As the Omelet Turns

Scarlet gave me this great idea for a post. In Cuba, she tells me, they say "You never know which way the omelet is going to turn" and I love it.

One of my best friends on the planet, RK (who I didn't even know a year ago!!) showed up in my life just when I needed her most. She makes me laugh like nobody else and shares yummy deep fried tofu and tempura and tea. Oh, and the coffee - there's always coffee. Good coffee. She reminds me that there are people to lean on and help is just a phone call or text away. She checked on me when my son was at the orthopedist - she never forgets an important day or an important moment.

So the omelet turned out well on that one.

When I was a little girl, I wanted very few things. To learn to drive ( I thought it looked so cool and complicated!) and a car of my own some day; to have a family, a son and a daughter, that I was going to name Nancy & Steve. OK, I got the 2 kids but not the names. It's funny how knowing someone with a name can change your opinion of said name. Their names both start with the same letter and I am forever cracking myself up with the alliterations I can spin, to their chagrin; to live by a park with ducks and a wading pool.

I have those things. All of them. And they make me happy, just like I thought they would. Thanks, omelet! Nice job!

The places in my life where I struggle become more clear when I think simply.

A good job - yeah, food is important but I downsized when I was let go 18 months ago and here I sit, blogging. Can I really complain?

A fulfilling position that challenges me - but I can be challenged with the volunteer work I do. I want to start a unique program to feed the homeless. Maybe there's something to be said for bagging groceries, washing cars, serving espresso.

Fulfillment in my friendships - I have THE best friends, I need to work on some relationships a little harder, be more available to people and balance all of that with my daughter's very special needs. As a teenager, friendships came easily. You were stuck with a large group of people and you picked the people you didn't hate to hang out with. OK, maybe it hasn't changed so much. But my options have expanded so much and my friendships help define me. If you are reading my blog regularly, you get to call yourself one of those.

Stretching and expanding myself - I get bored easily, would hate to think that fulfillment requires challenges (oh, PLEASE tell me I'm not one of those girls, always looking for trouble, drawn to drama) but also know I'm never going to be satisfied sitting around knitting socks on a sofa of an evening. I vote for a life of balance.

I think life has done a pretty good job of being a good omelet for me. Sometimes there are crunchy bits that don't taste so good. At times there are soft squishy spots that are totally unappealing. But almost every day, it turns out just the way it needed to.