A Bad Mood Turned Good

Okay, I'm falling behind.  So far behind that I'm teeny tiny in the distance.  [Hey! wait up!] I haven't written a thank you note in awhile, and the blogging is more like slogging.  I'm sick, and I'm SUPER BUSY like you don't even know how many things I'm supposed to be doing right now and blogging is HARD because  I have to think think think and rite gud werdz.

Thank you for venting.

I'm not done.  [Oh.]  I thought blogging about being thankful 365 days a year would make me a better person.  Oh, I'm going to be so thankful that everything and everyone I see will be a blessing, each cloud will flash its silver lining with blinding brilliance, and I will be humbled and overawed by all the miracles dancing around me.  I don't really feel that way, as it turns out.

Thank you for surprising realizations.

I'm not all sunshine and rainbows, you know.  I'm dark.  I could be sucked into a black hole of envy and self loathing at any given moment.  Fortunately, something always pulls me to safety.  Today, it was a cat video Drew sent me.  [This is where I see if I can copy a link to the video...o.k. click on the "Thriller Cat" link, click skip the ad, watch the video, then come back and finish reading.]

Thriller Cat

Thank you for the silly things that pull you back from the brink.

You know you laughed at that.  If you didn't laugh, you didn't wait long enough to see the cat do the Thriller walk.  Go back and watch again.

And now I'm feeling thankful.  When your mood is dark, it's difficult to see all that's going on for which you should be grateful. When your mood is light, the light reflects off the shiny good things in your life, making it so much easier to take notice.  I WAS grumbling about all the work I have to do, but now I'm thankful that I recently completed a large portion of a huge project.  I was cranky because I had to do extra planning and preparation for my substitute tomorrow, but now I'm thankful that I can spend tomorrow focusing on completing report cards.  I was miserable because I feel the tightness in my throat that signals laryngitis, but now I'm thankful that Lindsey prepared me a hot cup of chamomile tea.  I was annoyed that the toaster wasn't working [well, that is annoying].  

Thank you for toast.

So, what do you do when you're cranky?  Take a nap, sleep it off.  Go for a run.  Watch stupid cat videos.  Or better yet:  Count your blessings.  Turn your foul mood fair simply by turning your attention to the things that make you glad.

Thank you, Drew, for the video.  Thank you, Lindsey, for the tea.  

I will keep trying to be a better person.  I will keep trying to be thankful.  I feel a little goofy always going on and on about happy things.  I feel like I'm repeating myself, and that's boring.  Just remember, I'm dark, too.

Thank you, God, for the light and the dark.