Savoring the Strawberries

“There is a story of a woman running away from tigers. She runs and runs and the tigers are getting closer and closer. When she comes to the edge of a cliff, she sees some vines there, so she climbs down and holds on to the vines. Looking down, she sees that there are tigers below her as well. She then notices that a mouse is gnawing away at the vine to which she is clinging. She also sees a beautiful little bunch of strawberries close to her, growing out of a clump of grass. She looks up and she looks down. She looks at the mouse. Then she just takes a strawberry, puts it in her mouth, and enjoys it thoroughly. Tigers above, tigers below. This is actually the predicament that we are always in, in terms of our birth and death. Each moment is just what it is. It might be the only moment of our life; it might be the only strawberry we’ll ever eat. We could get depressed about it, or we could finally appreciate it and delight in the preciousness of every single moment of our life.” Pema Chodron

I think we all know the adage “nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know”.

Well I’m living it this week.

Medical stuff has reappeared that I had hoped to never deal with again.

But for whatever reason that’s not the case and I’m using the pain to dig a little deeper and work through fear and trust on another level.

I’m owning that this sucks big time but I’m also owning that my life is still really REALLY GOOD and full of blessings.

I’m enjoying the strawberries on the vine and opening my eyes to blessings.

Here are a few I jotted down last night and today.

The A/C at my rental condo only needed freon and not replaced

Watching Ro write in the invention journal Che gave him

Laying my head on Che's chest after a long talk and feeling closer to
him than ever. He has such a beautiful soul.

Doctors and technology that keep simple medical issues from growing into larger life threatening issues

Lidocaine rocks

Paints and canvas full of possibility

My camera and lenses

A soft comfy bed with smooth sheets and a perfect weighted comforter

The tomato and pepper plants are budding outside

The covered back porch is beginning to feel like my nest

The sound of silence and nature as my mind focuses on the evolving canvas before me

Color - glorious color

A job that pays well and gives me paid time off work for days just like this.

A piece of art that finally feels "right" and brings me comfort when I think about or look at it. 

Hayden's smile and desire to spend time with me in the kitchen.

A fan over my bed that blows a gentle breeze across my skin

A body and spirit that refuse to give in to darkness. That fight and stretch and arch towards the light

Sunshine through the sun roof on the drive into work

Not running out of gas when I very easily could have

A doctor in my office building so I don’t have to take off work.

Friends that see pain on my face and stop in the check on me.

A sense of peace deep inside the pain that says “you won’t always feel like this”

Words and Images that bring hope and laughter

Hope and Choice.. always