Owls and Orchids

image from vgiselleh.deviantart.com

“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.”
― Paulo Coelho,

I realise that I could talk at length about either attitude, gratitude or change so to add them into one title is possibly presumptuous.  However, it is only when we consider that each is, in many ways inextricably linked with the other that it makes sense, one might even say it becomes rational.  There has been volumes already written and spoken about all three, but what I would like to do is use each and put it into context in what happened yesterday.  My reasoning is simple, it was a lesson for me and may, in some small way, make sense for someone else.

Anyone who reads my blogs will realise that there is a cycle to my writing, I can be anywhere on a sinus wave, in the trough, climbing to the peak, at the crest or falling back towards the depths.  I thought, for a while at least, that this was because I wasn’t handling things, life, my situation well enough.  It’s so very easy to fall into that way of thinking. After all, who am I that I can say that I alone affect every aspect of my complex existence? I am Susan Jamieson in all my simple and complex existence and I love to share my thoughts through by blog, Owls and Orchids.

I have to interact with others, their situations and lives each day and by extension, these events have some impact on my day, my feelings. Learning how to prevent that will be a topic I can discuss when I have “all my little ducks lined up”. Yes, a project in the planning I am going to delight in sharing later.

Yesterday was going to be a big day – at least for me. After months of doing only the absolutes, what was needed to see doctors, specialists and people who have seen more of my insides than I ever will, to plan a day doing the little but fun things for ourselves was a golden day.  Yet, there was a small hiccough in the plan – it was hot! Glorious, gorgeous sunshine, the giver of life, was going to be raising the temperature, and mine also. It would be a test.

“Cool Change”, by Little River Band, a favourite for a long time. Why these lyrics should suddenly pop into my mind I have no idea, yet they were firmly cemented in the back of my mind. At odd times parts of the lyrics would suddenly be there. Then I realised what it was.  The snippets which kept coming back to me were telling me that my attitude to whether it was hot was, in fact, the very thing which was screwing my thoughts around. I was in an air-conditioned car and very comfortable. Everywhere we had to go was also air-conditioned, although I have to admit that in some of the places we visited, their air conditioner appeared to be struggling with the temperature too.

From there, after a few more lyrics, I realised that I was becoming more focused on how grateful I was that I was out and about.  Even if I was a little hot, it was such a joy to be visiting the people and shops where I was greeted warmly, helped with what I was looking for and left feeling incredibly happy that this was a normal day! I found that my growing feelings of gratitude was changing my attitude and I was enjoying myself, whatever the weather.

Passing the florist I was reminded of the beautiful flowers I have coming along at home. The King Orchid has already finished in the tree but my potted orchids are growing apace. The Dancing Lady is a mass of flowers and the red Hippeastrum looks wonderful with a splash of colour from the orange Clivia.  Spathiphyllum, (Peace Lily) and Arum Lily are snowy white and the fragrant Jasmin and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow send their scent indoors each evening.

Despite the fact that I was beginning to droop from the constant walking and shopping I was still feeling buoyed up by the day. We stopped and had a marvelous latte, exactly the way we like it, and once again I felt that upsurge of gratitude flowing through me, my “Cool Change” was still running in the background.  My day was complete when I found a beautiful piece of Botswana Agate, the colours amazing and really feeling like the flow was moving not past me but through me. I was embracing the change I had been feeling all day.

Gaining an hour coming to Queensland had been a bonus and we headed off home to Byron and to our favourite little coffee shop for a bite to eat. We had not taken into consideration that most places would be closing their kitchens earlier because we had now ‘lost’ an hour. Normally this would have been enough to really spoil the end of a glorious day. The sea breeze had sprung up so it was beautiful and temperate inside or out, but we weren’t going to get the meal we had hoped for.

A few miles further on we spotted a shop still trading and ducked inside. We settled on a lovely toasted sandwich and a wonderful coffee. It was terrific to find a Di Bella coffee which is our favourite blend.

Beautiful toasted sandwich and coffee. Simple and delicious.

Under normal circumstances even finding the Di Bella may not have saved the day, but the change in attitude made the gratitude for finding something tasty, nutritious and quick was all that made the difference. It was then that “Cool Change” ran through my mind again and I realised how intricately those three things are entwined. When all three are flowing little miracles can happen – large ones too.

We arrived home truly happy with our day, knowing we can go back to our coffee shop and have our evening treat another day soon, but also knowing we both had a warm ball of gratitude inside from our change in thinking about the days events. Our attitude had been rewired and what may have been obstacles or disappointments had been changed.

For me, as well as Ray, it was a wonderful lesson which had not been difficult but very enjoyable and will help us in the future.  I truly hope it may also help you at some time.

image from http://www.brianemillerbooks.com

“We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
― Viktor E. Frankl

There is always, always, always something to be grateful for, if we change our attitude we find the gratitude.

May your days be filled with large and small blessings.

Love always.  Susan x

© Susan Jamieson

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