Dancing

 12 "I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil-- this is the gift of God." (Eccl. 3:12-13 NIV)

"A grateful heart is one that finds the countless blessings of God in seemingly mundane, everyday life." (Anonymous)

I was slouched down in the love seat for two working on my horrible posture, watching a prideful Peacock team from New Jersey get trashed by North Carolina in the NCAA madness, when I turned to my bride and said, "We live a boring life." 

She said, "Is that bad?" 

I said, "No." But we can do better. We both know this is true, but not sure what that looks like. We have both experienced intermittent shifts in schedules this year and it has brought needed respite. Sanity in the unscheduled. Frosted sweet rolls in a world of daily oatmeal. Nice for a change but you wouldn't want a steady diet of it. Sometimes you just have to have something different.  

I will turn 60 this year and I'm not sure if I had my mid-life crisis yet, so I thought about getting a sportscar or a twenty-something girlfriend. Can't afford either. Probably couldn't keep up with either. Both scare me to death and would give me a heart attack. 

Deb has spent her entire adult life getting me to the point where I am the perfect husband, and I just don't have the energy to go back to relationship school to be retooled and reprogrammed. It is already exhausting trying to live up to that high expectation.  

We are like most married couples. We romantically gather our phone calendars on Sunday night to see what the week will bring. Deadlines. Meetings. Bible studies. Deadlines. Meetings. Rinse. Repeat. TGIF. 

We haven't quite fallen into the "Wheel of Fortune is on and then Jeopardy" phase of life but we are inching our way there. It feels like life is organized and navigated by TV shows except our life is such that we say, "This is being recorded on Monday, this on Tuesday, this on Wednesday, perhaps we can watch this on Friday or Saturday and the week is filled with watching what has been recorded. Getting things in as if our world will shatter if we miss a show or God forbid, the in-TV recorder gets full. TV deadlines. So much to watch, so little time. I can't wait to retire so that I can watch television all day long...death. 

I'm not complaining. We both like the shows we watch. They are an escape from the day's obligations, a needed timeout from the mundane, a vicarious reach into some other place with new people, often in historic times.

I am reminded of being young and married looking forward to "The Love Boat," "Fantasy Island," and a series of other 1980's and 90's shows that filled the evening space. TV deadlines. We need to be home by 8. 

But I once again resort to my favorite singer, Peggy Lee, "Is that all there is? Is that all there is? If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing."

However, the mundane has also allowed us to appreciate the blessings of the extraordinary - going out to eat with good friends, spending time with our children and grandchildren. It has allowed us to be home to watch said TV programs. To rest. To be with each other. There is something wonderful about being bored...together...as long as we also keep dancing. 

"A grateful heart is one that finds the countless blessings of God in seemingly mundane, everyday life." (Anonymous)