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A week or so ago, I was “stewing in my juices” about the upcoming holiday season, the drama of families, and all the hate and injustice and contemptible language in this country and the world. I was in my lavender bedroom with it lace curtains gracing the windows, and the view of a huge majestic sycamore tree in my backyard.

In sauntered my beloved 9-year-old Airedale Terrier, Bonnie Buttercup.  I swear to the heavens above that she took one look at me and said, “Well, I choose to be happy!” With those words she found her favorite toy on the floor, a sparkly plastic bone with squeaker, and scampered and pranced around the room.

Well, she certainly brought me to my senses!

Happiness, gratitude, comfort — I had all those wonderful things right there in my lavender bedroom!

Bonnie taught me another lesson an hour or so later.  We just got back from her daily walk. It is the highlight of her day, along with the special treat she gets when I take her leash off.  She looked up at me with the biggest smile on her face and tail wagging.  She was so happy, and grateful and so loving.

Yes, Bonnie, shows me daily her gratitude for the simple joys in life.

I made myself a cup of tea and sat down and thought about the upcoming weeks ahead.  I realized – to my immense chagrin, mind you – that I have no control over Washington, the tension that seems to crackle all over this country, horrific wars in various parts of the world, friends suddenly dealing with the big “C”, cancer, fires, tornadoes, huge snow storms, and what I thought my life with my family would be like in my seventh decade.

“In tough and trying times, take extra good care of yourself,” I heard a voice from my past say.  “Don’t forget to eat, get extra sleep, indulge yourself a little – you really could use a manicure – be around people who bring you joy, and play.”

I got out of that chair, washed my new flannel sheets, made a big pot of soup and easy homemade drop buttermilk biscuits.  After that wonderful dinner, I put on my flannel jammies early,  picked up my cuddly cat, Katie, climbed into a warm bed with freshly laundered lavender scented sheets, remembered how my daily walks with Bonnie are always so revitalizing for me, and gazed at the astonishing stars twinkling in the skylight in my bedroom.  Bonnie Buttercup was snoring in her bed, which is on the floor next to mine.

A friend’s voice came into my head – look for the good, we so anticipate all the strife in our lives, including around dining room tables, it is astounding sometimes what we see when we soften up.

I remembered the mincemeat pie my daughter, who hates this pie, brought to Thanksgiving just for me, and I drifted off to sleep happy and grateful.

Copyright – Elizabeth J. Wheeler December 5, 2018

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