When the Day is Rainy, Sit by the Window

Sit by the window, inside where it is warm and dry, and spy on our feathered friends who seem to not mind the rain and who fluff up to keep warm. I moved a hummingbird feeder to the tree outside my window hoping to get better views of the Anna’s Hummingbird who was perching in that tree for a couple of days. You know what they say about man making plans and God laughing, right? Yep. Anna’s has not been around, at least where I can see, for a couple of days now, but a pair of Calliope Hummers have replaced him. So today I’ll share photos of that pair, as my mind wanders in and out of the crevices of life.

When you have an itch, scratch it

My grandson, who is into Motocross – both riding and filming – managed to break a foot quite badly a couple of years ago. It required surgery and the insertion of a pin or two. The other day he broke his wrist and is having surgery, again with pins to be inserted, today. The boy is never going to get through security in an airport if he keeps this up! His dad and I are discussing possible replacement hobbies, like knitting or bowling. Assuming the wrist will permit. He also films motocross events and is doing very well with that. This boy, who is not really a boy anymore because he’ll be 21 this fall, the one I remember as a tiny baby and then a toddler, is a boy to be proud of. Even if he does go around breaking parts far too often.

This boy’s sister also rides in Motocross. She just turned 17. What I want to know is how they got to be so grown up so quickly! She has not (yet) broken any parts. We hope it stays that way. She is also a person of whom I am very proud. Their parents have done a good job.

My little corner of the world is shining brightly this morning, the sky pure blue with no clouds after several days of chilly gray wet. Happiness lives in this brightly shining corner of the world. Life is not perfect, but it is not perfect for any of us, is it? Those imperfections only make the good parts brighter and more precious, don’t you think?

Thinking how life gives us the opportunity to shine, to be the best we can be. To accept that we are doing our best, and not to beat ourselves up if we are not perfect. To be happy with what we are so we don’t feel a need to pull others down or to blow ourselves up larger than life. To not spend time being angry about things our anger will not change – that’s such a waste of energy. If things offend us, we should work to change them. We should live by our principles, but we should not expect everyone to share those principles. We should give space for others to be what they are.

Now there’s a really judgmental paragraph, all those “shoulds”. Truly I don’t mean it that way, judgmental. Or do I?

I remember when I worked in Southern California for an independent escrow company, the owner of our company had a couple of pet phrases. We all learned to be wary when she approached with the words “learning experience” or “wonderful opportunity”. She was right, of course, but we often thought some opportunities were not so wonderful. Some mountains are higher than we cared to climb just then. But oh! the sense of satisfaction when that mountain top was claimed, when it all started to come together and we had learned one more thing! Really that’s what life is all about, isn’t it? Overcoming, learning, mastering skills and claiming our place.

Dream the impossible dream. Then go for it!

Make your life enough. And smile.