Acceptance and Gratitude

I find it hard to be accepting and grateful for the weather right now. It’s cold and the snow is just obstructive. I feel like many people haven’t been able to shake off their winter colds. The lack of sunshine is starting to take serious tolls. We are all impatiently waiting the come of spring. The good thing about accepting where we are right now is that it just makes the come of spring much more exciting in comparison.

I’m trying not only to accept my physical space in time, season and place but I’m trying to not be impatient with my progress since last year. With all this moving around and stuff I haven’t been too focused on my spiritual and emotional health, hence the inability to keep up with my blog. But now that I’m here, I’m finding it quite refreshing to see my favorite coffee shop again. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my soft pretzel and vanilla mint latte (yum) as I get reacquainted with my cozy reflective spot on the couch.

I’m not only getting acquainted with my coffee shop again but I’m learning to adjust to my new home and housemates. Last night was the Mardi Gras party and it was fun to chat over junk food and stuff. Tonight we are having pizza and I’m just trying to go with the flow of how things operate. So far I like where I’m living and am looking forward to many more good times. I’m starting to understand the communal living thing better now that I’m finally in the house.

I’m not necessarily hoping for conflicts in the house, but I know they will occur and I hope to be moving with the spirit as they happen. I want to learn to tame my tongue and be more discerning and able to not take things so personally all the time. I want to be accepting of conflicts because in relating important and often great things can happen. And there is always an upside to bad things, especially because both people tend to grow and I like growing.

This time last year I was forced into a lot of growing and there were definitely a lot of growing pains. But this year the growing has definitely not been as fast and torturous, it has become pleasant. I guess the growing now is not as intense in comparison to last winter, just like the spring will be great in comparison to this winter. However, last year I came to the same acceptance/gratefulness point in my life. I did a great exercise that I may do again in the next week or so.

I wrote down everything that I was having trouble accepting and said “ I accept….” Then, I went back over the list and wrote down why I was grateful for everything on the acceptance list. For example, “I accept that I will not be getting married soon.” And “I’m grateful that I am not marrying the wrong person.” Or how about “I accept that I have to live alone for a little while.” And “I’m grateful that I have the chance to fall in love with myself without the distraction of a roommate.” It was very healing for me. I really might have to do this again very soon. I’m pretty sure it would help anyone who wanted to do it. It’s good to accept where God has placed you and to be grateful for at least a little something of it even if it’s pretty terrible.

So for now, I accept that I will still have to deal with driving and parking and living amidst piles and piles of snow and waves and waves of cold winter air. I’m grateful for the time I can spend cuddling with Wallie under my new electric blanket. This is my start.