What does a man have to do to get a bowl of Fruity Pebbles around here?

So, I get up this morning and find that my children haven’t devoured every grain of cereal in the house – win!

I go to the cupboard and find a bowl that they haven’t dirtied – win!

I open the box and find enough cereal for a full bowl – win!

I open the fridge and find that there are only two spoons full of milk – lose!

I grab my wallet and keys and drive up to 7-11. I grab the gallon of milk and check the date. It looks like 08-08 to my forty-two year old morning eyes. I get it home and prepare to open when I see the date in good light and it reads 08-06, yesterday’s date. I think that only one day beyond the sell by date means it should still be ok. I open the cap and take a whiff, no good. I take a taste just in case, no good – lose!

Back in the car and up to 7-11 I go. I am allowed to swap the bad gallon out for a good gallon. This one is dated 08-20. I am good to go – win!

I get home, pour my milk and am enjoying my Fruity Pebbles as I type this – win!

That’s a lot of hassle for a bowl of cereal.

It could have been worse. I could have planted the grain, raised and harvested it. Cared for the cow that I would milk. Homogenize said milk. Develop a reliable method of refrigeration. Concoct a recipe to transform my grain into Fruity Pebbles. Grow a tree that I could use a limb from to hollow out a bowl and spoon. Then, watch over my shoulder as I eat it to ensure I am not eaten by a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

I used to get annoyed if things didn’t go perfectly as expected. then I came to two realizations that helped me settle down. First, who do I think I am that I believe everything should go exactly as I want it to? Second, I have it a lot better than many who have come before me or many do even now.