven of Thirty-Three gods, which rule over the human realm. The challenge this weekend is to write exactly 33 words about a god of your own devising that shares heaven with the other thirty-two gods.
Today in the
land of NaBloPoMothey want to know what I would do if I found a million
dollars alongside the road and had only till nightfall to spend it. I can’t even imagine having that kind of
money to spend as usually I am the one walking around the grocery store
subtracting the prices off a piece of paper of every single item that goes into
my shopping cart. Yeah, I am that
lady. I balance and figure down to the
last penny getting as much for my dollar because I have too. To have that much money would be overwhelming
but I can assure you I would waste little time getting busy spending it.
First and
foremost, I would pay off my house in full. Any outstanding bills would be paid off in full. My husband would be getting his teeth fixed and back into tip top condition with no excuses and no waiting till tax time. I would then hire some handy men to redo my kitchen. Goodbye leaky refrigerator that leaves a river
from some mysterious source. It cools
the food, so I wipe it up and go on with life usually. With a million bucks burning a hole in my
pocket I would be heading out and buying brand new appliances, not just any
appliances, but cherry red appliances. There
would be new kitchen cabinets with tons of nooks and crannies and counter space
to put stuff. I have nowhere to put
anything now. I would make sure to get new
wall to wall carpeting and all the walls could do with new vibrant paint that
artistically shouts “Hello! Kathy lives
here!!!” I would enlarge my son’s bedroom. It is the smallest room in the house and the
boy needs more space! Course, since I am redecorating everything
else, might as well go whole hog and make sure the bathroom and bedrooms get a
makeover too. I probably should and
would have the septic tank pumped. I
mean hey, the shitter could be full.
Best to get that cleaned out while I have the money to do it, right?
I would add on
to the garage.I would buy a brand new
John Deere tractor for my husband with all the bells and whistles.You know leaf sucker uppers, plow,
enclosures, whatever comes with tractors. Of course we would each require a brand new vehicle...an SUV for me and a bad ass truck for my husband. I would get a bigger swimming pool on the way complete with patio
furniture to surround it for lazy summer days.
Each kid would
have their own computer and printer.
Each kid would have their own smart phone. Each kid would be assured of one hell of a
Christmas. For that matter, I would make
sure my husband and I had a good Christmas by loading a big chunk on 4
individual gift cards for each person to spend as they wish. If they needed clothes I would be buying them. New shoes, new snow boots, you name it. I would shop till I dropped.
I would book trips to faraway places. Can you say vacation? I would make sure I had accommodations and
airfare to everywhere I ever wanted to go and see. London, Paris, Disney World, you name it and
I would have it booked and be going there and seeing it. I would be buying the best seats in the house to see my favorite bands and season tickets to see Notre Dame football up close and personal.
Of course, last
but not least while I had my hot little hands on such a big pile of doh- rey-
me I would have to pay for a final resting place for myself, my husband, and
kids. I would put money in trust for my kids
futures. I would stock a freezer with
plenty of meat and the refrigerator with plenty of food. I would pay off any outstanding bills I had
and set up trusts or accounts to draw from at a later date if any health issues
arose whether it be a pimple on the ass to the big horrifying cancer or other mysterious
diseases that come along and make a person writhe in pain and misery. That way when the sun sets, I would be
exhausted but I would could live the rest of my life with no worries letting
each day unfold and play out. Hakuna
Matata!
“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart!”
When I think back over the things that meant the most to me and filled my heart to the brim, I realize that it was the littlest things that I cherished the most and had the biggest impact.
This last May was one of the roughest for us financially in recent history. May is always hard, but this one seemed especially so. We had one week with no pay at all, which happened to fall the week of my birthday, one week with very little, one week that was Okay, and one big week. I am proud to say we survived and have been playing catch up ever since.
What that meant for me was that there were no presents or cake for my day. My husband was on the road and it was just me and the kids. It could have been the worse birthday ever. I turned 45, and for all intents and purposes I had every reason to be downhearted and depressed. But then the day dawned. I woke to discover a text message from my husband wishing me a happy birthday and telling me how much he loved me. He called me throughout the day. I know he felt bad that presents and the celebration would have to wait.
