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Hi friends,
This week is rounding out a few-week-long stretch of a “pain event” for me. I did get to the doctor a few days ago and they put me back on some muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories. The referral is in now—ortho and most likely a spinal surgeon. Fun times huh?
So why am I smiling?
For today, being in relatively little pain: I am ecstatic. Low pain days are a rarity lately—so I am thrilled!
Tonight, I am chilled out watching Survivor. I mean, what could be better? I freaking love reality tv shows, especially Survivor.
Tomorrow, I am going with my Mom for a day trip to the Carl Sandburg (poet) historical home. SWEET!
Mindfulness—Check ✔
Gratitude—Check ✔
But I’ve been thinking (don’t run away just yet!)
—that these are things we can do in advance. Why can’t we be in a state of mindfulness about tomorrow? About next week?
Pretty sure that’s called visualization, but I think you get my point. Being in a state of awareness, an attitude of presence in our lives, even in those moments that are still on the horizon.
What if we spent our todays in an attitude of gratitude for our tomorrows? Let our gratitude extend out past where we are sitting—to greet our future—already happy?
Tonight, I am practicing presence in these precious low-pain moments. I am thankful for the opportunity to go and spend some time tomorrow with my Mom. I am celebrating the silly—tv shows and songs and laughs and whatever small thing that I enjoy.
And I am deciding that I will pick something about tomorrow to get excited about. Tomorrow, it’s easy for me: the trip with my Mom. But what about the next day? When nothing special is happening? I’ll pick something for that day as well.
How much more rich would our lives be if we could do this as a daily practice—pick something about tomorrow to get excited about?
What are you excited about in your life? If it’s something as simple as a nice cup of coffee in the morning or a new pair of socks—if it makes you happy, then it is certainly worth celebrating.
Poetically Yours,
Christina Ward
poet, author, and blogger
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