Day 226: Being Grounded Means . . .

• Picking up poop left behind by creatures lower on the food chain than yourself
• Cleaning up other forms of excrement that emit from the bodies of previously referenced creatures
• Eating macaroni and cheese out of a box because your kids likes it
• Listening to KRFX and other bubble gum-spewing radio stations because you know it will make the someone riding in the backseat or passenger seat happy
• Spending Super Bowl Sunday at your kids volleyball game 
• Skipping Sunday morning golf because you'd rather see your kid play ball
• Handing over the last $5 in your pocket because your kid is thirsty
• Spending your hard-earned money on braces vs. the motorcycle that's eluded you for a lifetime
• Wearing the same white work shirts until holes emerge in the elbows so that your offspring can have new school clothes 
• Forgoing date night again because the sniffles, coughs, and running nose has reared their ugly faces
• Sleeping on the very edge of a king-sized bed because your toddler had a nightmare and is now sleeping horizontally and hogging far more than her share
• Mowing the lawn long after you've reached your 40s
• Washing and folding someone else's underwear
• Cleaning a toilet 
• Unclogging a pipe
• Cutting your own hair

I'm a firm believer in being grounded and being humble. Nearly every person is grounded in same way or another, even the most self-gratifying people I know. Some people I know are so grounded and so humble, it literally amazes me, and in some ways mystifies me. My admiration knows no boundaries for such people, and I spend a lot of time wondering how I can obtain such levels. Fortunately, there are plenty of examples of people who I encounter daily who exhibit behavior I never want to pattern myself after. I'll never run dry of reinforcement. 

At any rate, today, I'm feeling especially grounded and real. I love these days. I love feeling not only down to earth, but below the earth. For some reason, I've grown so tired of the complaining and snarky, condescending pissing and moaning polluting my space lately, maybe I'm feeling compelled to run in the other direction. Or maybe, just maybe, all this positiveness really is taking hold. Snarky, condescending complaining used to be my bag, after all. Maybe I just need a vacation.