The way I see it, life is a numbers game, made up of some tens and lots of twos.  There are some things that qualify as tens, birth and death qualify as tens along with a phone call from my kids.   Luckily for us most of life is made up of things on a sliding scale and many of them are just two’s .

If you live your life like everything is a ten and carries tremendous significance you will have worn yourself out before you recognize the twos.  Assigning a value to the mundane is a good way to decide what is really important. It also connects to how much time you need to devote to certain things.  

Running the vacuum this morning is a two, but if you are expecting the ladies book club for lunch this afternoon it might move up to a four. In  my experience vacuuming is never more than a four.  

Making sure Daisy gets breakfast is an eight because she will let you know, in no uncertain terms, it’s time to eat.  You’re not going to enjoy that cup of coffee until she is also enjoying breakfast, so you might as well make sure it is an eight on your list because it is nine on hers. 

Having dinner at home might be a six if you discovered a new recipe you are eager to try out.  You know, the one from that book ‘Fun Things To Do With Chicken’  that you got for Mother’s Day. On the other hand, If you are just warming up Tuesday’s leftover dinner it might be a generous three.  If you toss some biscuits in the oven and butter and honey on the table that three  might move up to a four.  See how this works?

Yellow cake with chocolate frosting is an eight for Monty,  it is really only a three for me.  But I make yellow cake with chocolate frosting because it is Monty’s  eight.     

Getting a phone call from my kids is a ten for me.  It might be only a four for them, but they have to remember their four is my ten.  There is some responsibility involved. (like the cake) Now that the kids have reached their mid 50’s their own kids are mostly out of the house, they have a bit more free time.  They have devised a plan that works perfectly.  Greg calls me on Saturday and his dad on Sunday, while Tricia calls dad on Saturday and we spend time chatting on Sunday.    It took a pandemic for them to devise a plan but it works perfectly and I look forward to the calls.  

I know people who don’t have a two/ten method.  Everything with them is a ten. Most of the time they are unhappy because they can’t live up to their own expectations and neither can anyone else.  They are always dissatisfied, if they’d just settle down and accept a few twos life would be easier.  

Sweeping the porch is a two, treat it like a ten and the porch will never get swept.  You’ll never be able to work it into your schedule because it will take too long to sweep the porch so it earns the ten you assigned it.  Just get the broom and give it a quick two or three,  the porch will look presentable and you can forget it and move on.

Have you ever worked with someone who refused to recognize the difference between something important, maybe a seven, and something  simple, a two?  After while you realize you are doing the two’s because it takes them so long to do it there is no time to work on the sevens.  

Writing the blog is an eight or nine for me, hearing your comments in either the comment section or via e-mail brings it up to a ten or eleven, thanks to everyone who takes the time to let me know you are enjoying the posts.   

Life is a juggling act, appreciate the nines and tens, don’t devote too much time to the twos.

Works for me.

11 replies
    • Carrie Bonello
      Carrie Bonello says:

      Lots of twos and threes out there, don’t give them more than what they are. Thanks for reading me!

  1. Cindy
    Cindy says:

    Another great post Carrie. I’m re-evaluating life based on your numbers concept. Keep them coming. ❤️

    • Carrie Bonello
      Carrie Bonello says:

      Twos and tens have worked for me. I seldom have to vacuum, I mean why devote time to a two! But I always have time to talk to my kids that’s a ten.

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