Day 202: Living in the Silver Lining

Yesterday I forgot to write my blog. This is only the second time I have ever forgotten and the first time I rectified it as soon as I remember. Today, however, I woke up and almost immediately realized it and then decided I was fine with that. I've had a great weekend. I know I tend to be cynical and the fact that I do not have more great weekends is likely my own fault, but this one is especially nice and how lovely to just be happy, have fun and avoid all obligations. How often in life do we actually get to do that?

There are always obligations to deal with in life. We have careers, families, bills, stress, mess, and who knows what else on any given day. Every once in a while it is refreshing to just be and that is exactly what I got to do the last two days. Already it is starting to fade as I feel the nagging headache starting to make itself known, the neck and shoulder tension is building and the pressures of upcoming deadlines and financial obligations. Still, I am lingering in the glow of a stress free and relaxing weekend, hesitant to see it go, but aware that real life cannot be ignored or delayed any further. We always pay our dues eventually.

In less than 24 hours I will be at my in-laws sleeping on what may be the world's most uncomfortable bed in a house kept at a chilly 64 degrees and inhabited not just by well-meaning parents but two large, hyper dogs and a perpetually freaked out cat. I'm going to need to find a little inner peace to survive the week, but something tells me I will not again manage the kind of carefree days that allowed me to forget my blog again. Maybe this is what it means to believe that life does not give you more than you can handle. You live out some chaos and stress and then have a brief respite of relative harmony to refresh. The natural ebb and flow of life gave me something really good this weekend so for once, at least for now, I have no complaints. It's important to remember that even with the complex conditions affecting the world in not altogether positive ways, we can still find the silver lining and know how to enjoy it.