Sunday, May 30, 2010

serenity now

The Sunday Scribblings theme this week is Mantra.I don't really have a mantra I live by or chant over and over. I guess If I had a mantra it would be "STaY positive". Especially as I've grown older, I've seen that staying positive can really get you through many situations. Sometimes it can be the most difficult thing to do. When life is handing you some awful stuff... keeping positive can seem ridiculously impossible.
Another thing I do a LOT lately, When a situation is bad and I don't think I can cope.. I pretend that THIS problem is the smaller one of TWo that I COULD have had. I think of a much worse scenario and think.. Geez SO lucky it is this difficult situation OVEr that one! I know I sound nuts, but it helps me better than a mantra probably could.
Not sure if it's a mantra or not but one phrase that I do repeat often to my middle son is .. "I'm Right behind you!" This middle one worries me and when he was younger and would head out for a night out I would Constantly remind him to BE SMART and BE GOOD and REMEMBER... If you are wondering if something is smart or right to do or not.. think...'would I do this if MOM were standing right behind me??' If not... PROBABly not a good idea! haha As the years went by.. this LOoong warning became.. "I'm right behind you Nick!" It's become as much an affectionate term as I love you Nick. He knows what I mean and that I just want him to be safe and careful out in the world. BE CAREFUL is another phrase (WAIT! maybe THIS really is my mantra after all?!?) that I say to EACH of my kids as they leave the house. Wow..writing this post just made me realize I LIVE by 'be careful'. I am SO careful with EVerything I do.CAUTiON is my middle name for goodness sakes! Okay. I DO have a mantra.. be careful be careful be careful... oooh I feel so comforted by this. be careful be careful be careful... ohhmmm

8 comments:

Giggles said...

This is WHY we are friends, because I always say that too!! I am very safety conscious as are the kids. Over the years I may have seemed fanatical but it worked for me!

Great piece! Writing can be so insightful!! Funny how even you weren't sure how this post would end until you got there!!! Love SS!!

Hugs Giggles

Divaa Divine said...

nicely done prompt all the way to the finish :)

My melodious mantra

keiths ramblings said...

Great Lucy! I love the way you came to conclusion that you do have a mantra of sorts!

Forgetfulone said...

Think I'm going to use that "warning" when mine get old enough to go out on their own which won't be long. They are turning 14 in a few weeks. Ah!!!!!

Dee Martin said...

I always have to say both "I love you" and "be careful" when mine are leaving the house. They are in college so they leave often...

Devil Mood said...

Hahah Lucy, you are funny...and sweet. And wise too, that thing about the bigger problem might work. Often we say that to people: "you know, it could be worse, it could be this or that". But, when it comes to us, it's harder to disengage from the emotionality connected to the problem, but I'll try to keep that idea in mind. :)

Bone said...

I think it's super sweet that you say "be careful" a lot, Lucy. I find myself saying it more and more, and I hope those to whom I say it understand I'm saying "I love you and don't want anything to happen to you."

I was trying to think of a mantra from Seinfeld, but all I could think of was George's "do the opposite."

Beth Camp said...

I really liked how this post perseveres and then, bingo! Gets right to the heart of any mantra: the essence of what has most meaning to you -- your family. So the mantra is supposed to "transform" reality, in this way, your mantra is a form of love and protection. Beautiful.