A - Z 2021: Don’t look to the Floor for Pennies, look to the Sky for Rainbows

 



Welcome back! In case you missed yesterday's Easter egg hunt, just go back, there may still be a few eggs hidden!

F is for 

Don’t look to the Floor for Pennies, 

look to the Sky for Rainbows

This isn't a phrase I have ever heard prior to researching for this blogging challenge, but I immediately liked it - because rainbows!

What does it mean though?

You should not thrive for materialistic goods but rather enjoy the magic and beauty nature has to offer?

Don't sweat the small stuff - look at the bigger picture?

I like to think that it's a combination: You'll actually find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - on the floor (ground), if you don't dread the long journey:

There is a time and place for everything

And

Take care of the pennies, and the pounds will look after themselves!

Sounds like a lot to consider? I agree. 

I find it hard to live as if it was my last day - because in all likelihood it isn't, and what are you going to do tomorrow and the next day if you sold your house, spent all of your money, said goodbye to your friends and family?

On the other hand, what good will it do if you work, eat, sleep, repeat - and neglect your family and friends in the process - for years and years in order to have a house and pension money, and then you die of a heart attack the day before you retire?

So I guess balance is key: safety vs fun, saving vs spending, taking smart decisions considering your individual priorities.

My Mom (who had me when she was not even 22 years old) always told me not to rush. 

Enjoy your youth, have fun with your friends, travel the world - once you're married with kids you'll be tied down. 

However, when my brother and I were in elementary school and getting more self-sufficient, she went back to work effortlessly. She was still young and shapeable enough. 

I have worked in HR long enough to know that businesses don't like to hire "dinosaurs", and frankly, depending on the industry, "old" starts in your 40s.

My own life's journey gave me a career opportunity when I was pretty young, and I took and enjoyed it. Looking back I definitely spent too much time at the office, but again, what are you gonna do, can't have a demanding job by putting in 9 to 5.

Remember, we were talking about it? Can't have your Cake and eat it, too

I made good money though, which allowed me to travel. I even tried to live and work abroad. 

The years, however, went by, and my biological clock was ticking. Hard. 

So by taking my Mom's advice - in her defense, I totally didn't purposely do so - I ended up going through a so-called risk pregnancy and becoming an old Mom, which is OK, it's my life's journey. I just think a 20-something girl's body would have handled the sleepless nights better.

I like to think that I was rewarded with the most wonderful kid anyone could wish for. 


Also I'm grateful to still be employed, even if it's by my husband, which comes with advantages and disadvantages:

Our office is super close to where we live. No exhausting commutes. Huge increase in quality of life!

I get the flexibility I need in order to drive Colin to his hockey practice, following an ever changing  schedule. 

The work I do is OK, but it's not where my heart is. I do like my coworkers and customers. One recently sent me flowers, just because. Made my day.

Working with and for my life partner can be nerve-racking, especially if it continues at home, beyond office hours. There's no escape, especially during a pandemic.



So what do you make of it? Are you looking for pennies or rainbows? Do you believe we can have it all? Let me know below. 

And please, do me a favor and leave the link to your own post in your comment - makes it so much easier to reciprocate. 

Tomorrow we're enriching our pennies. Sadly all that glistens isn't gold though, or is it?



Comments

  1. I've never heard this expression either, but I like your interpretation.
    Good luck with the rest of the challenge.

    https://www.dpfinnie.com/2021/04/f-is-for-farts.html

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  2. interesting Expression.. Yes Balance is the Key to all.. Even 'Gita' our Holy book also focuses on balance.

    https://serendipityofdreams.blogspot.com/2021/04/f-funny-story.html

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  3. I've not heard this expression before either, but I certainly enjoyed your musings on it. And those rainbows. I'm definitely more of a rainbow looker, but I agree finding a balanced route is a sound pursuit.

    https://deborah-weber.com/ludic-lexicon-f/

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  4. My husband looks for both rainbows and pennies, and he finds both (while I am finding neither). Not sure what that means. I guess I'm too busy looking for flowers and birds, which have nothing to do with today's topic. https://ramblinwitham.blogspot.com/2021/04/flowers-finally-and-feathers.html

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  5. Always looking for something finding nothing

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  6. Balance is an ever moving target. Some days it leans one way and on others it swings back. It reminds me of balance in a marriage too. It's never really 50-50 . Some days you need to do a little more, other days you spouse picks up the slack. As long as you're working together, it does all balance out in the big picture and I like to think it is the same for life. Better to be looking up at rainbows but sometimes you have to focus on the pennies too.

    While my husband and I don't work for the same company we do both work from home (even pre-COVID) which took some adjustment time but now we're in a good groove with it but definitely need to focus on "shutting off" when the work day is done. Weekends In Maine

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  7. Did you know that all rainbows are actually full circles but we mostly see a half ? I did not till my children shared that interesting fact with me.
    I love the way you have done a self introspection and kind of proved that every coin has two sides ...

    I am entering my 40 s this year and I have a lot of aspirations ...especially since I had career breaks being a mom .... I think end of the day its ones looking at the rainbows or the pennies that decides what we feel and what we do ....

    https://pagesfromjayashree.blogspot.com/2021/04/flavors-and-food-banana-leaf-meals.html

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  8. My dad used to say pennies on the ground were "pennies from heaven" and whenever he saw one he'd think of his late mother. After my dad passed, I started seeing pennies everywhere and thought of Dad. The day I started my family history blog, I went to sit down on a NYC subway seat and there were seven pennies sitting there. Hmmm... https://mollyscanopy.com/

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  9. I'm with you, Tamara...rainbows!! I love rainbows and will stop everything to stare at one. Sadly where I live now gets little rain so I don't get to see a rainbow as often as I am used to.

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