WOW! Only 4 more days!

My brave Army friend sent me an email yesterday. A horribly, horribly sad and poignant email. I hope Mama didn't read it. It was very timely considering the cancer awareness involvement of the past and coming weekend. But, did I mention The SAD?? Good GRIEF!
Once I got thru the heartbreaking pictures of this beautiful, young woman suffering from cancer ... actually, she's NOT suffering in the pictures, she's getting married (SEEE!!!?!? I told YOU!! THE SAD!) ... once I got thru those pictures there's the "message" at the end urging us to live each day to its fullest. (You've all seen messages like this before.) And urging us to lead "an uncomplicated life."
Uncomplicated.
My life is no more complicated than the next mommy.
I've no more complications than the next wife or daughter or sister.
In fact, I've no REAL complications.
None at all.
Dirty house. Cluttered desk. Messy piles of things. The Dog who refuses to go outside when it rains. Unless there's a squirrel she can chase. And become muddy. And, "Oh look, a pile of something dead in which to roll!!"
Those aren't complications.
Really.
They're not.
My father-in-law and I shared a birthday lunch today in honor of his 82nd year.
And a glass of wine.
And he took a sip, set down his glass and said, "Phew. It sure is a long way 'til 83."
But, we agreed we would NOT want to go back.
To 18.
Or 21.
Or 16.
Those were tough years, he said.
"It was complicated. All the figuring out where you wanted to go."
I agree.
Forty (and 82) is surprisingly UNcomplicated.
In "Gras-ti-tude" for "complications" with which I'm able to so easily deal.
For pictures that open my eyes to real struggles. (Cancer. And bombs in Baghdad ... jeeessh!)
For the ease of my life.
And of course ... for wine w/ lunch.