A
good reason to be happy today… is my first thought
when I wake up in the morning. First
reason: the wind has softened; the sky is so blue and I can smell fall in the
fresh air from my open window. I slept
well and feel refreshed and healthy. I’m
uplifted for a moment before the other thoughts begin to crowd into my mind and
I gradually pick up the worries that clung to me as I fell asleep last night. Did I over spend yesterday when I shopped?
Did I remember to put gas in the car? Did I forget my son’s birthday? (what day
is it anyway?) Did the dreadful storm
hit the east coast as predicted?
It takes a few moments before I reign in my
thoughts, pulling them back to where they belong: In the present; back to the soft wind and
blue sky and sweet smells; back to this moment and my very own reality and my
surroundings. I ask myself why I’ve
become such a worrier about things I can’t control or stuff that doesn’t really
matter. Because the most important part
of life is happening right now, right here, right next to me.
The sun rises slowly behind the mountains,
sending sunbeams cascading across the fields, the shadowy trees transform into
green puffs, the tiny birds, hidden in branches, sing their morning songs. If I
listen, I can hear life happening in every direction and I can almost see its
progress since yesterday. A few more
colored leaves on the bushes, a golden hue cast around the crops next door and
tiny dry seeds appearing on spent flowers.
When I begin to number the wonderful reasons to be happy, the count just
goes up.
Yes, there is a lot to be happy about today and I’m
going to do my best to concentrate on what really matters. And so should you!
©2012 Linda Gatewood