My kids showered me with hugs and kisses. We went for a walk and along the way they gathered wish flowers and presented me with a huge bouquet which I took great delight in blowing and making wishes as we walked. They drew me pictures and made me birthday cards. That night I was amazed how many people on Face Book wished me Happy Birthday. It touched my heart. Does it take so much to smile at a stranger or offer a kind word? Not really, and those little things can make all the difference in the world.
There are few things in life that make me jump for joy. Something that makes me want to jump for joy is the sight of my husband’s semi truck heading down the road toward home. There are probably few wives out there that feel unbridled joy at the sight of their husbands especially if the new has worn off their marriage and the honeymoon is effectively over. I hardly ever see mine, so when I do it is usually a long anticipated treat. By the time he arrives, not only am I jumping for joy, I am more than ready to jump him. Even after all these years I am still thrilled to have him home and still happy for the pleasure of his company.
If I walked out to the mailbox and actually discovered money instead of bills to pay, that would be a big reason to celebrate. I have as much chance of finding a windfall in the mailbox as I do catching a fart in the wind with both hands and bottling it. The shock of finding any real money might just be the end of me but you can bet I would be jumping for joy and may even attempt a cartwheel before falling flat on my a$$ in the front yard. If the fall didn’t kill me, I would spend the next several minutes laughing my fool head off.
When you are a kid, it doesn’t take much to make you jump for joy. Hell, hotdogs for lunch could do it. Kids are able to grasp joy a lot quicker than adults. By the time you grow up you stop appreciating the simple pleasures in life like you once did. You quit jumping for joy. Stupid things that would have sent you into rapture as a kid like a double scoop of rocky road ice cream in a sugar cone on a hot day barely warrants a half smile and mumbled thank you as you age. Seeing a sprinkler making its rotations makes most kids giddy, and they go completely ape $hit at the mere sight of bubbles. They run around with silly smiles on their faces jumping up and down with joy in the attempt to catch them before they burst. Forget that example, I am 44 and I still do that.
The worse thing is that people expect the joy to evaporate as they get older. Why is it that after a certain age you are not expected to feel or show unbridled pleasure? People honestly look at you like you are three steps away from a strait jacket and the loony bin if you jump up and down in anticipation of a foot long ham and turkey sub from Subway with all the trimmings. I have done it, and people laughed a little uncomfortably and started passing out some pretty crazy looks. They don’t know whether to let it slide or run away. Happiness and sheer joy tends to scare the living hell out of people. To me, that is just SAD. Fortunately, I was too happy at the thought of devouring said sandwich to care. Where is it written that after you reach a certain age you have to act all pious and dignified?
I would much rather see people giggling and jumping up and down with sheer joy than crying or yelling obscenities at one another, or worse standing around looking as if they have a broom stuck up their a$$es and a piece of lemon in their mouths. I would be more scared of the people intent on killing each other than someone so obviously happy they can’t control themselves. Why not express our joy with the abandon of a child? Why not be happy and laugh? Is that so terrible?
Some would argue as a person ages, the old grey mare isn’t what she used to be so why jump? My back aches, my head hurts, my brain is tired, and I am just plain weary, so why jump? I may just fall and break something important!! I can’t! I might break my a$$! What would people think? What would they say? You don’t have to do twenty G0d awful jumping jacks, just a quick couple leaps into the air or prance around the yard like a fanciful unicorn or leap about like a pixie. Jump for joy for the sake of it, if you can catch your breath, you might just laugh yourself silly until next time when I give you another glimpse into the life of a trucker’s wife.
It is said that money isn’t everything. I am not sure who shared that bit of wisdom, but in many senses they are right. It isn’t everything but it sure comes in handy. It is a money hungry world we live in where everyone is out to get more and more money. More money equals more stuff. Money changes how people behave, but the bottom line is we are all essentially the same. We all have hearts that beat, we all are born, put our pants on the same way, and eventually we will all die. Having money or not won’t change those facts of life.
