Monday, February 06, 2006

I Needed That

It’s so easy for me to get used to a gray sky. A habit forms and I find myself planning for dreary days without end. I assume that people on the street won’t be smiling, so my own smile goes away. I get lost inside my thoughts, preparing for the next thing that will go wrong. I’m not really sad, not depressed, not really anything. I’m just moving forward, just making time pass. The saddest part is I don’t know I’ve switched off. I’ve no clue I’m doing it, but everyone around me most certainly does.

Then out of the blue, I should say out of the dreary old gray, some unexpected thing goes right. Something happens that is good, fine, and just as it should be. It’s not a lottery win or a big present from my mother-in-law. It’s just something that went nicely, a kind thing with a little bit more. A person who treated me like a person, who acted with fairness. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am.

Then the clouds start to move, and the gray makes room for blue in the sky. I remember to smile, and I feel lighter. My insides keep saying, “Isn’t life a good thing? My mind keeps repeating “I needed that. I really did. Thank you, God. Thank you, God.”

My soul can get hungry for good things to happen. Kindness and sunshine nourish my spirit. No question about it.
—me strauss Letting me be

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

those little bliss moments in an ordinary day :0) brings a smile to your face and sunshine to your soul.

great post my friend, hope you are well (hugs)

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I hear ya, Liz. It reminds me of preparing for a negative - somehow it seems so much easier to prepare for dreariness. But then we are tickled by the unexpected and everything looks and feels different. I'm really happy for you.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hello mergrl,
"little bliss moments" What a wonderful way of saying it! You are so good with putting feeling into words. I hope your day is filled with sunshine on your face and joy in your soul.
(hugs)
Liz

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Good morning Dawn,
"tickled by the experience" Have you been talking to mergrl? You two are going to get together and put me out of business for sure. :)

I wish you a heart that is tickles full of experience all week, so much so that you find your self giggling home from work everyday.
Liz

Anonymous said...

Liz:
Your post is so good. The blessings that can come in small moments is precisely why we all need to embrace the notion of servanthood. Servanthood doesn't look for grand acts that will wow the world. It looks for the little kindnesses it might render. Far from being grand, the life of servanthood is sometimes dowrnight anonymous. It dares to offer up the daily prayer suggested by Richard Foster, "Lord, in the Name of Jesus Christ, show me somebody I can serve today."

Mother Teresa said, "Small things done with great love will change the world."

God bless those who show kindness to us in the small things and in the little moments!

Mark

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Thank you so much, Mark,

Your words are a kindness of the nature that you are talking about.

Liz

Anonymous said...

I often try to look around for blessings. It's hard sometimes to have faith, especially when im going through what im going through. That whole being treated like a person thing...I so relate to that. For years, I havent felt like a person. I've felt like a door mat.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Sassy,
Break that doormat contract. Tear it up. It's way more fun to be a person--not that being a person is that much fun . . . it's got its downside don't we know. :)

But at least people don't usually clean their shoes on other people. One sentence I've found helpful is "Excuse me, I can't hear you when you talk to me like that."

Liz

Anonymous said...

Liz- These little gems make me smile. Thank you. I wish you a big, warm hug with a big smile attached.

The light shines around you and blesses the heartbeats beyond.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Thank you, David,
You don't know how perfect your timing is. Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Liz