I had a pity party last week

Last week I had a virus, one that makes you feel miserable and wishing scientists would find a cure for the common cold.  In addition, my husband was out of town, so I was single-parenting while feeling crummy.  It wasn’t a great week.

I confess that I felt sorry for myself.

Then, my virus cleared up, my husband came home, and life settled back into its normal axis. 

This week I sat through a client interview of a single mother who has children about the same age as mine, and I realized that my hard week is her life. 

She doesn’t have another adult in her home to swap advice and daily chores with, and she lives paycheck to paycheck, worrying about things I take for granted. How will she pay for her daughter’s prom dress? Her son is growing, so his appetite is escalating. Will they run out of food this month?  How can she spend quality time with her children when she works so much just to pay for the basics?

I wonder how she manages the pressure and emotional strain.  It must affect her outlook on life.  

Without a doubt, life can be hard for all of us at times, so I don’t mean to imply that we should minimize our personal challenges.  However, I sometimes need a reminder that the burdens I carry are not quite as heavy as those others carry.  Knowing this helps me put my life into perspective.

I am most definitely not complaining about my “bad week” anymore.