Grateful for Slight Shifts in Thinking

As we head into the second month of the year, the month marked by fewer days and Cupid, I remember that many parts of the country seem to experience their worst weather in February, while others get their first taste of spring.
Weather seems to impact most of us. On cloudy days, we may lack energy, and when the sun is shining, we feel lighter and brighter. I think of this and it occurs to me that weather is truly a metaphor for life. We have cloudy days and storms that may leave us feeling down or frightened. We may feel isolated without enough interaction with others during challenging periods. And then suddenly the wind blows and a ray of light gives us hope that our down days are temporary and the sun-filled days have not left us forever.
I’ve come to value all seasons, having a change of heart about the weather I least enjoy. Where I once dreaded winter, because I’m a warm-weather, garden-tending, river-swimming gal, I now view it as the season given to us to slow down and recharge. I’ve come to enjoy this time indoors, trying my hand at new things, and catching up on doing favorite old things I hadn’t had time for when I was having outdoor fun.
Sometimes all it takes is a slight shift in our thinking to turn something we dislike into something we appreciate, and I feel grateful that I’ve had this shift in my thinking that will allow me to truly enjoy all twelve months of the year, and not just nine.
And I’m grateful that a shift in my thinking allows me to appreciate the days of my life where the clouds are hanging around and I can still find that beam of sun telling me the darkness isn’t forever.
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Deborah Perdue, RScP
Author of “Daily Gratitude Reflections” and “Grace of Gratitude Journal”
www.graceofgratitude.com
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