I am trying to remember the last time I was in a truly good mood. I have flashes of happiness, like watching ChunkyMonkey hold his siblings' hands as they carefully walked him to the car the other night or watching Ironflower and Lovebug giggle in the pool yesterday. But an overall feeling of well-being that lasted more than a few hours?
I have no idea.
I was fine until I read some happy status updates on Facebook. It's not that I'm filled with schadenfreude, exactly. I don't like it when skaters fall or waiters drop trays. And it's not that I want every status update I read to be a complaint about kids or jobs. Really.
But when someone is perpetually upbeat these days, I kinda want to smack them. I wonder if there's a German word for annoyance at the extreme happiness of others?
I am grateful for so many things, feel fortunate for so many reasons. But I am also worried and stressed about so many things. So many legitimate and currently unfixable things. And I don't think everything my kids do is adorable. Or even tolerable.
So I bitch. And I was okay with that until I started having violent thoughts while on Facebook. I mean, how do people get to be happy all of the time? Even drug addicts have to come down sometimes.
6 comments:
I have the same ideas about people in general. As much with the good things as with the bad. I'm amazed at the constant things...always "praising god", always "sick", always "happy".
Maybe it's the bipolar in me, but I'm always tempted to call and ask what some of these people are taking (or not taking) to be so stable (or unstable) all the time.
For the record, everything my kids do is amazing. They poo little bricks of gold.
Yeah.
Amen Cuz. Trust me I have the exact same reaction to banal unbearably happy updates. The simple fact is you are just a little more honest and in touch with reality, and your real emotions than certain repressed indiveduals who insist on sharing with us this annoying faux Joy in anything and everything in their life. Anytime I read a FB post that says "I have a wonderful husband and 4 awsome kids who have never dissapointed me and these last 5 years have been perfect with sunshine and puppy dogs running through fields of lilacs and its all do to Gods amazing grace" my first thought is "you a damn lie; I bet you beat them damn kids and 1 of them aint even your mans!"
I prefer the dose of reality, struggle and wisdome that comes with Dirty Little secret posts.
I have a friend, probably one of my best friends, but she's always saying how great her kids/husband are. When we're together with 6-7 other girlfriends and all complaining about the stupid things our husbands and kids do, that is when you add in. She pretends that life is all fairy tales and it can make me really angry sometimes!
Qtberryhead - You're right, it's true in general too. And I hope you're making money from those amazing kids of yours. :)
Greg - But is that just because we're bitter and cynical? Or because we're not secretly beating anybody?
Soccermom - I'd like to think that was true. Does that make me a bad person?
Jaime - Maybe she's afraid? I don't know. I'm impressed that you're friends, honestly.
People who have a happy & upbeat facebook status all the time are posers. I'm positive. Everyone is too worried about what other people will think about them. Frankly, being bitchy and unstable is all part of my charm.
If I didn't snarl and snap at my kids and spouse a few times a week, I'd probably be a disinterested parent and spouse and somehow that would just be worse. They would worry. At least I'm pleasant enough times a week that they're happy to see me when I come home from work and don't run screaming in the other direction.
So, here's to you, fellow cranky overtaxed and busy Mom. We're all in this together.
Ah Catootes, that is one of my favorite comments ever.
Post a Comment