Accepting Life As It Is

We live in a much different world than it was four years ago, one with added challenges for everyone.  Some accept them and moved on.  Others resist the changes.  Guess which ones are happier?

“But how can I be happy when everything is so wrong?”

You can find the good.

Practice Gratitude

When I walk the Sulphur Creek Trail, I practice gratitude listing everything I for which I am thankful, beginning with the basics—like a place to live, running water, a toilet that flushes, and food… 

Then I move on to other things like my sixteen-year-old Honda Civic that still runs like it did when I bought it fifteen years ago.  I spent $3500 on it last year, most of my savings because intuition said it was worth doing Honda’s checklist, buying a new battery, and buying all new tires, including the spare and the tools I’d need to change it.

Next, I express gratitude for my precious once-feral cats.  I’m “still here” because of them.  I give thanks that the oldest one, Bella, is now domesticated.  She was nineteen weeks old when I got her and was told, “If a feral cat is older than three months, it will never be domesticated.”  And she wasn’t until I listed the house in February.  She spent her first five years coming inside to eat and then going outside to roam.  She watched me from under the car across the street, and last year, she sensed that staying inside except for basking in the sun on the deck (in Durango) was a better idea.  Now both cats are indoor-only because our new home is in a flea and tick state (Arkansas). I am so grateful that this house I bought is big enough for them to run around and that they are accepting their situation. I am especially grateful for their love and company.  It’s nearly impossible to make friends during the Pandemic.

Bella snuggling with Kali

Next, I express my gratitude for all the people in my life who have been kind to me or kind to those I love, beginning with the “special four” friends who have patiently listened to me adjusting to this state where “everything is different” without giving advice unless I asked for it.  One example of what’s different:  the LIGHT.  In Durango, with 6,800-foot elevation, the light is much brighter, and there are 300 sunny days/year, whereas here, at 312-feet, it’s dark and cloudy most of the time.  And when the sun does come out, it’s not the same.

Finding gratitude for being here has been challenging.  Every day, I work on finding the beauty, acknowledging the good, and it’s helping. 

Takeaway 

Expressing gratitude, no matter how challenging the situation is, makes a difference in how you feel.

Till next time, Please be kind to everyone you meet, for we all have our hidden sorrows. ~Tzaddi