Buyers Remorse

I had this happen when I bought Neena, my Maltese.  I got her as a puppy and paid $600 for her 7 years ago.  I had been looking and pondering, but on a trip to my friend Marisa's house, started looking at ads in their paper, and called on one.  Sure enough, the next day I was the proud owner of a new puppy.  But all the love and happiness over my new purchase didn't cover up this nagging little voice in my head saying, "Are you sure about this?", "Are you ready to take care of a pet?"

It was terrible.  Here I had this little gorgeous, adorable puppy in my hands, and this question in my head.  Now, I answered the question once that night and figured that was the end of it.  I had made the right choice.  I was ready for this, and I would handle anything that came along because I loved her and she was mine.  However, the first time she peed on the floor (and all the times subsequently after) I had to re-answer this question.  Every time I go on vacation and have to take her, board her, or leave her with someone I have that wonder what things would be like if I never owned a pet.  And now with two dogs, it's even worse sometimes.

Now, I love my dogs, and couldn't really imagine my life without them.  Although they are sometimes frustrating as anything, I would never trade them in for anything!!

How I felt about my puppy purchase is now how I feel about my apartment purchase.  I'm finally into my new place, and now I wonder, "Did I make the right decision?"  It was a choice between two apartments and I picked this one.  The other was a couple miles and twice as long of a drive to work, smaller complex, busier area, more sunlight, but lower rent.

I sit in my apartment now noticing the lack of sunlight and lack of air flow from the tiny windows in my apartment (a trade off for better utility bills).  I notice how extremely quiet it is and wonder if I should have gone with somewhere where I would actually see other human beings during my stay here.  The pool is further away, the WIFI wasn't working one day this week, the other lady that works in the office is rude, it's more expensive....the list can go on.

All this research and time spent visiting apartments and moving in and now I see things I'm not happy with.  But as with anything I have been through in my life, things are never perfect.  You do the research, make a decision, and sometimes things don't go exactly the way you think they will.  Sometimes you have to bend this way or that and be thankful for what you have and make the best of the things you don't like.  I remind myself of this every time I start to feel anxious over making a wrong decision, or nervous about how I will end up liking this place.

I really felt, and still do, that this was the best decision for me, and it was the right timing and circumstances for this place.  As with anything in life, I suppose, we can have times where we wonder about decisions made, not made, or made differently that would change the place we're in now.  In the Christian world we are taught to be thankful for what we have and be content with what God has given us.  And frankly, God has given me a LOT!!

I have family and friends who love me and would do just about anything for me.  I have a place to live, food to eat, a job to support myself, a car to drive...that's way more than a lot of people have.  So, I'll keep on reminding myself of these things next time I'm worrying over door placement and sunlight exposure, and just take a second to give thanks for the blessings that I have in my life...because there are many!!