Be Amazed

I’m feeling the need to tune up my mental wellbeing.  Everything is fine in my life, but there is a lot of change and chaos and crisis around me and the world in general.  When these facts of life start to get to me, I’m reminded that the best antidote lies inside in quiet reflection on what is good.  So today I’m launching another challenge for myself!  Twenty-six days of gratitude.  I’m going to take a letter in the alphabet each day and practice gratitude for something that starts with that letter.  Join me if you are willing.  My prediction is that by the end of April, I will be feeling a shift in the positive direction.

Today, I’m grateful that I can be amazed — by nature, by people, by the simple things.  I want to take a breath and just notice that.  When you look, lots of amazing stuff appears.  To start with, I’m sharing a photo from Bagan, Myanmar taken four years ago.  Began is a world heritage site and renown for its 3000+ pagodas nestled in the middle of the Southest Asian jungle of Myanmar.  Even though our hot air balloon flight over it got cancelled, it is truly an amazing place.  I journeyed in a long-boat, I rode an elephant, and I climbed up lots of pagados to get the perfect shot.  It was an amazing trip and I am very grateful.

Closer to home, I took my sister and her daughters on a visit to Yosemite a few weeks ago.  It’s impossible to look at the 1000 foot granite cliffs of El Capitan and not feel there is a bigger power at work in this world.  Every time I see Yosemite Valley I’m humbled and amazed by nature.  The waterfalls were bigger than I’ve ever seen them, thanks to the unprecedented deluge of rain we’ve had this season.

Even closer to home, I hiked my favorite hike with one of my favorite hikers and was amazed how much better I felt afterwards.  The sky was incredibly blue, the sun was shining, the hills were green for this brief period until they turn brown and all was right in my world.  I’m constantly amazed by how connected I feel to friend when he or she shares what is honestly going on in their lives.  It creates the space for me to do the same as well as to honor their feelings by not trying to solve the problem but just to be there with them in it.  And when life deals a blow those friends, I’m amazed at the residency and strength they demonstrate in the face of  truly overwhelming and heartbreaking situations.

Finally, I’m amazed that its April 1 and my first thought today wasn’t how far behind I’m getting or what I should be doing or a host of other negative thoughts inspired by the imaginary game clock in my head.  Turns out no one else can see the minutes/hours/days ticking away on that beast and they really wouldn’t care if they could see it.  My biggest demon is always the one inside and for today, at least, I’ll assuage her with amazement at how great it is to be right here, right now, doing exactly what I’m doing.