Lessons Learned Give Me Strength in My Life #Trust #Instincts

Looking back the past five years since Paul passed away, I’ve realized that I have been through the ringer. Grief, loss, illness, more loss, more weird health issues. Then, the joy! Despite the fact that Zeke died from severe congestive heart failure and my determination to not get another dog, Murphy boldly appears. I am fairly convinced my path in this lifetime is to learn and practice patience because Murphy took some work!

If I sit and think about everything, I can honestly say that these things did not “happen for a reason” but rather life lesson learned, happy or sad. I have always been able to trust my gut instinct, and that instinct has rarely failed me. I can’t write never, can I? Never say never?

For me, instinct means paying attention to everything in my world. It also means not paying attention to negativity from others. I had a friend tell me that I had withdrawn and maybe I have. I am trying to change that.

I find myself these days helping myself get out of a funk after my open heart surgery by hiking again, cooking more, canning fruit and vegetables, listening to books on Audible. My silver lining is that I am engaging again. Last night I made body sugar scrubs for holiday gifts. I will engage by driving around and delivering my homemade gifts.

Helping friends or others is far more complicated for me. To be honest, I must close my computer or whatever I was doing to listen intently at that moment. I have to take in what is being said, especially if it is about me {{sigh}

Here’s the deal, if I don’t try, I won’t ever know. Those silver linings I learn are about moving forward and onward. That encompasses a great deal in this thing called life.

#LifeLesson #SilverLining #Listen #Learn