A Perfect Day!

Saturday I spent the day at Corona del Mar beach with my two granddaughters. While I was watching the girls digging for sand crabs I took a moment to realize that in spite of my recent challenges I was happy.

Blue sky, fluffy clouds, still air, and ideal temperature helped to create the perfect day that was wrapped around me. It was crowded, boy was it crowded, but the buzz of the families celebrating various occasions, barbecues sending out fumes of burgers and asada, even the distant strumming of a guitar added to the atmosphere.

Once I was asked what made me the happiest and my answer was “Cheering from the sidelines of a soccer game.” Somehow when I was being the Mom I was meant to be, the grass was greener, sky bluer, and air cleaner . That was the kind of day Saturday was. Just being there watching the girls dipping toes into the water (Mady) and jumping into the surf with a brand new friend (Hailey) made me so aware of God in my life and I was sure he was particularly aware of me. My joy was superb and the tears mixed with the sand on my cheeks.

We are told, and it is practical as well as spiritual advise, to be prepared with physical supplies as we might encounter tragedy. I was thinking that it is important also to gather nuts to be prepared for emotional or mental “hits” to our lives. These are some of the nuts I think I was lucky to have hoarded and I plan to continue gathering.

1) Friends and family. I’m not one who tends to call and “cry” it out, but how grateful I am someone is always available when that need is there. Thanks for the listening ears and the soft shoulders to lean on. Your advise, wisdom, and wit pulled me through many tough moments, days, weeks, and months. You helped me make sense when there was no sense. I’m just asking you to continue to do so because I’m sure that while I have topped the peak there will still be many times I need to reach out. Friends are special “nuts” I’ve gathered. LOL

2) Quotations, scriptures, pearls of wisdom. You will frequently find a scripture taped to my bedroom wall, or a quotation adhered to my mirror. I have always been a collector of people’s words to describe things I felt, and had no idea I would feel. I even gather words…..like attitude, perspective, forgiveness, acceptance, joy. My favorite quotation is “Attitude is a little thing that makes a BIG difference.” Sometimes a little attitude adjustment, or a new perspective on a problem makes a huge difference. If you gather these thoughts in good times, they will sometimes just appear when you most need them. If I find myself a little down, unable to bounce back up, I will head off to Hallmark right to the Cope and Encouragement aisle. Yes, it’s true, I will buy myself a card, take it home and paste it to the mirror. So if you ever get a card from me that has little tape marks on it you will know that the thought was a well used, well loved one that was passed on to encourage you through your tough time.

3) Music. Michael Ballam said that we all need a first aid kit of music to heal our emotional hurts. Boy, do I agree with him. How magic is it that everything you feel you will hear on the radio just when you need it? There are favorites that I have stored that kiss my hurt away just when I think I can’t stand the pain any longer. Or, some that will lift my spirit even higher when I’m just beginning to soar again. When I was coming home from a family reunion in Utah I stopped at a Walmart in Cedar City because I had a hunger for an old friend. I looked until I found a John Denver CD that had the nut that I needed “Wild Montana Sky”. I got out to the car and ripped the saran wrap with my teeth…I was like an addict that needed my fix! I finally popped it into the player and punched up #20. After fastening my seat belt John Denver and I headed home harmonizing my way to bliss.

Last Saturday when we were driving home with the girls sleepily scrunching into their sand filled seats, I tentatively removed the Hair Spray soundtrack that had played at least 3 times through and replaced it with my John Denver CD. The girls fell in love with him too. “ Play it again Gramma! Play the Montana one again. Perfect! A shared moment, a shared nut. Thank you so much Heavenly Father for all my blessings! It was the perfect end of a perfect day!