Good morning! I hope your day is off to a great start.
So, here we are a week into the new year, and already planning next year’s resolutions. Just me? It’s not that I’m suddenly so proactive – just that I’m not ready to completely give up on the ones I’ve already blown out the window this time. That’s the way this works. If you really, really want to lose weight, you don’t just give up on the idea. You set a new date. That way, you keep the dream alive.
Okay, we all have our weaknesses. Mine, apparently, is buttered popcorn. And candy. I went six months without touching a piece of candy, and then found a recipe to make one of my favorites at home. It’s made from marshmallows, white chocolate chips, butter, and gum drops. And I only have two pieces each day. Then I have two more, just to keep it from going to waste. Can I get an amen?
We’ve been talking about things that hold us back in life, and I’ll be the first to admit my greatest limitation is between my ears. I can do anything for a week. Beyond that, all bets are off. I thought intermittent fasting was the key. And it works! But it doesn’t do much good to put off your first meal until noon if you eat a water buffalo for lunch. I’m sure I read that somewhere.
You ever feel like you just need an attitude adjustment? You ever feel like somebody else does? I know I’m failing in my goal of losing weight, but that doesn’t mean I have to be miserable about it. You see, that’s the part about goals they never tell us. It’s okay to feel discouraged, even upset, about our failings. But we don’t have to share them with the entire world.
We’ve all met people who couldn’t be happy if you handed them a bag of cash. “Thanks! Sure, it’s a lot of money, but the government is going to take it all in taxes. And, what are all these ten-dollar bills doing in here? Did the bank run out of fifties? This won’t even buy a pound of bacon! And now the whole family will want some, too. See what you started?” Sound familiar?
Nothing can get in the way of our happiness quicker than a sour attitude. We all know that. Yet, some people not only embrace negativity, they buy it in bulk. And when that runs out, they make more. Misfortune is the only thing that makes these people happy. And if you weren’t aware of just how sad their life is, pull up a chair. They’ll be happy to enlighten you.
Then there are the others – people facing insurmountable odds, yet somehow, they never got the memo. I’m often reminded of a woman in our church who faced terminal illness with such grace and positivity, cancer didn’t stand a chance. Della didn’t stop living until her eyes closed for the last time. And knowing how she lived, I’m sure she left this world with a contented smile on her face.
I’m not sure every cloud has a silver lining, but if you look high enough, they’re all puffy and white. Our choices is to sit here in the darkness or reach for something better. We can’t change the challenges we’ll face, but we can change our response to them. And if an octogenarian can face terminal cancer with such grace, I can handle pretty much anything life throws my way. So can you. That’s all for now. Put on a smile and have an awesome day!
© 2024 Dave Glardon – All rights reserved
Dave Glardon 