I am Grateful

While perusing on facebook I saw a meme with this quote:

Don't wait for things to get better

Life will always be complicated.

Learn to be happy right now, 

Otherwise you'll run out of time.

This really resonated with my soul today. I posted about being in a funk - moving forward. And then things hit again. I told you about losing two cats in less than a year. My Bucky in October and Shidd at the end of June. And then, two weeks ago today, Mrs. Black died of liver failure. From four to one. And then the one went missing.

I had spent a lovely long weekend in California with my besty. We played and relaxed and had a wonderful time. And when I got home my husband told my Boudicca (the cat) was missing. 

I am happy to say we found her and, although she was injured by some wild creature, she will recover and be fine (and become an indoor cat). But I look around at friends and family and see so much hurt. Spouses dying - Pets having to be put down - and divorces, cancer, alcoholism ...

I am 62 years old. More than half of my life has gone by. When I ponder this I realize how short life really is. When we are young it's so easy to think there is so much time ahead of us. Then we turn around and it's gone. 

We have the choice to dwell in the sorrows or find things that lighten our hearts. Pain and grief are real. We need to allow ourselves to feel them. And then we need to embrace the present. That old adage - tomorrow is promised to no one - rings out loud. If we don't grab a hold of some joy, we may not have another chance.

My husband and I are heading off to see our daughter and grandson today. We will grab a handful of joy and stow it in our hearts to bring home with us. And I am grateful.

I am grateful for this life, as complicated and painful as it can be. I am grateful for the love that surrounds me - the unconditional and forgiving love. I am grateful for all the joy I have experienced even though loving something causes pain when they are gone. 

As Dr. Seuss said, "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened". What a great philosophy for life.