LIFE LESSONS from Dr. Suess

Everyday is the same routine.
My work schedule doesn't ever change unless I am deathly ill or I decide to take a day off. I don't really do a whole lot on weekends, I hang out with my husband when we both have a mutual day off, I see friends occasionally when I'm not so exhausted but in my life, it's really always the same mundane schedule.

I'm sure you all feel the same way about your days; that life isn't all that "exciting" since you're not climbing mountains going into space or whatever it is that you think makes life interesting. 
Everyday is a gift though. So why don't we appreciate the gift of each day that we are given? We so easily lose sight of how wonderful everyday is because we're stuck waking up, eating, working, going home, watching TV, going to bed and then repeat. We forget to appreciate the fact that we woke up today when others didn't, that we have food to eat when others don't, that we have a job to pay for things when people can't seem to hold one down or find one, that we have a roof over our heads no matter how big or small when others have no place to call home, that we have electricity, that we have a bed, and all other things. Why do we so easily take for granted what we have in our life and complain?

This is sounding a lot like my last blog post but it's just always on my mind how people are so unaware of how BLESSED they are. And don't think I'm writing this to tell all of you: I'm also reminding myself. 

I just watched The Lorax on TV the other night and if you've never read the book or seen the movie I highly recommend it. Kid's movies (most of them) have the best lessons for adults. Dr. Suess tends to be my absolute FAVORITE author to do such things.

In The Lorax, he speaks for the trees to a guy who wants to tear them all down. I won't spoil the rest of the story but the main reason I love it so much is for it's most infamous quote: 

Read that. 

When you're done, read it again. 

Now this quote just means so much to me because I care about a lot of things. But what I care most about is the wellness of others. I am certainly a people pleaser and want the best for everyone that comes into my life. 

When I talk about Jesus :)

I believe in Christ (everyone I hope is well aware of that with the way that I live my life) and by having this faith and love and relationship with my savior, my life is better. It just is. It's hard to explain but I know people can see it. I want others to know that, to experience that, to feel what I feel everyday when I wake up. Christ makes me care about others. Christ makes me see how the things of this world are unimportant. Christ makes me see that everyday is a gift. 

If you don't have the faith or belief that I do don't worry I'm not going to bash you over the head with my bible because that won't do anything except give you a headache. However, that's what I care about most and need to share. And those in my life know that and don't mind that I talk about it. Hence why they are apart of my life. With that care Christ has given me, it helps me to make my life better and that's what I want to share with others: How to make your life better for the time being that we are here. 

Life lessons aren't there to make life easy but they are there to make life bearable, to find the joy in the small stuff. To care about things that will make it better! 

I love the fish bowl quote. I think as humans we overcomplicate EVERYTHING. There are complicated questions we ask throughout our life like what house I should buy, who I should marry, where I should live, what I should be when I grow up etc etc. These questions are all apart of the American Dream. An unnecessary lie we've all been told will bring us true happiness.  You don't need to get married to be happy. You don't need a big house to be happy. You don't need a job that will make you a lot of money to be happy. Do something that will show love, kindness, gratitude, happiness. Then you will find joy.Then you'll be happy.

Ok. I am sure that I have babbled on long enough for some of you so here's a synopses of everything I have just said to make it easier. 

Care about the things that aren't things. 

Say what you feel. 

Keep those in your life that accept you for who you are. 

Don't overcomplicate life: it's already complicated enough. 

Be yourself. 

Love. For me, it's love God, Christ, and others. And I'll have to say, it's made life worth living. 

Dr. Suess has wonderful thoughts, poems, and quotes that can touch the hearts of so many for different reasons. The Lorax makes me think about how much I care. If I didn't care, nothing would get better. People wouldn't get better. Life wouldn't be better. 

Where's My Fry Fill?

"We have unlimited, endless, bottomless fries and drinks that include soda's, ice tea's and lemonades" 

 If you don't know this yet I bartend at Red Robin. A wonderful, fun burger and brews joint that I do enjoy working at mainly because of my co-workers and great love of food in general. I've been there for three years now and have repeated that sentence probably hundreds of times. I was at a table today doing my spiel like I do at every table and really focused on the words I was saying. I don't know why I was really thinking about the words that were coming out of my mouth this time as opposed to all the other short speeches I have given but for some reason I just had a revelation of sorts while offering this endless opportunity.  

What I found was that what I was saying was crazy. We offer bottomless fries. UNLIMITED. As many as you can handle is how I put it as some sort of joke. No one can eat unlimited fries. I don't know why but I just instantly thought about how easy we have it here in America where we can go into an establishment and drink and eat as much as we possible want. What a privilege. What a way of life. A majority of people around the world struggle to just find clean water or their next meal and here I am 3 fry fills deep to one table asking me for another. 

"Where's my fry fill?" 

"Sorry sir, it takes 5 minutes to cook the fries and I wanted to make sure you had hot ones since the ones I got were cold" 

So I threw them out. What a waste. What impatience. Where's my fry fill? Do you need another fry fill? Can I have some more fries? So ridiculous how we look at food as not being so much a necessity in america but an option. We can go without eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner cause we know if I don't eat now, I will later. There are options. I need food to live sure that's a necessity but it's really my option to eat as little or as much as I want. How lucky. How fortunate. 

Maybe I'm crazy. I just think we need to be more thankful for this option. We waste so much of our energy on being mad at the fact it took a little bit longer to get our food when we go out or get mad that something wasn't hot enough, cold enough, whatever it may be. I am just thankful I have the option to eat whatever I want whenever I want. I'm thankful to be able to give people food who might not appreciate the fact that they are able to get as many fry fills as they want. I'm thankful for thinking this way and being more appreciative for the food I have in my home this very moment. I'm not saying you have the think the way I do but maybe just think about it. 

There are people who don't have food who would be more than happy to have that cold fry fill. Who would be happy to have three glasses of water and not have to ask for their refill. 

These are some of the boys that I absolutely adore from my trip to the Dominican. We put on a school day celebration for all the kids going to attend school that year and their families. We brought them food as well and I waited in line with these three boys squished between a hundred other families waiting to get food. They were hungry; they were thirsty; but they never once complained while waiting in line. 

When we finally got to the font of the buffet line they were very hesitant as to how much food to take and I told them they could take as much as their plate could fit. They took everything and ate everything. They were so happy and so thankful to get some food. I don't know how long it had been since their last meal but I was just thankful to be able to be with them and see them get a good meal. I had a water bottle filled with water and kept giving it to them. I filled it about four times (it was a 32oz water bottle) for them. They wouldn't ask but I kept asking "are you thirsty" and they would say yes and I'd give them water. They needed it more than I did. They were thirsty I was not. They were hungry. I was not. 

I guess hearing myself say "endless fry fills" and "endless drinks" just seems crazy that I am offering that to one person when I want to offer it to those three boys, or that entire town, or even that entire country. This life is too short to complain "where's my fry fill". 

Just be thankful.