Pull on Those Boots! I ran into a lovely friend at a Café the other day who has been having serious health issues. She told me that she has made a conscious decision to look on the bright and happy side of life - no matter what pain or disability she is suffering at any given moment, to look around her and find beauty ; to encounter happiness in whatever form, in her present surroundings and to do something that made her happy - right now. She would no longer stress about the things that were out of her control, longing to be able to do larger things that were goals for a future time when her health improved, but she would build up her life from this exact moment on - in happiness. How inspiring!

I got back home and headed out for a walk to meditate on all of the things going on in my own life, and I experienced one such moment - a child moment! I was filled with a sense of peace and wonder as I let myself notice an intricate fallen leaf on the ground, a tiny yellow flower struggling through the long grass, a bird singing its song over the blustering of the wind, the sound of the water lapping against the rocks and spraying the shoreline, the pair of mallard ducks bobbing over the waves, unperturbed by the frigid water temperature, and I breathed in the indescribable smells of the river - the smells of life and the scent of memories; so much happening around me, partners of adversity and peace moving with grace around this great dance hall, constantly learning new steps.

A little poem in my "How To Grow A Puddle" book popped into my head; It's a reminder of what we miss when we look too far or too high in our search for beauty and wonder on life's walk:

Big Boot And Little Boot,

Walking hand in hand,

Down the lane together,

Found a wonderland!

Every pebble Was a treasure,

Every tiny flower and weed

Was worth a closer look;

Yes! It’s beautiful, indeed!

Bigger boots See larger

And more complicated views,

Than what lies beneath our noses,

And underneath our shoes!

Just for this day, one moment at a time, I will check for the treasures under and around my 'boots', smile often, and count my blessings! ,