day #55

~be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens.~

1 thessalonians 5:16-18

it's been a busy/tough past 2 weeks,

at least 4 days of which were spent sprawled on the couch in pain from a toothache.

but there was still joy in the pain, and passion to be celebrated.

the thing i'm learning this month about passion is that it comes from unexpected places & at unexpected times.

passion doesn't like to be predictable or controlled.

and it doesn't like to be ignored.

ignoring & not appreciating it causes it to go in search of another.

that was why the verses at the start of this entry appealed to me.

they're an invitation to gratitude even when things seems off/odd/wrong.

i'm coming to recognize that it's when things are o/o/w that passion is a breath away.

that unpredictable, uncontrollable creativity is being dislodged.

today, i'm appreciative of the interruption that breaks my routine,

the uncomfortable challenge that introduces me to new people,

the rote homework assignment that goes tangential into a new area of discovery.

today, i am praying to be perpetually, sincerely thankful.

first morning

i awoke today refreshed & excited to get started on the next 52 weeks.

first question to myself:

"how can i be more passionate today?"

and i found this is harder to answer than i thought.

great idea, frustratingly nebulous execution.

so i'm trying something i don't usually do, just to stir things up.

i'm listing 5 things i'm grateful for this morning.

1. sunshine, bright & warm with a promise of high 60-degree temps today. i missed out on this for the first 3 decades of my life; i won't take it for granted.

2. mountains that interrupt the horizon & display drastic textures that mess with the resulting shadows.

3. colors that clash & blend & harmonize.

4. the potential of the next 24 hours. with no school & no work on my schedule, i can make this day whatever i want.

5. hugs from 1 husband & 2 cats. and i won't complain about the cat hair today.

i'm already feeling more energized.

good morning, 2010.