ENJOYING LIFE

Whenever I need a check-in about not taking myself too seriously or want a laugh I only need to watch my pets.  They have it figured out.  The cats don't get stressed out unless they are at the veterinarian or there are unwelcome guests in the house such as another dog.  The dog is just plain happy and has a great disposition.  It doesn't help that I cater to all of the cats' and dog's whims and wants and I am at their beck and call.   I fully know that spending time with your pet makes you relax and enjoy life.

Last night when sitting outside on the deck, a baby monarch butterfly landed on my head.  I was sitting in the sun so it was stretching its wings and soaking in the warmth.  Of course by the time the DH got the camera it had flown off but I managed to get a photo of it sitting on one of the rails.   It was also enjoying life.
Other ways I get perspective on life is by reading two columns - one in the Globe and Mail newspaper and the second one in the Macleans magazine.   Each weekly magazine from Macleans has on its last page a column written about an individual who recently passed away.  The story is written to paint a picture of this person's life, what mattered to them and how they focused their time.  When I get my copy of the magazine, I always go to the back page to see who is profiled and to read their story.  The second column I read on a daily basis is in the Globe and Mail.   The stories are usually written by a family member or a close friend and it captures the peaks and valleys of life that they have experienced.  Some of these stories are fascinating and some illustrate the hardships, sacrifices and contributions they have made over their life time.  Not all stories are about people who have lived long lives and were established senior citizens by the time they passed on.  There are stories written about youth or people in their twenties and thirties whose lives were cut short.   One recent column written about a women named Doris Grant who died at the age of 85 following a stroke caught my eye.  She was blogging up until two days before she had her stroke and she blogged about what a great family she had.  What her daughter did write about her in the column made me think.  Doris felt there were four essential elements that made successful adults - (1) know how to swim, (2) know how to type, (3) go to the dentist regularly, and (4) vote in all elections.   I think these four criteria for being a successful adult make sense.  Knowing how to swim and type, going to the dentist and voting in all elections are important things for all of us to do.  They all contribute to enjoying life and in many ways staying alive.   Here is to Doris and others who have showed us and taught us about enjoying life.