Things we take for granted

 

Things we take for granted

The world is full of horrible things and fabulous things. The problem is that the horrible things are the ones that make all the noise, capture our attention and of course, catch the headlines. It is pretty easy to forget to notice the wonders that are around us. This week I was taking a walk and I decided to focus on, and give some appreciation for things that I often take for granted. I started with the fact that I can easily walk several miles. I am blessed that I am within walking distance of Golden Gate Park and that day my destination was in fact the botanical gardens. I went through the checklist of my senses. There was plenty of beauty to see. Along the way I couldn’t help but find joy at watching a dog deliriously playing fetch with a stick.  The flowers that I passed along the way were stunning. Each lawn was worthy of stopping and marveling at. The colors are miraculous.It got even better once I got to the park. If you are in SF, get over there (but beware of coyotes!) I could hear birds; I felt a nice breeze. I delighted in some fog, knowing that so many friends of mine have been struggling with heat and humidity. Next it was time to focus on smelling. I was sniffing and not smelling anything for a block or so. The first odor I was able to identify was cigarette smoke, courtesy of a guy who was sitting in a parked car. I was glad to have confirmation that my nose was indeed working. Happily, a block later that smell was replaced by the wafting aroma of baking cookies.  I confess that I usually don’t bother to pay attention to things that work the way they should. Like most people I only notice when they are broken or not working. It brought to mind a quick story of how we take things for granted. Many years ago, I was walking our beloved golden retriever Java. This was when she was pretty young and exuberant. I was holding the leash in a very foolish manner (I learned that lesson!) and it was wrapped around my little finger. As we were going down some steep steps, Java started to pull me, I jerked back and my pinky snapped. Ouch indeed! (For the record, finger and toe injuries are especially painful due to all the nerve endings) The reason that this tale of woe is at all relevant is to illustrate a point. I was much more impacted by a broken pinky finger than I ever could have imagined. I had never given much thought to this particular finger. Of course it was my right and dominant hand. Without the ability to bend that finger, I was not able to hold a pen, or more importantly since I was still actively working in my job as a nurse, I was not able to give shots for many weeks. Go ahead and try to pick up a pen and write something while your little finger stays straight, It doesn’t work. My double lesson today is first of all to be mindful of all the things that are working well. If you don’t have a headache, sore throat or congestion, hooray! Pay attention. We usually only notice when there is an issue. Secondly, if you are dealing with tough stuff as many of us are this year, don’t let the difficult things completely eclipse the lovely stuff that is still surrounding you. Listen to music, go someplace and be wowed by nature (the botanical gardens are a great option.) Seek out a delicious and comforting aroma; you can light a candle or even bake some cookies. The good stuff is easy to find, you just need to pay attention to it. It can be something as simple as taking a page out of my sister-in-law Barbara's book and grabbing a martini and watching reruns of the Big Bang Theory While you are at it, pay a bit of homage to that all important pinky!