Reflection

As the year 2009 draws to a close, a reflective mood has appeared. A list of lessons learned over the last year and things to be thankful for has been formulating over the last few days, so here it is:

• Traveling for two weeks to England only requires one suitcase, even in the coldest of months. Anything more than one suitcase will simply become irritating as you schlep it around the United Kingdom. 
• Patience is a virtue--to be blatantly disregarded if you have been waiting in an airport for more than five hours.
• Flying first class makes up for the aforementioned lack of patience.
• When you are pretty sure your dog has swallowed something foreign, but you are not sure exactly what that is, it is acceptable to take him to the emergency vet at 2am to ease your mind.
• When the dog above greets you after a long day with a wag of his tail and a kiss, it is completely appropriate for your heart to melt.
  
• Manners are essential and those who do not possess them can piss off.
• A man who does not know you who waits for you in a parking lot with an umbrella when he sees that you do not have one and are struggling with all of your accouterments qualifies for sainthood.
• It is reasonable to have no idea whatsoever what the appeal of NASCAR is.
• Brothers are the best, especially when they grow up to be really good men.
• Tears of relief are acceptable when a friend does your yard work for you without asking and the burden of doing this by yourself is lifted.
• A bullshit threshold that lowers exponentially as age increases is normal.
• A refrigerator that is bare is simply a sign that you are busy, not an indication that you are a terrible grown-up.
• Plants that survive solely because they are on a sprinkler drip system is no reflection on you as a person.
• A dog's snoring is one of the most peaceful sounds on earth.
• It is normal to wonder if you could ever possibly listen to all two thousand songs on your iPod.
• Parents that love and support you no matter what are never to be taken for granted.
• Friends that move into your house so that you can chase your dreams are remarkable and humbling.
• It is acceptable to be a hopeless romantic and believe in the kind of love that has two people holding hands when they're ninety.
• Teaching a child to lock doors for safety will absolutely get you locked out of the house.
• Teaching someone to believe in themselves is fantastic.
• It is fair to expect that people will know the difference between a country and a continent.
• It is always a good idea to buy yourself flowers.
• A Blackberry is an essential part of life.
• It is just fine to buy paper towels at Costco if you are the only person living in your house.
• It is completely normal to rearrange a room full of furniture only to end up with everything in the exact place it was when you started.
• Jeans that fit you like they were made for you are an essential wardrobe component.
• Really cute shoes are worth the suffering.
• Beginning to really believe that second chances are possible is amazing.