Pressure
You’ll have to answer
To your own
Pressure
Billy Joel – Pressure
We all feel pressure in some form or another.
Maybe, it’s paying the bills, getting or keeping a job, satisfying your love ones, or satisfying yourself.
Pressure can manifest itself in many ways. It could be loss of appetite, headaches, disturbed sleep, etc.
Generally, I deal with pressure rather well. My wife, however, may disagree with that assessment.
Anyway, something recently has come along in my life that has caused me to feel pressure. The kids are fine, my job is secure, and my wife and I are in good health. So, the issue is not particularly serious and the pressure should not exist.
Let me give you some background.
I’m a loser. No, I don’t mean this in a self-deprecation sort of way. Well, not completely.
It’s just that I have a history of losing things.
This history goes back to childhood. I had clips on my jacket which attached to my gloves. You remember those? I still went through six pair of gloves one winter. My mother has reminded me of that particular winter a number of times.
Unfortunately, this habit of losing stuff continued as I got older.
Check out this partial list of all items I have lost:
Three passports. (It’s a miracle I am not on some terrorist watch list.)
Two driver’s license
Lunch Bags
Water Bottles
Library Books
Eyeglasses
And my children. But luckily I keep finding them. Or they me.
Clearly, it’s a long and ugly history.
And I am scarred.
Yet, there is hope.
I actually retired my last lunch bag – after two years.
I had a pair of glasses for three years – and then they broke.
This is the first Chanukah since my wife, Ms. MMK and I got together (12 year anniversary on Monday) that she did not buy me a hat or gloves as a present.
Maybe, I am a loser no more.
A burden has been lifted.
I’m swelling with pride.
I keep things. I retain.
While getting used to this newly earned title, my wife, Ms. MMK made a decision. It’s actually very practical, and I love practical.
Her decision was to buy a monthly bus pass for us to share. On those days she works in the city, she uses the monthly bus pass, and I use it the other days. Gold for 50th anniversary, silver for 25th anniversary, and a shared monthly bus pass for a 12th anniversary.
I do love her, but she has no idea of the pressure this has put on me.
You see I thought of buying a monthly bus pass for myself during those months when it would make sense monetarily.
But I held back.
Why?
Because the monthly bus pass is pricey. So, if it is lost that’s nearly 150 dollars down the drain in one fell swoop. And I would be angry and feel like crap if I lost the monthly bus pass.
Each time I ready to get on the bus these days, there is a moment when I can’t find monthly bus pass. I rifle through my brief case. I fight to remain calm.
It’s pressure man! Pressure, pressure, pressure.
So far, so good.
I need to relax and let
Now I have that song in my head … thanks Larry!
Can you put the pass in your wallet? From your list above, I don’t see any lost wallets. Something makes you hold on to that thing (probably the money and credit cards) so put the pass in there. And that’s my advice for the day 🙂
My wife put it in this plastic card carrier with a long orange strap. So, I don’t think it will fit in my wallet.
Ha, very funny piece. I am always checking my pockets to make sure that I have everything.
Years ago my family went to Israel, and we elected to get “bumped” in order to get $1,500 in vouchers, which was a lot of money at the time (over 10 years ago).
However, we lost the vouchers.
I know exactly where I put them.
I blame my wife.
My wife blames the cleaning lady.
But the vouchers are long gone, an opportunity lost, bought and paid for with our time spent waiting for a later plane.
My advice, Larry: Don’t just hold on to the bus pass. BE the bus pass. Get into it. Good luck and Shabbat Shalom.
Be the bus pass. Hmmm. I think I can. Inspiring words there my man.
Good Shabbos.
LOL – we have gone through this for years with T and his student ID’s! We know have a back up that is kept in the library, sometimes a back up in the bottom of his backpack, but I’ve forced him into the habit of taking it off and putting it in the same place every – right now it is on the entry table. Actually, that table is now his catch-all, and I’ll live with that during the school year if it keeps me from running up to the school in my pajama pants to drop off his ID. 🙂 Congrats to you for managing to hold onto things for years at this point! That is a big accomplishment in your life!
Yes, I have made progress. Hip, hip hooray for me. There is hope. I hope that T. will get better at this sort of thing also.
Very funny! Happy Anniversary!!!!
Thanks on both fronts.
Yikes, that does sound stressful. I hope when you lost your passport three times it was while on American soil! Having traveled Europe, I know what a frightening scenario that would be.
Yes, it was always on American soil. Moving has not been a good thing for Passports.
My husband is the loser in our family. He once lost our cordless phone for several hours – it turned up in the mailbox.
I hope you hold on to the bus pass – it does sound like your losing streak is over.
I think I had that happen too or maybe it was my keys. It sounds harsh saying the loser even through I said it too.
I can appreciate your sense of loss. I am forever misplacing things. Even things I’ve put away “where it won’t get lost” – they still get lost. Now I know there’s hope for me. Thanks giving me hope.
I do my best for my people.
I always feel I have something missing when I go out, and always pat down each pocket to make sure 🙂
I know what you mean. I’ve given myself the pat down too many times as well.