Gratitude Abounds

What a beautiful day this has become. I got up and out fairly early, taking my car to the shop to see about my air-conditioning and automatic windows. The A/C is fixed and works beautifully. The windows--well, the motor is ordered for the driver’s side and the passenger’s side now works. All of this was accomplished while I read a Margaret Atwood novel. What a treat!

Afterwards, I was able to walk around Lake Ella without feeling terribly strung out by the heat. I wonder if that is because I didn’t arrive over heated. After my walk, I came home and relaxed. I even had lunch outside on my screened-in porch. The first meal I have had outside since early spring.

I read some more and enjoyed the company of Yin who thought I made a good pillow for her while she scratched her head on my book. When it got too hot or too humid, I’m not sure which, I came back inside. I am now doing laundry and reflecting on my idyllic life.

The air-conditioner is running and the sirens scream somewhere on North Monroe or I-10. In a few minutes I will begin to do QiGong and leave the material world behind for a short time.

I could never have imagined my life today when I was in my twenties. Funny, I never thought about now. I guess I expected to be caught up in family without the benefit of my degrees, talents or interests. Instead of being at the beck and call of numerous children and grandchildren, I have time to paint and to write. How glorious is that!

My daughter and her family live in Seattle, clear across country from me. This way I am not in her business, but minding my own. I think it improves our relationship. As I write this, Kim and I are emailing as if we are IM-ing. Thanks to Google’s celebration of Beatrix Potter’s birthday, we were each reminded of my mother and her grandmother who often sent Kim a piece from Potter’s collection for her birthday which comes up in a few weeks.

Several years ago, my first boyfriend and I connected after many years of silence. Had I married him, I would probably have had three children and several grandchildren by now. I would not have a college education. I would not be the artist that I am today. I would not be the spiritual person that I am today. I may have followed the religious path rather than the spiritual path.

I really am glad that I am where I am today.