[2021-01-29] So easy to take for granted

I washed my kitchen floor this morning. It didn't feel like an overly ambitious task, but it took all the energy I had. I was wiped by the time I finished that small job.

It's easy for me to think that I can do anything that I used to be able to do, but the reality is that I can't—at least not yet.

And that's OK.

I'm still grateful that I have the energy to do dishes, bake, go for walks, write blog posts and respond to comments. My days are filled with activity, but not the kind of energy-zapping exertion I engaged in this morning. Both mentally and physically, my load is light.

Still, it's worthwhile testing my limits every once in a while. If I get tired, I can rest and patiently continue the healing process.

Despite my limitations, I have much to be grateful for, including things that are so easy to take for granted:
  • Smell ... how fortunate to be able to inhale the wonderful aromas that waft from my kitchen
  • Taste ... how lucky to be able to savour the great cooking and baking that occur in my house
  • Sight ... how blessed to be able to see the smiles on my family's faces
  • Hearing ... how wonderful to be able to enjoy all the music the world has to offer
  • Touch ... how amazing to be able to appreciate a warm hug
  • Birthplace ... how fortuitous to have been born in Canada, a peaceful and prosperous nation
  • Healthcare ... how beneficial to have access to universal healthcare
  • Education ... how swell to have been able to go to university, which expanded my knowledge and my perspective
  • Employment .... how terrific to have a good job and sick leave benefits
  • Family ... how wondrous to have a husband of more than 30 years and two kind, healthy children
  • Mom ... how enjoyable to be able to talk with my mom every day
  • Siblings ... how precious to have a sister and brothers who would do anything for me
  • Love ... how marvelous to know that I am surrounded by family and friends who care about me
  • Shelter ... how super to wake up every morning in a warm, comfortable bed with a roof over my head
  • Seasons ... how amazing to be able to enjoy the warmth of summer, the colours of fall, the serenity of winter and the rebirth of spring
  • Trees ... how phenomenal to have the benefit of trees, from the cedar that shades my deck to the maples on my mom's farm
  • Walking ... how excellent to be able to walk and to have a nearby forest in which to escape into nature
  • Food ... how magnificent to have access to fresh foods and safe water all year round
  • Art ... how sensational to be surrounded by so much art, from graffiti to poetry to music—much of it accessible for free
  • Internet ... how brilliant to have so much information at my fingertips and a means of connecting with people anywhere on the planet
  • Technology ... how awesome to have a phone, computer, audio recorder, video recorder and camera in my pocket at all times
  • Freedom ... how outstanding to have the freedom to love who I want, to speak my mind, and to be as open or private as I choose
  • Life ... how fabulous that I woke up this morning to live and love another day