This Wellness Wednesday is a day late because I recently had dental surgery. But yesterday and today I was really grateful. Grateful for the resources to have dental surgery. Grateful for someone (LoveHubbie) to accompany me to the procedure. Grateful to see an end to the pain I've been having. Grateful to be able to rest up and take care of myself without worrying about economic loss.
But the surgery and other events caused me to be grateful in a different way as well. It made me think of all of the things in my body that do work right.
For example, right now my body is aggressively healing. It is supported by lots of different medications, and by healing prayers and energies sent by you all. But it is doing much work right now, all without my active participation. Of course, I provide it with sleep and rest, but basically I'm unaware.
My personal assistant, Sweetie, acquired Bell's palsy last week. She is young and healthy, and it just happened. Aside from the fact that her face sags on the left side as though she'd had a stroke, her biggest problem is having to manually blink her left eye--it no longer blinks on its own and the blinking is vital to the eye's health and maintenance of vision. So she continues working, because she has to, and manually blinks her eye as she does.
How often are we aware or grateful that our eye blinks? Do we thank it for blinking for us? Are we thrilled in a given day that we don't have to manually blink our eye?
Thousands of miles away in Honolulu my co-author Akoni languishes in a hospital, having lost his leg to diabetes, losing his hands to gangrene. I imagine he is happy for every moment of life he has left. My heart aches for him daily. I am hoping that I get to visit him on this trip to Hawaii, and I am afraid it will be the last time I see him. He has trouble eating, and must now be fed.
How often are we excited that we can eat on our own without assistance? I don't remember feeling this way ever.
These two people I know, but others as well, are examples for me in living courageously with whatever problems I might have. And they remind me to be grateful for small things that are so vital, but that I overlook. I don't want to overlook. I want to be filled with gratitude every day.
If you are feeling poorly today, stop overlooking your many numerous blessings. You'll feel better. I promise.
~Photo of Lavender Field, representing Abundance, by LoveHubbie Mark
14 comments:
Olivia, I'm so glad your honey went with you to the dentist. I hope your healing comes steadily along. Thank you for the reminder to be grateful.
You're welcome, Kelly. Thank you for the well wishes, too. xo, O
Glad to hear you are doing well.
Such great reminders to be thankful for all that we have.
Thanks, Kristine! And we have so much more than we THINK we do.
I need to remind myself daily or I get caught up in the BMW (Bitch Moan Whine) thing that so many people do. It makes a huge difference in my day when I focus on what I am grateful for.
Blessings and love,
O
BMW - bitch, moan, whine. I'm never going to forget that one! I'll never see the car the same way again. :)
I've wondered if it would be a good idea to make BMW less socially acceptable than it currently is, whether that might encourage people to be happier. Too many people "bond" over misery and unhappiness.
Glad you are healing up! :)
~*
Such a powerful post. Yes. Remembering how much there is to be grateful for every single day is so important. Its the small but essential things that we take for granted.
Today, I'm grateful for this home that shelters me while I relearn my body. I am grateful for the time I have the large expanse of time I have to nourish, nurture and strengthen my body at this time. I am grateful for the my sight, my hearing, my ability to feel with the skin on my hands, smell the aromas of the food I cook. I am grateful that my legs can hold me and carry me over hills, through meadows and propel along in the Ocean when I swim.
So much more...
Thank you.
Chani, I never forgot it once I heard it either...now if I would just cancel all BMWs from my life completely! Thank you for your support, Love, O
Elena,
You wrote, "Its the small but essential things that we take for granted." This is so true! I love how you found right in the moment things to be grateful for. This is an important spiritual practice that I hope to become more regular with!
Peace and blessings,
O
Your gratitude honors the hardship of your friends. Beautiful post from a beautiful lady.
Thank you so much for your sweet words, Angela :) Love and encouragement to you, O
Glad you are doing well.
I surely needed to hear this today. I was on a little pity party last night about a few things and not counting those many many many blessings!!
Thanks for the reminder!
You're welcome, Mary...I'm glad that you're doing better, too! Love, O
Fantastic post Olivia. Thank you.
You're welcome, Sylvain, and thank you for visiting the happyluau! xo, O
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