- Roxie, feeling much better
In the middle of the night last week, I was awakened by a cold nose, wagging tail and whimpering. No, my husband wasn’t having a nightmare; our dog was suffering from an upset stomach. Begrudgingly, I got up, put on my robe and slippers and headed downstairs. Grabbing the leash, I unlocked the door thinking, “Wouldn’t a fence and doggy door come in handy about now?” Roxie didn’t seem to think so.
We ventured out into the cool fall night trudging through the flower beds and into the slightly wet grass. I was cold, tired and cranky. Roxie was excited to be outside and intent on finding the perfect spot for her nocturnal gift. As I stood there, mentally willing the dog to make it fast (which she didn’t), I happened to look up (probably in an expression of “Why me, God?”).
As if designed to squash my grumpy moon, the sky was beautifully crisp and clear. The stars were brighter than I remembered them. As they twinkled they seemed to taunt me, “We dare you to look at our luminous beauty and still be crabby.” And they were right. My breath — and my irritability — was literally taken away. I was no longer angry or cold or distressed. I was content to be out there as long as I needed to be, marveling at the stars and letting poor Roxie get rid of whatever was rolling around in her pink belly.
The moment reminded me of something I learned through my recent Anusara training. In the last 13 months, I learned a lot of things but a single concept stays with me the most: “Look for the good first.” In this case, it might have taken me a while, but the stars were a reminder that in almost every situation, good can be found.
Do you remember a moment when goodness has snuck up on you?
