Surprises

Friday, May 10, 2024

Yesterday’s weather was warm enough to turn this doubter’s mind from winter. Abundant sunshine made it seem that spring finally arrived. Still doubting, I spent all day handling “stuff set aside” through weeks of cold weather that encouraged me simply to hover near one or another heating source.

Yesterday, things didn’t go perfectly well, with my unwinding of hoses, fiddling to straighten up in the garden, and doing some cleaning around the barn. I didn’t obsess about what didn’t happen just right, but instead, attended to my recent awakening and focused on appreciating whatever might happen. I was on the lookout for what might “seem sweet” and carried a little book for noting anything I happened to appreciate.

I did note each appreciation. Interestingly, most were from occurrences totally unexpected, and actually very surprising.

Thurs, May 9, 2024…Appreciating:

1. Myself, for managing to load heavy trash containers into my trailer and tarping the load
2. My Jeep, for managing despite a low gas gage reading to reach the dump, and then a gas station
3. Two men at the Dump, for spontaneously untarping my load, dumping bags and containers of trash, reloading and securing empty accroutements, for my hauling the trailer home
4. Teller at the Credit Union, for arranging to erase a $27 overdraft penalty and being kind in general
5. Chase (my puppy), for hearing my commands to stay inside the Jeep a couple of times as I was lifting its deck door
6. Gas station attendant, for showing me how to open my Jeep’s gas tank cover

Any of those might have become a dim memory too soon after occurring. But by especially noting and thus remembering vividly, my list gave me a huge emotional lift for that day. Even this morning, remembering all those kindnesses now is making me feel really good.

Dear Friends: Today, with anticipation boosted, hopefully, more grand surprises. Diana