Little Things

There was still no sunrise this morning. However, there was a parting of the clouds in the southern sky which allowed the light to sneak through. There was even a hit a of red in this display. Although not the "real" sunrise it was still beautiful to look at. I probably never would have even bothered to look in the southern sky if the sunrise in the east had been spectacular.

Often when things aren't going the way we planned then we are given an opportunity to look around. We start to notice the little things that have been there all along but were obscured by the shadow of our focus elsewhere. It also helps to sharpen the gratitude we feel for what we do have. This is a disciplined practice and one with big rewards. Being grateful when you don't feel like it is probably the most important skill that you could develop. Through this practice you will begin to draw unto you more of the very thing that you are grateful for. However, as with anything worth doing, the shift must first be made on the inside before you see any results on the outside.

Unmet Expectations

I really wanted there to a be a brilliant sunrise this morning. I really wanted to see red, orange, pink and purple. I wanted all of this but it wasn't to be. The sky was overcast grey this morning and the sun was nowhere to be found. In fact, it's still nowhere to be found. While I know the rain is good for the flowers, today I wanted the sunshine and it wasn't there. I found myself feeling disappointed.

It is interesting to note that there have been many grey overcast days where I have not felt disappointed. In fact, on many of these days, I am happy for the break. So the disappointment is not inherent to the grey skies. The disappointment is due to my expectations. This is always the case. Disappointment is always caused by our expectations. This is good news and bad news. The good news is that we can change our expectations thus alleviating the disappointment. The bad news, however, is that the responsibility lies on each of us alone. No one can choose to change our expectations except us. This is the challenge.

Hiding

The sun is hiding today; nowhere to be seen. It grey and overcast and freezing out. The weather swings from one extreme to another each and every day. It's crazy. It certainly makes waking up a mystery each day. I'm never sure what to expect when I open my eyes. Yesterday afternoon I was sunbathing at the beach and this morning I am wearing a fleece sweater and rain boots.

I notice that each day brings something positive. The rainy days help my flowers grow and blossom. The sunny days beckon us outside to play and be active. I also notice that each day brings something to fret about. The rainy days force us indoors where we go a little stir crazy. The sunny days burn the grass and dry the plants. I have noticed that when I look for what's right in the day then the days seems to be much more enjoyable. So, today, I will focus on the fact that my grass is getting a much needed drink so it can be a brilliant shade of green and my flowers, well, they are so happy that they are bursting with colour.

Simple

I got something profound today. Every day I write about the sunrise and am always looking for intricacy. Today, I got the complete opposite. It's so simple. The sun rises every day. Period. There is something very comforting in that certainty.

It doesn't matter if it's a beautiful sunrise, a bland sunrise or a blocked sunrise. The sun is there no matter what. Every day!

Turning Points

The sky can't decide today whether to be sunny or cloudy. It seems to be a turning point but there is hesitation in the final decision. If the sky commits one way then we will have a brilliantly sunny day. However, if the sky commits the other way, we will have an entirely rainy day like we had yesterday. We are at a turning point.

In life, we come to turning points all the time. Our decision to go one way or another will have a lasting impact on the outcome. How do you handle a turning point? Do you see it as an opportunity to do something differently? Or do you see as a bother? Or worse yet, do you see it as a terrifying event in your life? At any given moment in life, we all have the ability to choose our response. We can decide if we are going to remain powerful or give it up. It's always up to us to choose this response. Each moment is our own little turning point. We can choose to shift ANY time and our whole experience can change in an instant.

Changing

The weather is making a change today. I could smell it as soon as I walked out the door this morning. It was already very windy which is odd for the early morning. The birds were all huddled on the pier. I disturbed them to take a picture so they all took flight but didn't really go anywhere. They just hung there frozen almost motionless by the force of the wind. The clouds were variable. Some high cloud, some low cloud, some light grey and some very dark. There was, however, a thin strip of red sunrise right at the horizon. Even on such a wildly unpredictable day, the sun found a way through.

Things look and feel unsettled when they are changing. It doesn't even feel remotely secure. It feels as though everything is being ripped apart. And in a way, it is. However, this ripping apart is a good thing in that it prepares you for something new. It's like a cleanse. You have to clean out the old stuff in order to make room for the new stuff. Change is tricky business. Without it, there's no growth. But change also bring uncertainty and usually some degree is discomfort. It's best to develop the ability to navigate life's (certain) changes rather than try (in vain) to avoid change altogether.

Repetition

Today was almost a complete repeat of yesterday. Same cloudless sky, same muted pastel colours. It seems that we need a break from the stunning and overtly breathtaking sunrises that this season usually offers. I think perhaps the clouds are weary from resisting so they are taking a break.

There does come a point where it is more effort to resist something than it is to face it outright. I have discovered this recently in my own life. Holding on to your position is a lot of effort. In the end, it is sometimes easier to just "let it go". This may seem frightening at first but overall it actually leads to a breakthrough and usually a new set of behaviours. It might feel weird at first but over time it will become "normal". It's really just the process of growth.