I never felt that I was deprived of much when I was growing up. My dad was an over the road truck driver and would be gone 2-6 weeks at a time, much like my husband is today. If anything, I would have wanted more time with my Dad. He retired early, and that is when I really felt that I became close to him. The time I spent with both of my parents during their lifetimes was priceless. I wouldn’t have traded that for all the money in the world. I still have mementoes and pictures that I treasure, and things that help keep the memories alive in my heart.
After my Dad’s death I got a crystal clear picture of what my sister valued most and it appalled me. We were always polar opposites in everything. Where all she ever cared about was money, all I cared about was the memories that were attached. Over the years I have grown so used to not having money, that when I do have some I hardly know what to do with it. I am usually afraid to spend it, especially on anything frivolous. Every week I sit down on payday and figure out right down to the last cent where the money will be allocated. Once the plan is set, I am relieved and happy to carry it out. There is nothing better than being able to get everything I need for the week and pay some bills in the bargain. Even if I don’t have a dollar left to my name, which I usually don’t, I am pleased as punch that I was able to stretch the money to cover everything I needed it to.
I often wonder what the world would be like if there was no money. If you needed to go to the doctor, you simply went instead of waiting until you had the co-pay in your pocket. You didn’t sit and agonize over the bill that would surely follow. There would be no worries for money for electricity to light up the night, or heat to keep a body warm. If you needed more gas for your car, you simply filled it up and went on about your business. If there was no money, greed and poverty would be eliminated. We would all share and get along.
Some people believe if you have lots of money, you have it all. Without love and laughter, money really doesn’t mean a whole lot. Very little in this life is free and most everything in life takes money to be able to enjoy. If my life is rich with love, laughter, and priceless memories, I won’t mind so much the lack of money until next time when I give you another glimpse into the life of a trucker’s wife.
Get you priorities straight!! Have you ever heard that one before?? Well I have, and it rings through my scattered brain every Friday without fail. Every time Friday rolls around, I get to revisit where my priorities lie. I personally hate Fridays. It is payday, and it is also the day when I have to sit down and figure out to the last penny what will be paid, and what won’t. There used to be a day when we went and got what we wanted and then paid bills with what was left. Sadly those days are gone. Somewhere along the line we became more responsible and kissed the days of living la vita loca goodbye. Bottom line, every decision I make is made with my husband’s input. I may do the math and the organization, but I give him final approval even offering several different scenarios.
When figuring out where the money is going to go, I have to prioritize what is the most important for that week, and what to let slide. For example, you absolutely have to have a place to live. So the house payment trumps just about everything else. The vehicle payment must be paid because you need a mode of transportation. It is a good idea to keep the utilities paid because truly at 34 degrees or lower, who wants to be without heat?? Not I said the frog. My truck driving husband thinks his cell phone bill should trump all because he is on the road and needs it desperately. Actually, I get the necessity of having a cell phone however, T mobile charges one unG0dly amount each month for the privilege of having coverage nationwide, and unlimited everything. His list of priorities definitely differ from mine on that score. While I am rooting for internet, internet, internet so I can update my website, he is moaning cell phone, cell phone, cell phone. When it gets down to it you have to prioritize to ensure you have shelter, warmth, and food for your belly. Anything else is comes after that.
At the end of the day I eventually get it all figured out. If this was a perfect world I would be able to tell you that there is enough money for everything and that everything is paid up to date. Unfortunately, that is just not how life works. I will say that by the time I have decided on a course of action, I stick to it to the letter and usually feel good about what I was able to accomplish.
If you are looking for what my priorities are in general, my kids and husband are number 1. They come first in all instances. Once everyone else has been taken care of, the bills that are going to be paid are paid, and everyone has what they need…then and only then do I worry about me. I will say there are exceptions to that rule too. For example, when “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” was released on DVD, you can bet I had my happy a$$ at the store picking up my copy as soon as the doors on my son’s bus had closed and the bus was on its way down the road. What can I say? I do have my weaknesses. When it comes to money, every now and then I simply can’t resist a small indulgence. That was one of the rare times I told my husband what I was doing instead of asking his opinion. On the most part we are aligned in our priorities and I think that is why our marriage works. When we stand together, we can accomplish anything. Until next time when I give you another glimpse into the life of a trucker’s wife.
