It's funny what we take for granted. Our A/C went out in the house this week. Poor timing considering the over 100 degree days we have had here in Portland. It feels exhausting to be working in the shop in that kind of heat. The last thing I want to do is have a heat press running.
I admit I was a little grumpy of the lack of A/C and the inability for someone to come out right away and fix it. I bought a little fan and hoped to at least take a little of the edge off the heat. When that didn't work, (I mean I had to at least try, right?) I packed up kids and dogs and headed up Mt Hood for some huckleberry picking. It's always so beautiful and at above 4000 ft the temp is much more bearable. It was the day trip to quiet my body and to be honest, my soul needed it just as much.
A dip in the river and an airconditioned ride back home and I was feeling like myself again and ready to get back to work. Even the kids quit complaining about how hot they were. Nothing like an adventure to make us forget our troubles, even if only for a little while. The dogs aren't quite as forgiving but the A/C is currently running and they may have even stopped giving me the doggy death glares.
I forget how fortunate we are to have things like air conditioning. I needed a little reprieve to remind myself to be grateful for the things that I have. I needed to escape the heat for a few hours to remember how fortunate I truly am. What are you grateful for today? I try to spend a little time everyday in reflection and in gratitude and I am the first to admit I am not always great about it. The point is we keep trying. We find small things to be grateful for even in the midst of chaos. Because folks, there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for!