I've been reading a lot of things lately which are about recognizing the many blessings you have, or that the world has to offer. I appreciate being reminded about the wonders of nature, the universe, even the people in the world, most of the time. But sometimes, when I'm wallowing in self-pity or self-doubt, I don't wish to be reminded of the bounteous world we live in. On those days when I drop the milk carton on the floor and half the contents spill across the kitchen; on the days that I've succeeded in messing up something at work and will have to spend half the day re-doing the project just to get back to square one; or the day that my sister calls and tells me her woes, then my brother emails me to tell me his and my mother calls to say not to worry, but she fell down--again; it's very hard to look up and thank the Lord.
But I have noticed something in these times of stress. A small window of light will appear somewhere if I only look for it. It happened this past Sunday actually. I was fretting and fussing about all the things I had to do and lamenting in my mind about the lack of time to do it all. When something caught my eye. It was a green, shiny, star-shaped balloon. It was tracking across a parking lot I was in the midst of crossing. The funny thing was it wasn't racing upwards as balloons usually do. It was moving slowly, even stately, in a horizontal pattern just above the cars. I marveled at the sight. I mean it was just so calm and sedate, traveling it's way, it began to rise just above the trees, but below the telephone and power lines. Not in a hurry, not trying to get somewhere.
I took a deep breath then. And stopped fretting and muttering. It made me stop. And wonder. And I looked heavenward when it was out of sight. And thanked the Lord for the wonder of shiny, green star-shaped balloons.