A few weeks ago, a new neighbor moved in - observably visually impaired. Apparently newly blind. He's still getting the hang of using his cane for navigation and often mixes up his left from his right. Next building over is a lady working with him on getting from his apt to the trash dumpster.
It just got me to thinking, as I yet again have a new dx from neuro plus another ear infection, etc - we all know the never ending journey of AI and it's frustrations.
Sometimes it can be a challenge to focus less on we've lost and more on what we have.
Today, I am so thankful to have my sight. I can't even begin to imagine the new challenges that would come with losing ability to see.
Yes focusing on doing the best with what we have is very important.
Very slowly I am working on a model lifting body to experiment with. I am glad the eye doctor was able to correct the vision in my good eye to 20:40 so I can continue to drive. Yes I did pass my drivers test as the bad eye is corrected to 20:50.
I hate having all this stuff, but it's way better than what so many people suffer from. My life-long blessings FAR outweigh my difficulties - even on the "bad days", and I am grateful every day for that.
Seeing, acknowledging, and being grateful for blessings is not just some glib, trivial, "woo-woo" thing....and it's not about being a "saint" or some kind of smug jerk who glibly dismisses their own suffering or that of others.
Selfishly, gratitude WORKS to make me FEEL better.
I firmly believe that happiness is a VERB - a HABIT to be cultivated, not something that happens to you through circumstances. There are some people out there who have had such horrible circumstances, it humbles me to dust - and they somehow cultivate happiness through it all. Not in SPITE of it, but THROUGH it.
I don't think I could be that strong, but I do try to take their lessons and examples to heart and actively work to make gratitude a daily habit. It has helped me when nothing else could.
QuoteI don't think I could be that strong, but I do try to take their lessons and examples to heart and actively work to make gratitude a daily habit. It has helped me when nothing else could.
I don't think any of us knows how strong we really are until we are in the circumstances that require strength to persevere through the circumstances.
It may sound weird, but I am in awe of the progress this neighbor has made just in the past month. It's uplifting.
It may sound silly even, especially as he is an adult, but it's like when a baby takes its first steps and the more he/she walks, the less he/she stumbles and falls. Seeing his progress reminds me of that.