Presently Peaceful

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to accept your life for exactly what it is at this very moment?  Take the good with the bad, the ebb with the flow and say "Wow, soooo this is my situation right now.  Okay."  I recently tried this new way of thinking.  It was purely by concession and I was wholly huffy about it, but I tried it nonetheless.  You (I) can (could) walk around completely pissed off about something not going your (my) way for only so long before you (I) realize(d) the negative energy being emitted is dragging everything (and everyone) else down.  No body likes a Negative Nancy but few people have the guts to tell you you're being one so mostly people just start avoiding you.  Don't ask me how I know.  But anyway...  At a minimum, it was empowering to step back and look at the whole:

almost 30

married

childless

dog

family

friendships

home in Iowa

career

Actually, it was life changing.  Here's how my perspective changed:

almost 30

happily married

kid-free

beautiful dog

amazing family

unconditional friendships

lovely home in lovely Iowa

providing, satisfying career

Some of my life-situation certainly did not match the perfect picture I painted for myself at the ever mature age of 18.  In reality, very little of it aligned with what I thought my life would be at this point.  However, might I have to give up the abundance of the gifts that have exceeded my hopes to compensate for the pieces that have left me frustrated and fearful?  Is that something I am willing to do?  No.  Thank you.  I like it the way it is.

In no way am I suggesting that individuals displeased with something in their life become complacent.  I am the first person to tell a friend, or even stranger (Thanks Grandma for the ability to make a friend/share my opinion everywhere!) that if something is not what they had hoped, CHANGE IT!  Be that as it may, life and learning is a process, a valuable process.  Complacency and acceptance have very different meanings:  Complacency is halting.  Acceptance is propelling.  Observe.  Create.  Move.  Grow.  Be joyous.

"In acceptance there is peace."  Amy Carmichael

xoxo