Irritated? Me too…

I’m currently reading a book that challenged me to find something that irritates, frustrates or downright angers me, and look for the things in that situation for which I could be thankful. An exercise in gratitude. I get it. It’s easy to find gratitude in the things that make us happy, make our lives easy and more fulfilled. But to find something good out of something that irritates me, come on! Why? Can’t I just move on and forget about it? Shove it under the rug and stew about it like I always do? Letting the irritation rise up at some inopportune time at some poor clueless soul who happens to be nearby? Ok, ok already. Here’s what’s irritating me most at this very minute. GETTING OLD. So many things about getting old results in DAILY irritations, so I created a handy list of these irritations and the appropriate gratitudes: (Feel free to print off and use as your daily gratitude list if you would like…not copyright protected.)

Declining Eyesight – Thank you eyes for your steady decline the week I turned 40.  Thank you for petering out and allowing me to purchase cheaters, for which I am forever grateful. My mandatory cheaters serve so many purposes, not only allowing me to see menus in dark restaurants, my text messages (because I refuse to have font the size of Montana) and even this computer screen but, since I need you close by at all times, you also act as a wonderful hair accessory.

Grey hair – Hello hair, we’ve been together a long time. You have been long and short, curly and straight. We’ve been good partners throughout my 53 years. You have provided warmth on cold days, you look great in a pony on a hot Georgia summer day. You have been grabbed by the sticky chubby infant hands of my 4 kids and dressed up on formal dates. And, I get it…you are worn down. Thank you for turning grey and requiring me to color you every six weeks, Ok, it should really be 4 weeks, but who has time for that? One day my grey friend, you will be consistent enough for me to just let you go in all your grey glory. For now, I will thank you for the times you peek out, shimmering in my hair, reflecting the light like a crystal tiara, making me look like the queen I am.  

Thinning top lip – Oh top lip, how I miss you so much. Where did you go, I can’t seem to find you. My attempts at recreating you leave me looking like Bozo, so I must do without.  Although I miss you terribly, I am grateful that my lipstick lasts oh so much longer. And while we are chatting, lips, thank you for the little lines, and in some cases valleys, that lead away from you, and bring along that little line of lipstick, making me look like an aging Picasso painting, a work of art!  You’re the best!

Hot flashes – What can I say dear friend. Thank you for your sudden onset at any time of day or night. You don’t care where I am or who I am with, you just show up! I could be giving a presentation at work, having coffee with a girlfriend, or simply sleeping at night. Your sudden appearances in my daily life and devoted friendship help make me more spontaneous, learn perseverance and poise, all while wiping sweat off my upper lip and hoping I put on deodorant. AND the need to cool off with an ice cold glass of water is so helpful with reaching my goal of 100 oz of water a day. What a team player, the real MVP!

Dry skin – Thank you estrogen levels for dropping as I age and causing dry, wrinkled, itchy skin. Because of you, I now get to moisturize on a daily basis! Forcing me to pamper myself on the daily, because if I miss one day, I may claw my legs off in the middle of the night scratching. Or if I forget to slather my face with super thick Mary Kay Night Treatment cream before bed, my face feels like a shriveled up raisin when I wake up. So thank you for reminding me that self-care is not selfish.

Sleep, where are you? – While I once required a solid 8 hours of sleep, I no longer require as much of you as I once did. Never mind that I now have so much time to enjoy you … now that I don’t have babies waking me up in the middle of the night or the need to get up, fix breakfast and get a child on the bus at 7:00 am, you have gone on without me. I’m not sure why, because I really do love you and miss you and wish I could have more of you. But for now, my five to six, and on a good day seven hours of sleep do me well. Thank you for the extra time in my day to think about all the things that irritate me and how I can be thankful for them.

Creaky knees – You are my constant. Thank you for the reminders when I stand up, sit down, walk downstairs, walk upstairs, move my body in general, that I am old, er um, I mean experienced. I’m not sure what I did to deserve you, because it wasn’t like I spent my youth playing football or tumbling. Ok, so I may be carrying a few extra pounds, but for some reason, I think you would still be here for me even if I looked like the super model I was in my younger days (obviously I jest here). You will forever be the reminder of the strollers I have pushed around my hilly neighborhood, babies I have lugged up and down stairs, the endless walking at cheer competitions and the squatting down to wipe noses, put Band-Aids on little knees and give hugs. Thank you friend for working hard during those years.

Honorable mention goes to hair – lack of hair in some places and way too much hair in random, weird, hard to see and manage places. Thanks for keeping me on my toes.

Ok..yep. Definitely feel better. Thanks book that irritated me with your silly gratitude exercise.

Did I miss anything? Comment below with your gratefulness!