…where peaceful waters flow.
At the end of the day, of the week, of the life…it all comes back to the seemingly simplistic concept and practice of gratitude. I used to be obsessively consumed with the drama of the moment, and when that played itself out I’d revert to the wounds of the past. So much so that I was never able to just sit and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the present. In my work-mode mentality, only lazy, unsuccessful people sat around contemplating their navels while the true worker-bees (like myself) toiled away at warp speed. Little did I know that being in the present and consciously giving thanks for your life and its bounty was sooooo hard. Yet so crucial to survival. Those little voices whispering in my head and those nefarious devils sitting on my shoulder provided limitless distractions.
So here I sit, having just returned from a month on the Mediterranean. Tired, but a good tired. Grateful for the diverse and fascinating experiences in Espagne and Francia. Some good, Some challenging. Like finding enough plant-based protein in the animal-centric cuisine of both countries. Grateful to be home, healthy and happy. Ready to jump back into my novel, with an ambitious goal of completion by Christmas. Grateful to even have a goal to aspire to.
It almost seems like a dream that back in 2012 I was diagnosed and started this trail of tears leading to my present state of relative bliss…almost, until this morning while downloading vacay pics, I came across some pictures of me sporting a bald pate. Not out of choice but out of a chemical assault on my body. The reality of that time came rushing back…only to remind me of how grateful I am to be alive today. Every day is a treasure that I never fully appreciated before, when I was “healthy”. At least in body. Now my hair may be thin, but it’s a small price to pay to awake every morning to another day in paradise. Karl and I love our lives together, as survivors, healthier than we have ever been in mind, body and spirit. Eating plant-based, whole food is a choice that is working for us and our well-being. Our clear choice over the wide world of pharmaceutical options pushed on us by the well-meaning (?) medical establishment. So we are lucky to be alive…and eternally grateful for our time here together.
Sending love, light and blessings to those fighting the good fight. Be grateful for every day, even the bad ones…they will only make you stronger for the good ones to come.
Sep. 29, 2017
Judy Richter 