I have a confession! FB, which I love and am a mildly addicted to, has really been a bit of a downer for me this summer. Daily, I am seeing posts from friends that are on fabulous vacations – some big and some just away at the lake. I’m envious. I’m jealous. I’m wishing I were anywhere but here.
The past 24 hours or so have been a bit of a wake up call for me. I’ve been praying for a little girl named Joss in Florida who had the left side of her brain removed in order to keep from having seizures. I’ve been following her mom’s blog and her most recent one really put things back into perspective for me. She is not out enjoying fun summer adventures, but sitting in a Children’s Hospital watching her little miracle get better and better with each passing hour. The second wake up call was finding out that a former student was killed in the movie theater shooting in CO. He was out for a fun midnight showing of a popular movie and in an instant his life was taken.
While I’ve been lamenting our lack of vacation or getting away this summer, I realize that right in front of me is a wonderful opportunity to savor life as it happens…. because we never know when it will be taken from us. Today our afternoon has been spent on the patio, enjoying the summer weather. My husband has been working on his paperwork and I have been flitting around, taking pictures and playing on the computer. Just sharing the same space with him in a place we both love to be is a huge gift and blessing. We are not on a beach or exotic vacation, but home enjoying each other – even as we do different tasks. The blessings come in the little things. The “I love you” he sent across the porch out of the blue… the robin playing in the sprinkler… my tomatoes that have finally made a presence in the garden… the rhubarb that is almost ready to cut… the butterfly flitting around in the afternoon sun… an occasional quick conversation between us as he works and I play… the little things.
As I ponder that time 10 years ago and the events of the past few days, I’m humbled back into a space and place of being grateful for the little things. This summer we won’t be heading to Hawaii or even the lake, but we will get to spend each day enjoying the amazing life that God has given us. We have a fabulous old home, healthy teenage kids and each other. We both get out of bed in the morning and are able to go about our days. Soon my days of leisure will be over and I will jump on the hamster wheel again. Instead of sitting here licking my wounds because I’m not at the lake or on an exciting vacation, I need to look around at the little things and rejoice. In the grand scheme of things… it’s the little things that count.
If you are interested in following the blog of little Joss, here is the link. It’s quite a miracle!
http://joscelynsjourney.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/windows/
Thoughts and Reflections on Life 