Life has it’s challenges. Either you’re broke, or you’re making a decent buck. You “upgrade” as you move along in life. But what do you sacrifice?
Recently, over the past several years in fact, I’ve realized that you sacrifice quite a bit while you strive to move ahead. Is it worth it? Is keeping up with the Jones really all it’s cracked up to be? Is the bigger ring, the nicer car, the beautiful house really worth it? And by worth it, I mean, the sacrifices you make while keeping up. You spend more hours, more money, trying to be the best you can be.
But do you forget who you are while you’re on the path to success? I remember a time in the not so distant past when B and I were broke. As in, where would we come up with our next meal broke. But at that time, we always headed to the grocery store together, as a family, list in hand and babies in tow. We stuck to the budget and we certainly didn’t starve. And our shopping trips were fun. They were to me anyway. It was family time that I miss.
Now I grocery shop alone, or I send him, without regard of spending or budgets. We’re doing well. And we’re doing it alone, separately.
These days, I have a bigger ring, I have a nicer car, I have a fabulous condo. I live a lonely life. My marriage isn’t a huge success right now. It hasn’t been for some time. There is still love there, and we’ll stay together, but I miss being in love. I miss my little ring. I miss our broke trips to the grocery store. I miss watching the babies get excited that we can go to McDonald’s because that’s just not something that’s in the budget so the rare treat is like going to Disneyland.
I miss my devoted husband that I didn’t forget in my path, or his, to success, but that I put on the back burner more than I care to admit. As did he with me. I miss a lot actually. You don’t have to lose everything on your journey to success. Success is an awesome thing and I’m glad we’re there. I’m just sorry that we’re weak and lost our family values.
So tonight, I did something trivial in most minds I guess. I swapped my big ring for my little one. I want to get back to basics and be me again. I can succeed and still be me. Who needs the big ring? Who needs to keep up with the Jones? Who are the Jones anyway? We’re the Gossetts and I’m just going to own that from now on.
We’ll be OK. We’ll be successful. We’ll be happy.
You will be okay- you will be more than okay actually!! I love your attitude and wish more people who go through any type of problems, realize that family triumphs:) Great post. Thanks for sharing Christy.
This makes me cry and smile all at the same time. I love you, friend. XOXO
We all have problems right? It’s not the problems that define us. It’s how we deal with them. Thanks Mel!
I’m always sending you hugs too. 🙂
I love you too my friend. Now get your butt to Galveston so we can hang out again. STAT!
We used to spend every Father’s Day there. Maybe soon!!
I know you are! Let me know if you need to talk. I am always here for you. <3
You’re taking a great big old first step by swapping that ring out. As long as you two can get back to remembering the WHY, you’ll be okay. Hugs and love to you, Christy!
I almost never leave remarks, but I browsed
a few of the comments on this page “Keeping Up with the Jones”.
I do have 2 questions for you if you don’t mind. Could it be only me or does it appear like some of the comments appear as if they are left by brain dead folks? 😛 And, if you are writing on other online social sites, I would like to keep up with you. Could you list of the complete urls of your social sites like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?
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It is way too hard to keep up with the Jones’… I think we all need reminders sometimes that we just need to keep up with our own little world. Knowing you everything will be just fine! {I admire the way you look at life, people, and just the reality of every situation}
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