Word After Word

I asked a friend of mine how her semester was going and she said, “Heather, I’m completely satisfied in all aspects of my work.” She beamed and beamed and ordered a Blue Moon.

I couldn’t get that sentence out of my head. I started saying it. It cracked me up at first because I have never said anything like this in my life. Soon it was very clear that this statement was a lot more fun to say then complaining about this or that little work thing and the listener-person seemed relaxed and I realized my friend’s sentence was more true and accurate than the whining. I really am satisfied with all aspects of my work. I absolutely have the job I’d always dreamed of. I love it. It’s great work and I love working.

But I’d gotten caught up in complaining, which can be like chewing gum was for me when I was ten. I didn’t really like it but I could not stop—I had to have blue gum. It held me together.

Yesterday I told my friend all this, how her words had gotten me to notice a whining addiction. “I say your line all the time,” I said. She said, “I have no memory at all of ever saying that.” She said she liked her students a lot but this year school was kind of driving her nuts.