THANKFUL FRIDAY
Cindy Maddera
"Two eggs in the nesting box! And one golf ball."
Yesterday morning, I went outside to take a loop around the fountains. The sun was shining. The morning breeze was pleasant. The sky was blue. A dragon fly zoomed down and floated along next to me for a bit as I walked. Then I paused to watch a hummingbird hover around some flowers. As I rounded the back side of the fountains, a squirrel scampered past my feet to jump up onto a tree. This is when I had two thoughts: what kind of Disney movie had I just stumbled into and why didn't I have a camera? I had left my phone on my desk. I lamented about this for about a minute, before I laughed at myself for wishing I had a camera. I know without a doubt that I would not have actually seen any of those things happen if I had had my camera with me or I would spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to capture this moment the exact way I was seeing it. Then I would be disappointed that none of the pictures fully expressed what was happening in that moment.
I also recognize that my photography practice made me more open to seeing all the little details of things that were currently happening around me. It has taught me to pay attention. For that, I am thankful. Also, that moment belongs solely to me. Yes, I am sharing it with you now in words, but it's not the same as being there. That bit of time with dragon flies and hummingbirds was completely and totally mine. This day and age we share every piece of ourselves with partners, children and social media. It's rare when have our own personal bubble time. So I paused and took a breath. I took a moment to honor this strange Disney phenomenon. I took a moment to be fully present in it and I took a moment to be grateful that I was getting this moment.
This has been a good week, even with cranky days. I have ridden my bike to work and home three days this week. I still do not love it, but I appreciate the good it is doing for my body and my planet. I am thankful though, that I saved Friday for the scooter and relished in this morning's ride to work with the sun on my face and the cold wind on my bare legs (I'm dressy today). Everyday we have checked the chicken coop and pulled out two eggs. We are one egg short of a dozen. Ha! Aren't we all? Any way, each day the eggs are a little bigger then the day before. They are a beautiful shade of color that lies somewhere between peach and pink. I would like to paint a room this color and last night we each had a fried egg on our veggie burger. The Cabbage got to collect eggs on Wednesday and was unimpressed. She did ask why there was a ball in there with them. She may have received conflicting news depending on which one of us she asked. I am thankful for her curiosity. This weekend will be filled with picture hanging, desk building and birthday parties. Hopefully it will also include naps.
Here's to a perfectly hopeful weekend and a truly blessed Thankful Friday!