Life's little Celebrations
In recent days my life has been filled with bad news and terrible circumstances for many of my friends and family. I can't begin to tell you the tragedies that have been unfolding before my eyes, they are the kind that you can only stand back and be there for them feeling helpless because there is nothing you can do.
All I can think about is how trivial my woes have been. I have been all depressed and wining because my knee pain has caused me to walk instead of run. Wa Wa Wa, oh poor me...
I realized today as I was walking...I have decided to walk instead of run...how incredibly lucky I am to have legs that will allow me to do this. Many would give anything to take steps across the floor... and here I have been wining about "not getting my runners high!"
I also realized that not only am I extremely fortunate to have these legs but I need to show my appreciation by treating them (legs) with love and respect. Many people would give so much to have what I have... and take for granted every day. So I will continue to exercise and eat right to show my gratitude.
This brought me to thinking about life's little celebrations. We can spend our days looking for that great big huge thing to celebrate...so we wait and we wait and wait and every once in a while we get blessed with a "big one". What about the little celebrations that occur every day? The fact that we got out of bed and the sun is shining, or the sweet taste of a pink lady apple, or the fresh smell of line dried sheets? I know these things seem so small but if we fill our lives with little celebrations and moments of happiness it provides you a safe place to retreat when you need it most.
I challenge you today to really stop and notice all the little things in your life that make you FEEL happy, because once you realize them you will repeat them over and over. And when you lay your head on the pillow tonight I promise you will have a nice great big grin on your face. That my dear is called fulfillment;)
Nikki I LOVE this!! Very well said and soooooo fitting for my life right now! It really resonates with me! My husband and I are trying to lose weight and get healthier this year too! About 10 yrs ago we lost a huge amount of weight together, but after we had our son Isaac, we gained weight for 6 straight years and ended up back at the start line...and then some. This year we have committed to weight loss in a different way than before. This time it's not about losing 60 lbs in 3 months. It's about changing our habits in life and knowing the weight loss will happen because of that. Eating habits, sleeping habits, playing habits, spending habits,exercise habits, self doubt habits, excuse habits....all are getting a makeover this year. I would love to weigh atleast 12 lbs less, next March, than I do, this March. I consider 12 pounds a significant weight loss. I only have to lose 1 pound a month this year to achieve that. So I no longer get discouraged when the scale doesn't move every week. If it does, then I am ahead of my expectations, but if it doesn't, I no longer sink in disappointment. It's more important that I be healthy and more engaged in the blessings in my life, than it is to be "thin".
ReplyDeleteLast night, it was soooo warm and breezy. It was like being on the beach with my hair blowing in a tropical breeze. My husband and I were tired, dinner was done, homework was done, backpacks were ready, kids were almost in bed and I asked him to go for a walk with me. We could have used the excuse of being really tired and it being dark out, or the excuse of already having played outside with the kids for a few hours, to not go for the walk together, but we didn't. We decided to go and have a moment in our day to be alone with each other. I put Isaac to bed and went to the kitchen to get my shoes. My husband came in from the deck and said it had started raining and he wasn't going for a walk now. I went outside, and yes, it was sprinkling, but with the really warm air and soft breeze, the sprinkles felt more like mist from the ocean, than "rain". I decided to walk anyway and he decided to come with me. The sky was dark, heavy clouds were moving in, the sunset over the river was almost gone, wind was picking up but still very warm. The evening air had taken an eerie turn, almost like a Halloween/tornado feel. Even though some people may have thought we were odd to be out walking in that kind of atmosphere, all I could think about was how one of our relatives had passed away last week and I knew he would probably give ANYTHING to have one last walk, no matter what the weather was. So why would I be so selfish and not walk for him? In addition, one of our dear friends had a leg amputated last summer due to an infection that developed after his surgery. After a long road of recovery, he and his wife are coming over for dinner tonight. He will be wearing his new prosthetic leg that he finally got this week after many months of rehabilitation and preparation. We will see him get out of the driver's side of his car and walk into our home with no wheel chair, no walker, no crutch, for the very first time in almost a year, tonight. What a gift for him to be able to walk unassisted once again. To have back some independance, dignity, normalcy. No, I wasn't gonna let exhaustion or a little tropical breeze and sprinkle keep me from going for a walk with my husband. That would have been making a choice to take my abilities for granted and it would have been counter-productive to the lifestyle changes we are trying to make. So, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us Nikki and know that your positive attitude and willingness to be vulnerable are proof of your strength and probably giving strength to other people, sometimes without your knowing.
~~Teresa Littlejohn
wow, teresa! You are an inspiration as well, and listening to your words I know that I am in company where I am at in my life;) Thanks for sharing it means so very much to me!!!!!!
ReplyDelete