The greatest wonders of the world are sometimes… right there before us. To see. To feel, hear, smell, taste, and touch.

We only need to look. Life’s best treasures are often as plain as the noses on our faces.

The rut of complacency claims all of us at one time or another. We forget to notice the splendor.

But keeping a heart filled with gratitude will help to keep us aware of the small and large miracles that we have in our lives…

I know, that many times, it isn’t easy to feel grateful for our situations. Things can feel very hard every now and again.

(People have come up with some pretty catchy phrases to express this dismay. But I will keep the language clean tonight.)

Yet, every now and again, you meet someone who is completely delightful… and has the uncanny ability to marvel at life. They exude it. But they do it humbly, and with grace. I am very fond of those individuals.

Yes, I also love to invite those types out for a game of tennis, or golf, or croquet, on a beautiful sunny day. Anything competitive really. Mostly because I always win against them. Yeah. Beat the holy crap out of ’em. While they are over smelling the roses, I am serving aces, or knocking the ball on the green. It is WAY easier to cheat against them too…. especially in croquet (and lawn darts). They are off feeding the birds, and such… not paying attention to the game at hand. Heaven knows……how I love to win.

Oh wait. Did I just say all of that out loud….

[[– huge knot in my throat…. accompanied by hot-red-facial-flashes… followed by a long… reticent ……awkward silence here –]]

Okay, tomorrow, I will write about honesty, integrity, and remorse. And learning from others’ good example.

…. and mulligans.