One of my oldest friends came to visit me this weekend. We had a great time together; it's the longest visit we've had with each other since we stopped being roommates when I got married back in 2002. But I also learned something this weekend: some of my biggest gripes at this point in my life are really not such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
I've written before here about how hard it is to cook for one with my husband deployed. Well, my friend is still single, so my complaint about cooking for one is just part of her everyday life. I only have to cook for one for seven months; she does it every day with no end in sight.
I also have written about how frustrated I am that we've been trying unsuccessfully to have a baby. And while my single friend feels for me and has been supportive, I was keenly aware all weekend that any thought of how my biological clock seems to be ticking away seems crass. My friend is even further from having a baby than I am, and our clocks are ticking together.
Moreover, my friend would give anything just to have a loving husband, even one who is away at war. It's easy to get bummed that my husband is gone and I don't get to spend time with him, but I was reminded this weekend that at least I have him. Even though he is gone, I have a partner to go through life with, a husband who loves me very much and who makes my heart feel whole even when he's thousands of miles away. I'm lucky to have a husband, even an absent one.
My friend's visit made me count my blessings and gave me another healthy dose of Perspective.
(But it was fun too; I promise I didn't just Learn Lessons all weekend. There was plenty of laughter and bourbon too!)
