arup’s blog

Most mornings after my breakfast of tea and toast I gaze out of my kitchen window as I slurp my last few mouthfuls of tea and think about how lucky I am. I think about how many people there are in the world and how many are suffering due to their location or their circumstances. My life is pretty good compared to that. I’m fairly close to how I want to live and not many can say that. So I give thanks and praises. They aren’t in order.

I live in a free society

They say that the UK is a land of eccentrics, so nobody really oppresses you to conform. Everyone is all for you doing your own thing. Especially in this day and age where the work/life balance is at the top of everyone’s list. I really don’t need to worry about how I dress, how I speak, what car I drive. Within reason I can do what I want. Live how I want to live.

I’m grateful that I don’t live in a dictatorship of any sort where the government and society at large frown upon many of your actions. Well more than frown upon it.

I live in country with a stable democratic government

I’m certainly not bigging up this present government, but it’s not oppressive and it does not impose its rules and regulations upon anybody in an authoritarian way. Neither is it being overthrown by its rival every now and again. The country’s infrastructure works pretty well and I don’t need to worry about being arrested and detained for something very minor. At least for the time being.

I live in a country that is at peace

How many countries are in a state of war at the moment? December 2007? Wikipedia gives a list of 30 ongoing conflicts around the world. I can begin to imagine the horror of war. I have never been in a war and I hope I never will.

I am in a stable relationship

I’ve been with my mrs for over 15 years and it works pretty well most of the time. We have our ups and downs but many of my immediate friends are alone and trying desperately to find someone. Internet dating, speed dating and what have you. And those that are together complain of a whole host of problems.

I am healthy and fit

I do yoga and I ride my bike. That keeps me in top form. I eat fairly healthily even though I think I don’t. I am grateful for my health.

I am fairly intelligent

I’m not a scholar and I’m not an ignoramus. Not sure if I’d get into MENSA. But the point is that my noodle works well enough for me to get on. I can make decisions, solve problems and learn new things without too much of a hitch.

I have no physical or mental ailments

It all works. You never though, it may all break down any day now. But I have no physical or mental disability nor any kind of allergy or impairment. I am grateful that my mind is intact and does what it says on the tin.

I have no money worries

That doesn’t mean I’m rich by the way. I earn enough to cover my costs and have a little left over. I’m not stingy but I do know how to manage my money.

I live a stress free life

I work part-time and choose the hours that I want to work. I make sure that there are ample gaps in my day to stand and stare. And whenever possible I make time for a nap. I hardly travel during rush hour and rarely deal with difficult or unfriendly people.

I spend my time doing fun things

At the start of each week I schedule what I’m going to do and when. And nearly all of those things are things that I want to do. They are of my own choosing: fun things. I don’t call it the work/life balance: I call it the work/play balance. I do what I enjoy and I enjoy what I do.

When I was little one of my friends asked me what I wanted when I grew up. I told them that I wanted “Health, Wealth and Wisdom”. I had read or heard that list somewhere so I had locked onto it. They told me what they wanted and then added my list to theirs. When they got to Wisdom, they said, “That too. That thing that you said. That sounded good”.

In fact it still sounds good. And if I had to choose one thing then it would be that, that thing that I said. I think I know what it means now and I’d be willing to sacrifice all else. And I’d be extremely grateful if I was left with only that.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008 at 8:59 pm and is filed under misc. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.