Wednesday 28 July 2010

Jewels

Several weeks ago, I was chatting with some friends about relationships and the like and, as is usual among friends, we each had colourful, true to us stories to bring to the table. When talking about Steve and I, I remarked that while he thought he'd found a catch at the time, he might have chosen differently had he known how crazy I'd turn out to be. And my friend, in a moment of ultimate wisdom, offered the following bit of brilliance:

"Every jewel has its price."

I've thought about that a lot since then, and the more I do, the more I realise how true it is. First of all, with Steve. If you've spent much time here at all, you know I'm pretty obsessed with my Boy. He is the personification of patience, humour, hard work, playfulness and level-headed wisdom, all rolled up in the body of a Greek god. I love him. But he tends to the insensitive side, tries to make me eat salad, and makes fun of me when I cry.

That's the price of the jewel. Totally willing to pay it.

The same analogy applies to so many other things: jobs, exercise, education, the list goes on. Nothing is perfect and nothing is free. You can have a good life, even a great life, but you have to be willing to pay its price.

Which brought me to the thing most occupying my time right now.

The wedding.

In preparation of the big day we are busting our guts all over the place.
  • Summer holiday - gone to save money and valuable holiday days
  • Yummy, bad for you food - gone so I can be Ms Skinny on the wedding day (and therefore get back to normal in the year following the wedding rather than become a complete huffermoose)
  • Lovely meals out - gone to save money for the wedding (which I suppose is ok as I can't eat anything from the menus due to the point directly above this one)
  • Exercise - all the fricking time, if I have to do one more squat or lunge or sit up, I may scream
  • Evenings - usually spent finding stockists of bridesmaid dresses or cake topper companies or arguing about how many menus we need (two per table or one for each person?)
At the moment, it is all hard, I get cross that I always have no money at the end of each month, that I have to consider what I spend and that I have to limit my cheese in take to a small piece, twice a week.

But, at the end of the day, I reckon this particular jewel will be worth the price.

Or it bloody better be.

6 comments:

ickle di x said...

Great post ! your words of wisdom are so true & think how proud you will be on your big day knowing you worked your ass off in preparation for it ! Achievement in itself !!
'Every jewel has its price' Statement I think I need to think on, as I can really relate to this today in other aspects of my life's journey! tank you x

Becca said...

All the best girls are fruit loops, honestly. :D

I am right with you on all of the above. P is so darn honest and earnest and good at saying the right thing that sometimes he's a bit smug. So that's his price. I adore him more than anything in the world, but I'm a bit bonkers, so that's my price.

W-day is going to be awesome, but I can't help but think that part of the value has been there along the way. I have enjoyed going "oh I've got soooo much to organise" because, for me, playing internets and being a bit martyrish is actually kinda fun! I think that's why I'm on a permanent diet...

Mahj said...

Aah Livy, this post has had be crying with laughter, only as I think we may be secretly related. In the end it was your comment about cheese that sealed the deal (how yummy is cheese??!)
I too am now beating my poor body into submission with gym classes 3 times a week. Not the gentle yoga ones, but spin and body attack and other things that sound like torture.
My summer holiday has also gone this year. Sniff sniff.
I love food almost as much as I love cheese and shoes (I count cheese as a seperate entity from food), so not being able to even afford a nandos sometimes has be tough-a-rama.

It's been crapola for sure, but surely as I glide down the aisle all floaty-light and cheese free (boo) next July, it will have been worth it...? xx

ladyfriend said...

Gahhh...great post Livy! Can totally identify with all your comments here. Our summer hols has also been binned this year and how tough is it at the moment with everyone going on their hols or just back from them with glowing tans and relaxed twinkles in their eyes? grrr...Just keep thinking of the honeymoon ;-)

When is your big day? Ours is early Oct (ahem...eekkk) and I've now stepped up the gym visits, too (don't mention squats, lunges, friggin medicine balls above my head 227 times..I may scream a bit) not to mention the beauty regime (facial last night..ahh), fake tanning "trials" (not going well so far..English Rose look is going to be very in I hope), bridal hair and beauty trials (no, I don't think I want the spaniel ears look thanks missus) oh and the gel nails trials (now am addicted to gel nails and suffering 1hr30min reapplications every 3wks) Have turned into mad high maintenance type bird in matter of months.

Am also big big lover of all things fromage and cutting this out has been bloody difficult ;-) Have somehow convinced myself that goats cheese doesn't count..ha...but it does and I need to stop it NOW. Not even a thin shaving off the end..no no...

But I do love the "every jewel has it's price" comment. Too true! On both sides I might add ;-)

Livy said...

See my 'doesn't count cheese' is mozerella. That blatently doesn't count.

We're the last weekend in February next year but the hen do is November so that is the goal. It is so silly, why did I think cutting out yummy foods, starting an exercise regieme and not going on holiday all at the same time would be a good idea?

Really missed the holiday - I thought it would be ok but just seeing all the mini bottles of things in Boots made me unreasonably cross! x

Livy said...

Oh and Becca - totally agree, I am secretly loving the planning. It is the mix of the busy, the 'I am so organised' and also, don't hate me, the attention you get of being the bride.

I am ashamed to say that come the 27th February next year, when it's all over, I will be sad x