Just thinkin'

Well, I typed out a nice essay on patterns today. You'd have loved it. But I hit Publish and there was an error and it was gone and so was my mood and well....

I was re-reading here and realize that I complain A LOT. I've noticed this about my writing before and vowed to change it, but obviously didn't get very far.

I was thinking about why this is so today, and whether I need to change it or not. One way I sort things out is to write them down. As a result, there's a lot of writing that comes out as a whine or a rant, but in the end I feel better about the situation because while I'm writing I'm sorting and solving and putting the puzzle together so I can see the big picture.

So maybe I need to write more about that big picture--about the good things that happen and the problems that get solved. That might be a better balance.

Because there are too many good things in life to be complaining all the time. Like yesterday, I was sitting in the parking lot at McDonalds feeling rushed, and worried, thinking about time and money and all those little problems, and then a flock of geese flew overhead. They were in formation, heading south, southwest, and they were absolutely beautiful. The wings rose and fell--you couldn't say they were flapping. The word is too short and lacks grace. They reminded me of synchronized swimmers. Yes. They were swimming through the air. I tried to remember all the neat things I've been sent about geese and how they function as a unit, but then I stopped and just watched them swim away. My entire mood changed after that. All of the sudden, I was anticipating the fall. The weather will be exquisite, the sunsets splendid, and it's my dh's favorite time of year which means he'll be in a good mood. I can slow down, breathe, write! Who could ask for more?
I hope to count my blessings here more often. Who doesn't need the lift these days? :)

To preserve for posterity's sake, my oldest got his driver's license today. Of course there's all those feelings of pride and fear. But he's gotten the training he needs; I have to trust him to put it to use. My folks did with me. And we all survived. He passed the driving test first time out. YAY! That is indeed a blessing. The system for taking the driving test around here has turned into a nightmare but that would pull things down wouldn't it? Suffice it to say, my days of chauffeuring him to and from school/work are close to finished. Have to get tires and insurance first, but there's light at the end of the tunnel. It's NOT a train.