Monday 10 August 2015

Little moments of gratitude

Blog land has been quiet lately. Did you notice that too? Maybe that's normal for August?
I assume that people are on vacation, or on summer break, or are enjoying their lazy days in a hammock or on boats too much to have time for blog reading, writing and commenting. (There is a lot of boating going on with people in blog land and IRL, don't you think? Suddenly everybody and their uncle has a boat. When did that happen??)

Since this is the first August in a long time where I'm staying home I'm noticing this much more than in previous years. It feels odd. The ones who are left behind seem to be in a strange mood, restless with a tinge of sadness and irritability. It's an interesting combination.

In an attempt to brighten up this dreary Monday morning, I want to share a few happy moments that happened over the last few days. Moments that sparked an appreciation for life and made me pause and be grateful.

1. Yesterday at work I x-rayed the sweetest lady. She was 81, with the kindest smile I have ever seen and a sparkle in her eyes. She was in considerable pain, suffering from arthritis for years and waiting for a hip replacement to hopefully provide some relief. When I expressed my sympathy, this is what she told me:
"There is something to be grateful for every single day. I don't like when people are complaining. Life is beautiful! I'm so happy to still be around. I'm not done fighting yet!" What a great outlook on life. She's my hero!

2. I have been unusually tired lately, so I have started to have a nap after work. Yesterday I changed into sweats, grabbed a book and headed to my favourite spot under the willow tree for a snooze, dogs in tow. I fell asleep right away. When I awoke, my big white dog Snowy was sitting inches from my face, tongue lolling and grinning at me goofily. She had waited for me to wake up to get some much-deserved attention. There is nothing more pure than a dog's love.

3. This evening light.

4. Watching our twin lambs jumping and running around. Baby animals have such a joy for life, it's infectious! They jump up in the air, little legs kicking, for the pure pleasure of being alive. They appreciate the moment in a way we can all learn from. If it's a nice day, if we feel the sunshine on our skin, we should be happy!

5. My man, always and forever. We do this little exchange every day where one of us will ask the other: "Have I told you today that I love you?" And when the other says "No, you haven't." we will answer: "I love you. More than anything." It sounds corny (because it is), but I cherish it so very much.

I can't help but feel like change is in the air. The days are getting shorter, and some mornings have that crisp, I-need-to-wear-a-jacket feeling to them.  Looking ahead to September, which will always be "back-to-school" month for me, I get a distinct whiff of impending work and buckling down.

For a while I was resenting it, stubbornly wanting for everything to stay the same and never change. But of course, that's impossible. Just like fall will arrive soon, so will changes that affect our lives. Instead of fighting it or complaining about it, we have to embrace it as new adventures.
Like my lovely old patient said: There is something to be grateful for every single day.






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