Mid-week Inspiration, 

Yesterday I awoke with a headache.  I lay in bed feeling grateful that it did not bother me when I stayed still. I lay there for about an hour thinking of the good in my life and dreaming my dreams of a better world.  I lay there noticing the negative thoughts that would come; as they came I reinterpreted them in a positive light.  I lay there feeling grateful that I did not have to get up right away but could calm my mind and allow the pain to ‘go away.’

Eventually it was time to get up; I get up early.  I got up, my head still hurt, I made a cup of tea and thought of my fortune, that if I needed to I could always take an aspirin or any number of options to relieve the pain.

I went to put milk in my tea.  We were out!  I could put canned milk in my tea; I don’t like that.  I could put powdered milk in my tea but I’m sure that would have revitalized my headache and caused a couple million British ancestors to curl up and die a second death. 

I decided to get some early morning air and go to the store. 

Again I felt such a sense of gratitude; I actually had choices and the ability to follow through with those choices.  It didn’t end there either I got to smile at some people and watch their faces light up. So even with a drum pounding in the back of my brain I was feeling very good. 

I was busy until 11:00 PM the day before so I had no sense of guilt even if I had been the guilt loving sort.  It was my pleasure to take on some lower priority activities some graphic work and on going ministerial work.  I had a church board meeting last night so there were loose ends to tie up.  By dinner time my headache was completely gone and the love of my life brought me some dinner before we did our weekly open door silent meditation.  Again gratitude moved me; I really do have things very good in my life.

After the meditation we had our monthly board meeting, it was a marathon three and a half hours, but rarely have I sat through such an empowering meeting.  I felt moved with joy as I witnessed the commitment of these people.  It takes dedication and commitment to make a dream come true; and it also takes the right people, people who can work together, see the good in each other and hold the vision.  The very same ingredients that make any relationship work incidentally; and this little group has it.

It was an extraordinary day and my focus; my choices were instrumental in making it such a day.  At any point I could have focused differently, I could have let the apparent adversity get to me and I’m sure at some time in my life I would have.  And I would have had a justifiably miserable day; all my old friends would have sympathized and consoled me enough that I would likely have created another such ‘miserable’ day, just for the attention.  

I would actually have believed that I had a right to feel miserable and that I had no choice in the matter.