The quote is from a song and every time I listen to it I have to agree that however crap life is...well not crap as such just very limited...I have had a good life.
I grew up in Scarborough at a time when I could have pretty much unlimited freedom to roam which was very special. I have so many memories of my brother and our friends wandering for miles playing all sorts of games. Not something I could let DD and DS1 do when they were young enough to enjoy it, just too many cars. The late 1960's and 1970's were a magic time to be in Scarborough, the gardens were immaculate in memory, certainly a lot better maintained than now! We had so much fun exploring ... not quite a 'Swallows and Amazons' childhood but close enough.
I was also lucky in having a brother I was very good friends with. We had lots of fun. My grandparents were also brilliant...my grandpa had a sweetie cupboard and we were allowed in it as an occasional treat. They were really special people and I was incredibly lucky to have them.
I have had jobs I really enjoyed...nothing that paid well but I still had a lot of fun.
I have the three most wonderful children in the world which is amazing and I am grateful for that every day.
So basically it has been a good life...okay its not perfect, my parents are not great and my DP is an arse and I would leave in a heartbeat if I had the money. I am devastated that my beautiful, perfect DD has M.E. and is in so much pain and is so ill. I am worried about DS1 still not having a job, though he does now have a plan which will, hopefully, work for him. I have continuing anxiety about DS2's future because life will never be easy for him and he will never be, safely, independent which does annoy him. But my life is good, I live in Yorkshire which means I have already won the lottery of life, I get to see trees and enjoy the sunshine through leaves. I get to listen to awesome music. My favourite author is bringing out 3 books this year...all good stuff.
I could concentrate on the bad stuff, and heaven knows there is enough....we have had yet another intruder in the house, DS1 saw it in the top bathroom and had a total meltdown he is still recovering from, he had to get anxiety meds from the doctors he was that stressed! We haven't told him that there has been yet another intruder, fortunately caught and dealt with....I am super sealing everywhere!! We have birds nesting under the roof tiles and the noise is dreadful at night. DD is still deteriorating and in pain. DM is obviously not well and being grumpy I can't/am not interested in visiting her and pandering to her need for adulation. But while all of that is real I would rather follow my grandparents example and enjoy the good stuff rather than moan about the rest.
My grandpa had a childhood of such poverty he suffered malnutrition, had to leave school at 13 to work even though he'd got a scholarship to the Grammar School. He got lead poisoning and was extremely lucky to get a doctor who was prepared to try a radical 'kill or cure' operation on him removing his stomach. I was blessed he survived so I got to know and love him and my grandma. He never complained about how hard his life had been, instead he felt he has been singularly blessed in his life and was very happy. My grandma had also not had an easy life, if less hard than grandpa's but also loved her life. I miss them all the time.
My DM on the other hand has had a pretty good life and any problems in later life are down to her choices, smoking has destroyed her health. But she is very well off and lives in a beautiful location with no major worries, but she moans and whinges all the time. She is a miserable person to talk to over the phone and in person she is embarrassing because of the horrid way she talk...or rather shouts ...at DF.
I know which example I'd rather follow so I will continue to be grateful I have had a 'good life all in all'.
