Eye-to-Eye

This morning I woke with a ball and chain locked around my ankles and a steel wool pad stuffed in my mouth.  I couldn’t seem to get going – to navigate my own thick voice, dull thoughts, headache, stuffy nose, and heavy body that wanted to creep back between the sheets forever.  And ever.

But in an act of sheer will (and necessity), I crawled off the mattress by the hardest, a sloth that commanded one foot to plod in front of the other until I made it to the bathroom. Then venturing even farther, into the kitchen, I tried to keep a low profile and croaked as few words of pseudo-pleasantry as possible.  It was the best I could do. 

Soon the sun came out strong, offering to bake off shadowy impurities.  The lake turned into a mini-paradise, inviting me out of myself.  Could I respond?  I still felt introverted, tired, grumpy, and out-of-it, until a candid moment when I peeked through three wildflower bouquets picked by granddaughters.

She invited me to see through her lens and come out (of my own perceptions) to play.  In an instant I was infused with airy hopefulness and gratitude.  The rest of my day improved after her inspiring eye-to-eye look that said I had a choice to live fully or with regret.  I chose the first.