pains
At the dawning of the sun the mist was rising from the surface of the pond. Miss Gracie the Golden was searching for a suitable spot to deliver her morning deposit as the sounds of grackles and crows were distracting her. Suddenly from the depths of the valley below the pond, a gobbling warning from a wild tom turkey arose three times. Something must have threatened the flock for such a stern warning to have erupted. Whether fox, raccoon, coyote, or snake we will not know, but we do know the warning gobbles ceased. Gracie returned to her quest for just the right spot and found the location worthy of her deposit. Life could now return to its scheduled agenda of preparing morning coffee and listening to the voracious canine consumption of the morning feed. Life frequently offers up distractions from our otherwise intended agenda. Our challenge is to discern the nature of the distraction as either inconsequential or as a warning of something being amiss. Aches and pains are considered part of the aging process and are often treated as simple distractions. Sometimes persistent pains emerge that require more than mere accommodation. They require our attention to uncover their nature and potential intention. Sometimes the source can be identified and its effect may be either eliminated or diminished. At other times the source may remain unknown and can only be addressed with palliative care. In either case a basket of gratitude from which blossoms of thankfulness may be picked lifts one’s spirit and shines a brighter light on one’s journey.
The light of the morning sun glistens through the tree tops as it rises from the East. The crisp fall air bids adieu to the days of summer. The leaves once glowing green now fall gently in the breeze, inhabited by a multitude of yellow, red, and brown hues. Fall has fully arrived and ushers in evenings around the wood burning stove and days shuffling between sweaters and short sleeved shirts. For some, the change of season brings with it stiffness, aches, and pains. For others it may usher in freedom of movement as a relief from the heat and humidity that frequently accompanies the summer sun. Whether stiff, achy, or free from either, the season rolls on with the promise of winter to come that prepares us for thankfulness when spring arrives once more. In each season is found reason for giving thanks for the life we are afforded and its opportunities for listening and learning. I in one moment detest the notion of having to remember to take my medication and be bound by its absorptive half life and in the next moment give thanks that the medication is available and, so far, effective. Such is life! It’s inconvenient to have to go to the supermarket but it is great having the family over for dinner. It would be hard to accomplish one without the other. Sometimes inconveniences provide opportunities.