Forget your troubles! C'mon, get happy!

I am trying to stay upbeat and positive. It's hard, because just about everyone around me seems to be in trouble. The niece I love more than my next breath has medical problems that must be taken seriously, but my brother-in-law just lost his job and possibly his medical insurance (COBRA is so expensive). Her mother, my kid sister, has been diagnosed with kidney stones and calcification on her ovaries. My older sister is in looooove again, which means her teenage children are a hassle to her again. This all weighs heavily on my mother, who is in her 70s and has her own medical problems. I have friends with medical problems, family problems, financial problems, relationship problems.

I care about these people. I want to help. But there's a limit to what I can do. I can give advice, when asked for. Money, when I can afford it. A sympathetic ear. Prayers.

But I can't help anyone with anything if I allow myself to be depleted. So I've washed the "stuff" that seems to be coating my life and clouding my outlook and realize right now, I -- me, the Gal Herself -- have only one real problem:

I miss my best friend.

Yes, he has problems at home, but I don't know what those are and I am powerless to solve them. I do know I hurt without him, I feel vulnerable, I'm easily distracted. But this will end. He does check in with me during every work day (sometimes with just a sentence, but the emails are there) and he assures me that when the crunch at work and the problems at home lessen, he will be back and we will be us again.

Beyond that, things aren't so bad …

• The Cubs are only 1.5 games out
• While I don't love my job, I do have terrific benefits and a lot of vacation time ahead of me
• I'm pretty healthy, all things considered
• I like my new/old haircolor
• I am hopeful that my political party can make a difference in the world
• I have enough money to take over back-to-school supplies for my favorite (and local) niece and nephew, as well as helping with clothes for him and a new haircut for her (important for her first-ever day of high school)
• I share my home with three of the most charming felines EVER (and don't they know it)
• My life is filled with people I could call if I need company

So I'm trying to make life imitate art. In the immortal words of Garland in Summer Stock:
"The sun is shining, c'mon get happy. Better chase all your cares away …"

I still have really good legs, so while I can't sing, I think I may just be able to pull this off. Now where did I leave that fedora?