EVERYTHING does happen for a reason

This week has been oddly entertaining. One filled with cliches- like…

“Sometimes you're the hammer, sometimes you're the nail”

“When life hands you lemons, make lemonade”

and the all time favorite “Everything happens for a reason”…. which made me think…hmmm that’s what losers say to themselves to make themselves feel better… or what my family says to me….

Ok, I will admit EVERYTHING does happen for a reason, I just was a bit worried the reason was/is BAD KARMA or IRONY. In fact I had decided the best word to describe the pattern of events and my feelings attached was KARMONIC.

So, without blah blah boo hoo boring you to death, let me just say that in my confused state, two things snapped me out (aside from my loving family and swell friends).

1. Frank Sinatra’s great song and ode to life “MY WAY”. Play that while you work out (or drive to work, or wherever you can rock out) and you will feel pretty ok with yourself. I know, it ain’t no head banging hard core cool workout music… but it was strangely powerful. No matter who you are, be true to yourself and make no apologies for doing just that. Lord knows in my life- I HAVE “BIT OFF MORE THAN I CAN CHEW” at times….ok- many times.

2. A few years ago, at my 4th Bodybuilding show, I had won my class, and was on stage in what is called a POSE DOWN against the lightweight competitor. Mind you, everyone over 118 lbs. is considered a HEAVYWEIGHT, and I will always be in the heavy weights…and I have won my class before, and lost to the light weight (usually it comes down to them being better conditioned vs. muscle- both count)…..anyhoooooo……..

In any case, we have both won our class, and now are competing against each other for the overall title and a PRO CARD. While posing, I get HECKLED. Yup, some ding dong is shouting out that I look LUMPY LIKE OATMEAL…. (whereas my competition is SHREDDED WHEAT)– Seriously, this is happening…. Now mind you, I lost to Elaine (aka SHREDDED WHEAT) pretty fairly, but let me tell you it was pretty unnerving to stand on a stage in barbie doll sized bikini and be told you look LUMPY like oatmeal….

The best part about this story is my husband did not kill anyone. He’s a cop, and he was carrying a gun (can I say that?) and good for him for not shooting the guy….LUCKILY others in the audience told the OATMEAL man to go screw etc… and so forth….

Why did this story become relevant 3 years later? Well, I think it is a lesson in perspective. A funny one, not like when you see something tragic on the news and for a whole minute you think… hmmm life is soooo short, “I will stop complaining about my life because at least I did not get hit by a mack truck today……”

It made me stop wasting time and energy on things and worse THOUGHTS that have no usefulness. It also made me hungry for cereal.

Kidding about that.

Have a glorious weekend- be sure to DO IT YOUR WAY.