Friday, October 8, 2010

Attitude of Gratitude



Late blooming rose garden belonging to friends....(thanks for the pic, Allan)

This weekend is Thanksgiving (in Canada). It's an opportunity to remember to be thankful for everything good in life despite the bad things that may come along.

Since the past few years have been a bit of a challenge for me (interesting in the Chinese curse sort of way) I've struggled a bit with maintaining an attitude of gratitude each day. As I was thinking about Thanksgiving, listing to myself the things for which I am truly grateful, I thought that life was in many ways like a rose garden.

Rose bushes can have the most incredible blossoms with a riot of colours and a heavenly scent. But hidden amongst the leaves and blossoms are those thorns. A reminder that all that is good is balanced by not so nice stuff. But also that the not so nice stuff comes with some truly beautiful stuff, too, if we only stop to look for it and not focus on the not so nice.

So today was a day to think about the blessings in my life - my husband (who has his own thorns - we won't, of course, discuss mine!), my family (what's left of it), my friends (near and far and thank goodness for the internet), that my health has stabilized to the point that I can (and do!) manage to weave at least a little bit every day. I have a roof over my head (modest as it may be), food on the table, all the equipment I need and most of the yarns (plus I know where to get more if I have the money).

I am grateful for a doctor who listens when I tell him something is going seriously awry in my body and is willing to look beyond the usual suspects. I am relieved that we seem to have pinpointed the current issue and that I'm on the list to a second specialist, keeping fingers crossed that I can get in to see him/her quickly so that my surgical date will not be postponed too much and that both procedures - if necessary - can be done with one slice and dice.

Since it appears that things are going to get worse before they get better I am going to hold on very tight to the thought that thorns can be stripped away from the stems of those wonderful roses. That every cloud comes with a silver lining. And that my family and friends will make allowances for me when I forget and need to wallow and whine a little. I hope!

Currently reading The Resist3rs by Eric Nylund (We scoped an Advance Reader's Copy - how cool is that? - due out in April 2011)

5 comments:

Sandra Rude said...

Go ahead, whine all you want! If it makes you feel better, it's a worthy tool. And all of us know what it's like to really need a good whine. I hope the specialist has the right answers, and that you have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Laura Fry said...

Thanks Sandra. I hope that your hand is better...

Cheers,
Laura

Syne said...

What Sandra said.

amyfibre said...

Ditto. And I am grateful that you make the time and energy to be such a vital weaving presence on the Internet. Reading your blog always inspires me. Even the accounts of your challenges reminds me that none of us are alone in facing the thorns. Fingers crossed that the docs have you on the right path to improved health, pronto. Happy Thanksgiving!

Laura said...

I agree about the roses and thorns, sort of like "into every life rain must fall." Sometimes it seems like it's pouring, and then the universe gives you a little gift, and all is well.

Good luck with the specialist. Keep weaving (like you wouldn't) - you inspire us all.