Choices

Disclaimer: Every couple of months I seem to go on a bit of rant about something or other. This post is a bit of a rant.

My friend and I have had this conversation a million times, and I can't believe how often situations like these arise...it is something that that really irks me.

Lately, I've had more than one person say to me..."I don't have time to do that" or "I can't afford that" And it drives me crazy. These phrases can bug me when not used properly. Both can be completely true, but it depends who they are coming from.

People who read a ton of books and watch a ton of TV (I don't do either) telling me I'm fortunate to have time to blog/facebook/whatever bothers me. People taking expensive vacations who say they can't afford things that I do, bothers me.

Please, don't get the wrong idea, I don't think there is ANYTHING wrong with books or TV or expensive vacations! And there are many legitimately busy people and many people on a tight budget. Those people aren't the ones I"m talking about. What bothers me is the comparison. We all have 24 hours in a day to use how we please, we all have a certain amount of money to spend on what we like, who's to say which choices are better? If I want to spend X amount of dollars on throw pillows or ballet lessons rather than game systems, going to the movies and travelling, who's to say that one is better than the other?

I have a great friend who likes to pamper herself. She works hard and likes to spend a portion of her money on personal grooming. Her nails are always perfect, her roots never show, she gets regular massages and facials...she takes care of herself. You would not believe the grief she gets over this from people who feel like she is privileged to me able to do this. Mostly from people who travel extensively and drive expensive cars. On top of being one of the most generous people I know, she chooses to drive an affordable car, stays where there is cheap rent and never lives beyond her means. So why is it anyone's business if she frequents the nail salon?

I do choose to use facebook and I do blog, not because I have endless hours of free time and my children are neglected, but because I choose not have television, I'm not a big reader and it is one way I choose to spend my very small amount of free time. Yes my house is decorated pretty nice, but not because I have endless amount of money, but because my family has never been on a vacation, we don't eat out very much and the home is our first choice (not a better one, just different) I've had other moms say that I''m lucky I have the money to put my daughter in ballet, yet I know they go to Tim Horton's at least once a day. I'm sure you all get the point by now....

All I'm saying is to each their own!

There, I'm done.