Over the past couple of months I’ve had a small plumbing problem in my shower. Nothing huge or in need of immediate repair, but frustrating none the less. I kept putting off calling the plumber due to all sorts of reasons and excuses, but I finally got him out here the other day and got it taken care of. What a blessing. I didn’t realize how great it is to not worry everytime I turn off the faucet about it leaking. I also didn’t realize how much it affected my water pressure until I got in the shower after it was repaired. It was like a whole new experience.

I bring this up because it reminded me of all the tolerations we deal with on a day to day basis. They’re usually little things like my faucet, or a closet that needs to be cleaned out, or the oil change for the car. But, here’s the thing…….these small seemingly insignificant things are huge energy drainers. It’s astounding actually, just how much energy we use up dealing with the little things that are easily taken care of. We don’t realize it at the time. It’s only after they are no longer a worry that we see how much time and energy we wasted thinking about them or putting up with them. How nice it is to free up that energy for other things and not have them cluttering up your mind and your time. It’s so much easier to just do it and be done instead of putting it off.

So I pose this question to you today……what tolerations are you living with every day that take up your time and energy? It’s time, I think, to just do it.

This past month has been a particularly difficult one. It seems that everyone I know including me, has had problems and major life issues to deal with. But in the midst of all the turmoil, there is still beauty and blessings abounding. The trick is to recognize those blessings. When things are so hard and the sky is so dark, we have to remember that the sun is still shining even though we may not be able to see it at the time. In times of our deepest dispair it’s hard to remember that we still have the choice to recognize what’s right with the world. And somehow, remembering to notice the good parts makes the worst parts a little easier to deal with. I don’t advocate that you should ignore the fear, the sadness, the confusion, or that you shouldn’t ask why this is happening. It’s important to honor these feelings and give yourself permission to feel them freely. It’s also important to reach out for help and to accept the hands that are offered. I do advocate, however, that you try to remember and be grateful for the good things life has to offer you. Be grateful for the time you’ve had with the person or special furry friend you’ve lost and the lessons you learned from knowing them. Be grateful for the changing of the weather from rain to sun or sun to rain, whichever it is that you’ve been needing. Be grateful the help and support you receive and the people who offer them. Even when your heart is breaking, be grateful that you can feel the emotion so intensely. Because you cannot recoginze true joy if you have nothing to compare it to. It’s all about learning to walk in balance and beauty. Sometimes it’s a difficult journey, but in the end we are blessed to have experienced it. It’s what life on this plane of existance is all about.