Be appreciative.
This nugget of wisdom comes from one of the most beautiful women I know -- she is always saying how grateful she is for this, that, and the other thing.
So, in an effort to erase some of these worry lines and add a bit more beauty to my day, here it goes.
I am appreciative of:
* a good night's sleep
* dreams that comfort me
* nightmares that help me identify what I am most worried about (so I can fix it)
* a good, healthy breakfast (no sicky sweet cereal for me!)
* kids who wake up
* kids who wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
* kids who wake up in time to walk leisurely to school
* kids who talk to me during said walk
* all the beautiful things we saw on that walk to school -- the weird plants and the way Aee noticed how the world changes from day to day
* the friends who also walked and met us along the way to make our walk even more enjoyable
* friends who ask me about how things are going
* friends who actually want to know the answer
* friends who can give constructive feedback when I give that answer
* friends who leave me smiling (and sometimes who are sad with me)
Pausing for a deep breath... I am appreciative of:
* the Y-M-C-A (can you hear the song when you read that?) and all the wildly enjoyable classes they have
* the workout instructor who played R-E-S-P-E-C-T today and how that song stuck with me throughout the day, shaping my interactions in that ever-so-imperceptible way
* the way my body stood up straighter and breathed deeper after I was done
* the friend I saw in class who I didn't know attended that class and who I wish I could spend more time with
Another deep breath already? It isn't even 10 am yet... I am appreciative of:
* a lot of work to keep me busy
* a clean-enough house
* a desk full of lovely messages
* a bit of quiet
* the six kittens running around under my feet
* the one momma cat slinky around, acting like a rule enforcer of them all
* the way the kittens run around so fast and carelessly that they often hit the wall, door, window like a bird splatting on a window pane
* a bit of relaxing music in the background interspersed with podcasts while working
* an excellent lunch -- salmon on a fresh tossed red lettuce salad along with a handful of cracked pepper Triscuits.
There was so much more, but I think you get the picture. Life is good, but being able to appreciate it is what makes it full of better moments, or possible even best moments.
Isn't it cool when you have moments in life that are "best moments" where nothing else you could be doing in that moment could top what is actually happening?
One of those moments that qualified as a "best moment": A few of the kittens figured out how to use my leg as a springboard. He would run at me, jump / bounce up my leg, onto my desk and smack his little head into my computer monitor. I think he may have been pouncing at the cursor onscreen. Who knows. It was hilarious.
I could have been annoyed, but why?
Best Edge #2 -- Be appreciative.
