One foot in front of the other

Twelve days into the new year, and it seems every corner of the globe has been touched by some natural or man-made disaster of some sort. Tidal waves, mudslides, earthquakes... Mother nature is pissed, and we better take notice. Or simply realize that this is the nature of the planet we inhabit, and we we are still learning how to co-exist in this relationship.

All relationships are bit like that anyway, wouldn't you say? You have days and weeks of bliss and happiness, with maybe a little tiff here and there of no real consequence. Then suddenly, seemingly out of the blue, Bam! Big fight over who-knows-what. Words are spoken that you cannot retrieve, dishes and hearts are broken and you are left to figure out what the hell just happened and why? Can we fix it? Do we want to? Yes. To both. Most certainly.

Today at work I face a meeting that I would rather avoid.
Last year, around holiday time a member of our office was hit with traumatic news. Cancer. His wife. Who just had a little healthy baby. What? Of course, there was an outpouring of sympathy from those who have experienced such tragedy in their own lives and survived. and empathy from those who have been lucky enough to date to have not been touched by this particular disease. She is young, strong, healthy otherwise. she will be fine. One year later...she is not fine. Far from it...and the rollercoaster of emotions that co-workers have gone through make me wonder, how does a person handle a situation like this when it is happening to you? So today we get an update on her condition. And each day I pray for a miracle for them. And for everyone who faces a situation like this. For my girlfriend whose husband was diagnosed last year and I just found out. For my favorite Aunt who has suffered a series of strokes that have left her confined to her bed. For the cashier I met in the drugstore who is recovering from breast cancer..still wearing her draining tubes while she works because she needs the money and distraction. For.......

So I guess you deal with these things like everything else. Keep going..keep doing what you can do. Keep putting one foot in front of the other.

It makes me grateful. Very grateful to have my health. I hope you are grateful too...for something today. Even if it is just for the sunshine that we will enjoy for a few days before the rains begin again. Gratitide does not need to be grand... I think it just needs to be present.