My neighbours had a grand party last night, complete with a DJ who thought it was useful to mention the neighbourhoods where the guests were from. At first, I wanted to find this irritating but then I decided to enjoy the music. It was good music after all and the DJ sounded like he was right in my living room, seeing as he chose to shout into the microphone; I had to convince myself several times that I was not actually in this party.
I even switched off my own music and dozed off to the sounds of these revelers next door. Luckily, they were kind enough to only make noise till midnight, whereupon they reduced the volume of their terrible sound system and switched it off entirely about 30 minutes later. I slept smiling, grateful that I had neighbours. Their occasional noise was a great reminder that I am surrounded by life.
This is what age has done to me. It has made me tolerant. Perhaps too tolerant. I will soon be like those grandparents who see no wrong and smiles at everything and everyone. But I suppose that is better than being intolerant and caustic, like I was wont to be in my youth. Back then, I made it my duty to correct everyone who did 'wrong' and I did so in the sternest way possible. I was particularly harsh with my friends who did not escape my daily sermons where I urged each of them to turn to the straight and narrow.
I don't know exactly when I changed. I suppose it has been a very gradual change. This change, is with almost everything else in my life. I see things very differently now. I don't know if I am better, but I am definitely much easier to get along with.
Meanwhile, as I ponder on my past, a hurricane passed through my house and it brought with it a tirade of friends who came to celebrate my daughter's fifth birthday with us. I am blogging now, just to get my mind off the amount of cleaning I have to do after the tumultuous birthday event; What with my daughter screaming when we sung for her and refusing to wear the beautiful outfit the Cs got for her.
I can't escape the cleaning for much longer though because I have exhausted ideas for this post. I am however glad to have shared something with you and maybe encouraged you, to not find your neighbours so annoying. If anything, you should join them and make merry. Life is too short to be spent being intolerant.
Labels: tolerance