"Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it."
— Kahlil Gibran
I awoke yesterday to the news that the war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending and people in Mississippi were cleaning up after killer tornadoes. Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping appear intent on gathering more influence and power. Unrest continues in the Middle East and there is enough political drama in our country to last several lifetimes. It would be very easy to get pulled into that vortex and have it suck all the joy out of my day...but I'm going to decline that invitation.
Instead, Monica and I are walking Paris on a favorite stretch of beach at sunrise. It's as close to a perfect temperature as I could ask for and we laugh as Paris goes blasting down the beach while keeping her distance from the waves. After our walk, we head to our favorite pet friendly breakfast place and get a table on the patio. Our waiter, a young man in his early 20's is a dog lover and is quick to make friends with Paris by bringing her a bowl of cold water.
Later on, after delivering our food, he tells us that one of his co-workers, who also loves dogs, is having a tough day. He asks, "Would it be OK if she came out and spent some time with Paris? I think it might help her." "Of course," we reply in stereo. A few minutes later, she appears next to our table teary eyed. Paris strains at her leash to get petted by the young lady. We exchange a bit of small talk while she interacts with Paris before she thanks us and returns to work. Monica and I are both taken with the young man's compassion and concern for his colleague. To be in the presence of that is a blessing I will carry with me for a long time.
A good friend of mine who had surgery recently shared that his recovery was ahead of schedule. That, too, is a blessing. Another blessing showed up later in the day, when I learned that, 800 miles away, many of the residents of the small town I grew up in gathered to show their love at a celebration of life service for a classmate who selflessly served her community.
Minute by minute, we each get to choose our response to the stimuli that come our way. It frequently takes more effort to find the blessings in our lives, but the payoff is worth it.
