I met up with my good friend today for a stroll and an all day breakfast at a local café. We walked and talked and ruminated over our lives and what the major, pressing issues were for us both currently, and then we went for some lovely scran (food).
As we were ordering our coffees and breakfasts we continued our discussion. We were both talking about our particular challenges and struggles we have both had with low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, perimenopause (amongst other things), and where we feel we both are in ourselves and in our lives right now. We have both had our fair share of shit to shovel (haven't we all?)
My friend said that I was always able to find joy in the small things like birdsong or a good book. She said that I never ask for too much from life.
It was interesting to me to hear this perspective, we don't often get the opportunity, or I don't, to hear how we are seen by others.
For me, it is the small (but big) things that are the most important. Having the gift of hearing to listen to the robin outside my window just now, the gift of sight to be able to see snow covered mountains and azure blue seas, the gift of smell when the grass has been cut and fresh coffee brewed.
These are true blessings. And so is freedom and peace. The freedom to meet up with friends and not worry about an attack from an unknown enemy. The freedom to walk down a path that hasn't been bombed. These are true blessings.
Peace and freedom from violence is a true blessing, and it is one that has been ripped from so many. It is heartbreaking and terrifying to see what is happening globally right now. Will world leaders never learn? Will they never satisfy their endless bloodlust?
I am grateful, truly grateful, for the peace and freedom I am fortunate enough to be blessed with, and I want the same for everyone, everywhere. Some may say that is naive or a pipe dream, but the alternative doesn't bear thinking about.
Today, I give gratitude for peace and freedom, knowing that I am extremely fortunate to be able to say that, and even to write about it here.
We cannot change the world individually, but when we come together and unite, we are a force to be reckoned with.
We really are all in this together.
So, going back to the discussion my friend and I were having, I think we often get caught up in the minutiae of life, so wrapped up in our lives, or in my case, what's going on in my head, that we forget to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
The important things in life, when we strip everything else away, really are health first and foremost, shelter, food, clothing and love of family and friends. If we have these, then we can count ourselves as rich.
“Some people are so poor that all they have is money!”
Not sure of the exact origin of the above quote, but it's very true.
What are your thoughts?
Let me know in the comments and thank you for reading.
Thank you, Karen.