Tiny reminders

I think we all get wrapped up in our own little worlds a lot of the time. Every once in awhile, you need to do a little market research - check out how the rest of the world is doing and come to the conclusion that hey, things aren't that bad. Or even, honey, things could be a lot worse.

I am dreaming of wide open spaces for my kids to play...or at least a basement to throw all of their toys. Friday night, we attended a lovely party of parents, teachers and wine at Jack's school on Michigan Avenue. It was great in its own right and the makings of another blog post but we'll leave it at that it was very charming. And afterwards, Jeremy and I walked through the brisk fall evening, the twinkling lights of Michigan Avenue around us. We stopped for a late dinner at one of our new favorites in Streeterville, sharing some calamari, red wine and simple entrees. Just a quick drive and we were home. And that was really nice - I was reminded that living in a smaller space so close to downtown has its upsides.

Monday morning came as it always does. As I walked in my office building, I felt the anxiety - of work, home, the holidays, classes for the kids, all of it. I got into the elevator and realized the woman behind me was mumbling - she wasn't on her phone; she was just talking to herself. And I could see she wasn't okay. I got off at the 16th floor and she proceeded on. It's obvious that she had something mentally going on, and I realized my anxiety of planning our holiday card isn't anything compared to the mental stresses others are enduring.

Tuesday morning - it's a nice morning today so I walked to work. Started thinking about listing our condo in the new year and the worries that come with finding a new place. There's a lot of pressure on Jeremy and me - we want to get something great for the kids....like I want to interview the neighbors before we move in kind of crazy. And then I passed the commuter train station and see newspaper laid out alongside the sidewalk, obviously someone's makeshift bed. So noted.

There are reality checks everywhere throughout my days to remind how good life is. It keeps me grounded; it sometimes frustrates me; it's always there. What are your tiny reminders?