APPRECIATION

As I was driving to an appointment earlier today thinking about what topic I wanted my blog to be about, I got stuck in traffic on the highway due to a fatal accident that had taken place an hour or so before. The local radio station just said that there was a fatality due to a car driving into a tollbooth. My mind started to wander in the time that I sat in traffic and I thought about how precious life really is. Of course this is something that we all know and most of us probably take for granted on a daily basis. Life is busy and our days get bogged down or are consumed with work and family and all the little mundane things that we do on a day-to-day basis. However, when I finally drove past the scene of the accident, there were so many firetrucks, state trooper cars, and city vehicles it really drove the point home. How quickly life can change in just a split second. My first reaction, being an empath of course was utter and tragic sorrow. I felt sick to my stomach when I saw the damage to the tollbooth, I can only hope that the person driving the car was deceased prior to crashing into that building. Praying that his/her angels came to get them quickly. My next thought was for the fellow drivers around who had to endure watching the accident occur - if I felt the way I did after the debris had been cleaned up I cannot imagine what they must’ve witnessed firsthand. Sending out a huge heartfelt prayer to everybody that was affected by this today.

Naturally I felt the need to change my topic today to APPRECIATION, it’s about living every moment to the fullest and appreciating all that we have going on in our lives on a daily basis. Later on as I was driving back home because the temperature wasn’t too hot outside I had the window rolled down in the car and was just taking time to enjoy the breeze blowing my hair around. I had my heart shaped purple sunglasses on that my granddaughter loves and I was smiling. Then I noticed a hawk fly over my car in a nearby field and because I know hawk is a ”messenger” I gave some thought to a phone call I had just had earlier in the day about a new opportunity. This felt like a confirmation that I was making the right choice and I was appreciative of the sign that the universe sent me to acknowledge this. Then an 80’s Journey song played on the radio and I started tapping my hand against the steering well and moving my head back and forth as I sang along. I then called my parents to check in on them and then went to visit my daughter at her work, so got to hug both grandkids as well. I didn’t want the rest of the day to go by without telling or showing the people closest to me how much I loved them. I am so grateful that my family is so close by! Eventually I got back home and pulled into my nice quiet neighborhood and felt appreciation again that I live where I do and can go out into my backyard whenever I choose and sit at my umbrella table and do some of my computer work outside if I want (which is what I did). I then spoke with a close friend on the phone while my cat snuggled up on the couch next to me purring because he was so happy to have me nearby. Next I made myself a healthy meal that’s one of my favorites and am planning on walking to treat myself and get some ice cream very soon then coming back home to watch a good movie that just became available that I have been waiting to see. This afternoon for me has been all about taking the time to appreciate the little (and big) things in my life that give me pleasure. You never know what will happen tomorrow, so if you are always putting off the things you love to do you might not find that happiness. There is a quote by Bill Keane, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.”

So the message I would leave you with as you’re reading this is to do the things that you love, show and/or tell the people in your life they’re important to you, and be thankful & appreciative for what you do have the going well in your life. My guides just reminded me to point out that if there are things that are not going so well for you at this time, the more you focus on the positive you do have, the more the universe will send you positive experiences, it’s about adopting the attitude of gratitude. Like attracts like and thoughts are included in this. I’m sorry that it took a tragic event to get me to write this blog today on this topic, but life really can be short, so don’t waste it on negative things! Start a journal for appreciation. Send out THINKING OF YOU cards to your friends in the mail. Send a thoughtful text or email, make a phone call, give a bear hug or passionate kiss to someone. Smile at a stranger, pay it forward at a drive thru or toll booth, Wink when your kids/grandkids say something funny to let them know you get it…You get the idea I’m sure……Stop right now & take a moment to appreciate at least 5 good things that happened to you today – no matter how insignifiicant you think they might be........GO!!!