The thing about laundromats – or this one at least … is that they’re quiet and smell like goodness.  (Thank you scented softeners).  They smell of clean things and comforting things and calming things too.

Definitely an environment in which I can think, and clear my head and share what was in there with you.

But sometimes, I can’t share everything.  There is a large part of me that doesn’t like that.  But a larger part of me that’s grateful that evidently I DO have an edit button hidden in the TMI portion of myself.

Truthfully, the only time I don’t share with you is when someone else could be hurt by my honesty.   I’m an open book.  You ask me a question, I’ll answer it and draw a picture for you too.

But I do respect the privacy and feelings of others.

So how to go about this post?

I’ll keep the mirror on myself.  And I do that a lot, I know.  I hope you know that it’s not due to narcissism, rather, being trained to look at my part in things and also born of the knowledge that others deserve their confidentiality.

Things I learned this week.

Sometimes, you have to trust your gut.

When you’ve been wrong before, that doesn’t mean you’re always wrong.

I doubt myself a lot.  Not when I have a thought, but when someone challenges me on the validity of that thought.

I have made large mistakes in the past, so I can’t very well not consider the possibility that I’m doing it again.  Can I?

But what I need to take into account, is that I have grown a lot too.  Emotionally and spiritually.  I have made smart decisions for myself and my son.  I have found serenity and a routine that works for me.

I also have to consider the source of the challenge.  Has that person got their life in order?  Do they possess the knowledge, experience and wisdom to absolutely know that I’m wrong?  Especially true when it comes to thoughts or conclusions I come to about myself.  And while I’m awfully close to the subject, who knows me better than me?  I mean come on.

I was knocked out of my routine this weekend.  I have to be honest – it was hard, but I thought, worth it to venture out of my comfort zone.  I made a conscious decision to share my time with someone.

You know that feeling you have the first day out of bed after a flu?  Disoriented … out of body sensation?  Slightly dizzy and awkward?  Yeah.  Apparently when I don’t go to the grocery store and clean my house Saturday morning and instead, go out to breakfast – it results in ‘day after flu’ sensation.

Just getting my bearings back here at the laundromat.  Back to the little wheel in my cage.  I’ll take some time to freshen my cedar chips later and install a new salt lick.