It's Not Personal

  I must have missed the memo that said it was Celebrate Complaining Week. Every where I turned someone was complaining about something.  This week my women friends complained about what jerks men were, a guy friend complained about his wife’s cooking, a friend called to complain that her boss reprimanded her for her attitude. I heard complaints about the weather, traffic, the lack of rain.  One woman I know casually didn’t even say hello before she launched into a litany of complaints. When I mentioned that how much complaining I was hearing this week she told me that people needed to vent and that it was normal.

  I don’t think complaining is normal, maybe I’m wrong but if complaining is normal than normal is highly overrated. Actually I think normal is highly overrated, but let’s not go there. The thing about complaining is that it does absolutely no good. It doesn’t even feel good. What it is does is feed the discontent that lurks below the surface.  Once it’s fed it’s like an evil genie let loose to run amuck destroying anything in its path, namely my inner peace and well being. I like my inner peace and well being. Being content and satisfied with my life is a good thing.

   I mostly don’t complain and to be honest I don’t especially want to be around it either.  Sorry folks, but I really like being happy and complaining tend to get in the way of that.

  So, if I’ve changed the subject with you this week, walked away or kept my distance, it’s not personal. It’s me trying to keep my inner peace intact and in one piece. You see, I’ve noticed that when I complain or listen to complaints it’s because I’ve focused my attention on the one thing I didn’t like or haven’t forgiven and ignored the ten other things that went well and that I’m grateful for. I have a lot to be grateful for. I have a good life, it’s not perfect by a long shot but mostly it works for me and it works best when I’m not complaining.