At about 1:30 AM on Tuesday I fell face first on my bed after a long day of travel that included a ferry ride, a taxi ride, two flights totaling over seven hours of flying time, and one ninety minute drive home from the airport. Yes, I was on my favorite island again, and although it always proves worth the long travel day, it wasn’t until the next morning when I woke up at 7:00 AM— but it really felt like 10:00 AM— when I really could think about it. And be grateful.
As I have in the past, this time I went to be a dog sitter for friends. And maybe it’s just because I am an animal person but when I do this I never really feel like I’m helping that much. I mean, I get to be there. That makes me feel very lucky. Not to mention there were three separate cold fronts/winter storms that rolled through Colorado while I was gone, and if missing sub-zero temperatures isn’t lucky, I don’t know what is.
So when I woke up yesterday morning, in my home but with a week of friends and warm weather behind me, it felt impossible to decide what to be grateful for first. And I’m getting an overwhelming feeling of that lately. Maybe it’s just because I’m older and gaining experience and perspective, but it still feels like a very special thing to feel more grateful all the time. It has more depth, and that’s a beautiful thing to be allowed to learn.
My friend Melissa wrote about getting what you believe you deserve yesterday, and it sparked me to remember one of my favorite quotes: “Once I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”– Willy Nelson. (I love me some Willy Nelson, people.) And isn’t that so true? Isn’t it so right that the moments when you see all you really have, even the tough parts of life, the parts you don’t want to deal with, as a blessing, you are forever more wise. You see the details, you see the little moments you may have passed up before, and you see the opportunity that is sometimes hidden when you’re too wrapped up in what isn’t rather than what is.
More and more now, when I’m struggling with something, I remember to pause. When a good thing happens but it’s bad timing, when someone doesn’t do what they say they’ll do, when things don’t happen according to my plan, I find myself more able to stop and think. Yes, I still ask Why? but it is different. It is Why is this happening? What am I supposed to be seeing here? How is this making me better, independent of anyone or anything else? I try to listen, and use it.
People call this different things: manifesting, God, magic, and although I know what I believe, I’m alright with the different names. Because it is all the same thing: there is good meant for you, and you are being given opportunity to see it every single day. Being grateful for it all, well, that is the opportunity.
Whether it be in the form of warm sun and friends, a home you can’t wait to get back to, or reminding yourself that there is nothing without meaning in your life, even the hard things, you can count them all. There is so much that probably sooner than later, you will lose count. I know I have.
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This is a beautiful post, Lesley. Your outlook is always so refreshing and inspiring. I especially loved “you see the opportunity that is sometimes hidden when you’re too wrapped up in what isn’t rather than what is.” What a world we would have if people stopped putting so much emphasis on the “isn’ts.”
I feel lucky to get to come over here and read your wise words . Thank you for the shout out.
As always, your posts make me stop to think and help me keep things in perspective, which is something I certainly need every now and then. Thanks!