Delayed gratification
What's going on with you?" I asked Julie.
She let out a deep sigh and said, "I'm not pregnant."
"How do you feel about that?" I asked.
"I'm relieved," she said, but she started to cry. "It might have been nice, but I know I'm not ready."
"I'm glad you see it that way," I said.
"I was worried you might get high to deal with your anxiety."
"I'm amazed I'm not high," Julie said. "All my life I've medicated every disappointment. I've drowned every worry, and I never, ever delayed gratification." She laughed a little. "I always loved that expression, 'delayed gratification.' Before he started worrying about my drinking, Darren and I would pop open a beer and say 'FDG!'"
"FDG?" James asked.
"F&^# delayed gratification," Julie answered. She started to cry again. Killer stirred from her lap, standing on his hind legs and trying to reach her face with his front paws. She picked the dog up, and he licked her chin. "I'm getting a dog."
The group talked about dogs and how they're an acceptable form of instant gratification. They talked about the times they wished they'd delayed gratification. Liam and James compared times they'd tried to drown their sorrows, with disastrous results.
Today I will be grateful for all the times I delayed gratification, for all the times I didn't drown my sorrows, and for dogs.
AArdvarks (c) 2013 by Ken Montrose
She let out a deep sigh and said, "I'm not pregnant."
"How do you feel about that?" I asked.
"I'm relieved," she said, but she started to cry. "It might have been nice, but I know I'm not ready."
"I'm glad you see it that way," I said.
"I was worried you might get high to deal with your anxiety."
"I'm amazed I'm not high," Julie said. "All my life I've medicated every disappointment. I've drowned every worry, and I never, ever delayed gratification." She laughed a little. "I always loved that expression, 'delayed gratification.' Before he started worrying about my drinking, Darren and I would pop open a beer and say 'FDG!'"
"FDG?" James asked.
"F&^# delayed gratification," Julie answered. She started to cry again. Killer stirred from her lap, standing on his hind legs and trying to reach her face with his front paws. She picked the dog up, and he licked her chin. "I'm getting a dog."
The group talked about dogs and how they're an acceptable form of instant gratification. They talked about the times they wished they'd delayed gratification. Liam and James compared times they'd tried to drown their sorrows, with disastrous results.
Today I will be grateful for all the times I delayed gratification, for all the times I didn't drown my sorrows, and for dogs.
AArdvarks (c) 2013 by Ken Montrose
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