Euphoria

Do you ever take a moment to just stop and think about how incredibly blessed you are?  I know I don’t do it nearly enough. Even when I do, it’s usually more just an acknowledgement to God that I realize I’m blessed, but the mental realization is as far as it goes. You know, like when you mentally know something, but it hasn’t really been internalized?  Maybe I’m alone in this, but I highly doubt it.  At times I just can’t understand why I don’t feel more in touch with God, despite being aware of all (okay, not nearly ALL, but still…) that He blesses me with each and every day. I’ve realized though, and I was reminded tonight, that perhaps I just get too caught up in the rigors and distractions of everyday life; that perhaps I don’t feel that close connection with the Lord often enough, because I don’t take the opportunity to be still, or because I don’t allow myself to really enjoy the journey.  Allow me to expound…

So this evening I was sitting at work, I had just wrapped up my tasks for the day, and decided that before I left, I’d just check and see what new blog postings my friends had posted.  To my surprise, there were 6 or 7 new posts! (I know, what a nerd, right?) As I started reading through the different posts my heart went out to one friend who’s family has had, and continues to have, serious medical problems all through her family this past year. As I read her post and about how her heart is heavy for those who she loves who are hurting right now, and how that is hurting her, I was grateful not only for my good health and the relatively good health of my family, but even more so I was grateful that I have a friend who cares so deeply about her family.   I continued to read about a friend who has been having a “quarter life” crisis and turned to Shakespeare only to realize that the shrew depicted in The Taming of the Shrew had it pretty bad herself. I couldn’t help but laugh inwardly and be entertained by the lightheartedness and amazing wit of this peculiar friend. I read about a close friend from high school and her family experiences as of late and that she found out she and her husband are having a baby girl!  As I sat there reading these blogs in my quiet office, most everyone having left for the day, all around me quiet except for the fan blowing on me and my Pandora station playing quietly in the background, I experienced a feeling that I realized I hadn’t felt in quite a while! As I was sitting there sympathizing with one friend, empathizing with another, and feeling ecstatic for the good news of another, I felt a rush of euphoria throughout me; and I knew at that moment that everything is alright in my life. It’s such an amazing experience to have, and I hadn’t realized how long it had been! My heart swelled at that moment with gratitude for a loving God, and for amazing family and friends. How truly blessed I am!  What I was most grateful for at that moment though, was for the realization that true happiness comes to me in times when I am concerning myself (however indirectly reading blogs may be counted) with those people whom I love, and even more so as I am taking the opportunity to be still and to contemplate on my life and the lives of others.