So Much to Admire!

This week for Spiritual Journey Thursday, we are writing about the one little word  Julieanne Harmatz chose- ADMIRE.

Monday mornings are always hard for me. I’m not a morning person, but in order to get to school on time, I have to get up by 5:30.  This past Monday, when the alarm jarred me awake, it was dark and raining outside. I got dressed and headed out dreading my hour-long commute.

Light drizzle fell as I turned the corner onto the main road. Then, there it was – a gorgeous rainbow lighting up the gray sky.  As I drove on admiring the rainbow; I forgot about the rain. There was too much traffic for me to stop and take a photo, but even after it faded, the image stayed with me. Just thinking about that rainbow makes me smile.

Last night, I was thinking about who and what I truly admire. We are blessed to live in an amazing world, and I’m in total admiration of nature. Sunsets, starlit nights, animals, hummingbirds, mountains, the ocean, a doe stepping shyly across the lawn…  There’s always something to see, always something that fills me with wonder.

The people I admired most are the everyday, ordinary people who work hard and do what they can to make the world a better place. My husband, my sons, my daughters-in-law, and my siblings are my heroes because they live their lives in a way that makes me proud of who they are and who they continue to become.

I also admire art, especially poetry. Ever since I was a child, words have always been an important part of my life. Poetry is a superhero when it comes to expressing ideas or emotions. Poetry reminds me that I am not alone. No matter if I’m feeling sorrow or joy; poetry will be there to hold my hand.

One of the lessons I’ve learned from admiration is that the more I find to admire, the happier and more positive I become.  I think that might be because admiration inspires me to be a better person and to slow down and enjoy this life I’ve been given.