Monday Smiles – 11/15/2010

Lately it seems as if my Monday Smiles sound more like Gratitude Lists.   I don’t know whether this is one of life’s cycles or a natural consequence of growing older.   It’s probably some of both.  I have a friend who says, Gratitude is an action, not a feeling.   I think it’s both … an action that when taken frequently leads to the feeling which, in turn, can lead to smiles.  I’ll start with this: I am very thankful my son is OK.  When I went with him to retrieve his disabled car from the site of his accident, seeing the extent of the damage … and the sight of the air bags deployed … was very sobering.  Thank You, God, for air bags.

On Tuesday of last week, I saw my cardiologist to hear the results of my nuclear stress test, the last of the tests to follow up on the great bicycle blackout. The doctor told me, You have a very good heart for a sixty-six year old man.   Actually, he said strong heart but I like the sound of good heart better.  I like to think I have both.   At any rate, when doctors start qualifying their pronouncements with like a sixty-six year old man, I tend to hear only the old man part.  Still, it’s very good news … I can resume my moderately active life style.   I’m back in the saddle again, both literally … on my bike … and literarily with a new fiction writing project.  Nice.

And now I’m back in San Tan Valley, AZ in our Little House in the Desert with the Love of My Life, half an hour from the cutest grandkids in the world.  My daughter and her husband were so helpful with our weekend emergency, letting me use a free Southwest Airlines ticket and shuttling me to and from the airport.   Tonight my wife and I went out to dinner, just the two of us and steaks (well, there were two glasses of Greg Norman Pinot Noir for me).   It was very nice.

Sometimes when life is in session, there’s still good to be found, you just have to look for it.   It’s Monday and I’m smiling … gratefully.

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Tags: family, fatherhood, feeling older, grandchildren, gratitude, marriage, Monday smiles, smiles

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