Looking for the Blessings in Life

I am a creature of routine and habit (most of the time anyway). I have the same morning routine. I generally eat the same thing for lunch each day (until I feel like a change). I like to know what is going to happen during my day (although I’m working on ‘going with the flow’). I feel happy when I have a sense of order in my life. Unfortunately that doesn’t always go to plan, however that is a whole different blog post.

As part of my routine each morning, I like to go to our side door and open it. I rest my face against the security screen, smell the cool morning air and watch the birds in the neighbourhood. We have quite a variety at this time of the year. In our front garden there are the raucous Rainbow Lorikeets feeding on the nectar of the Grevilleas. Across the street is a family of Plovers that nest around here and like to bring their babies onto the lawns and driveways at the beginning of each day. Flying over are often Galahs, Cockatoos and sometimes Rosellas. We have a cheeky Willy Wagtail that torments Smudge (my cat). He sometimes breezes in with a mate and they chatter to each other and make me smile as they wag their tails. Right now, the doves are courting. It brings a smile to my face watching the rituals and rebuffs amongst the males and females. The Crows call to each other from the trees in surrounding yards and the Magpies warble tunes in the early morning stillness. Occasionally, a flock of Swallows rest on the tv antenna of the house next door. Whilst some are resting, the others are flitting to and fro and catching insects on the wing. Amongst all this chatter and business, a pair of wood ducks have called our street “home” temporarily and forage along the front lawns of neighbouring homes. (As I am writing this, I have noticed movement outside of the window and spied the ducks who appear to be enjoying our front garden at this very moment). I enjoy this morning ritual of mine and the opportunity it provides to ground me and see what I might normally dismiss in my every day business of life. I guess in that respect it is a blessing.

Blessings are strange things. Mankind in general is eagerly searching for all the blessings that they can. Quite often those blessings are right in front of us but because it is something that we see every day or is a part of the general business of life, we overlook them. It’s not hard to do. We all have bills to pay, deadlines to meet, places to be, appointments to make, people to see…. well you see what I mean. Sometimes we just need to STOP. I know I’m shouting, but if I didn’t, you wouldn’t have noticed that word would you? STOP! STOP! Breathe deeply, inhale and exhale and tell your mind to be quiet. Now listen. What do you hear? Can you hear the clock ticking? The radio playing? Children in the street? Birds chirping? Now take another deep breath in. What do you smell? The scent of flowers? Baking? Rain? Let that breath go and with that breath, feel the tension fall away from your neck and shoulders. Imagine it draining away and forming a big puddle at your feet. Doesn’t that feel so much better? Now open your eyes and look for the blessings that surround you. Are there some there that you overlook because you have forgotten to look for them?

I often have to remind myself of the special things in life that I often overlook. Right now, there are three of them walking up my front path. All of them are aged under 6. Excuse me while I go and spend some time with some of the blessings in my life.