Learning to Enjoy the Entire Box of Chocolates

Forest Gump is one of my favorite movies, so it was inevitable that I would end up using it as motivation for one of my entries. My outlook on life and all its wonders, has taken such a turn. I used to see the negative side of things and wonder how things could have changed so much from when I was younger. I used to hear a lawnmower running early in the morning and be upset that I was not going to able to sleep in. Now, I hear that same mower and think that my neighbor takes pride in his property and how he is beginning his day so early. I used to swat flies. Now, I watch them and wonder what they see when they look at me. It used to be a chore to take Lucky for a walk. Now, I smile as I watch him bounce along, leading the way. I enjoy watching the squirrels chasing each other around the large tree in our backyard, and when a robin sits on a branch a few feet away and seems like he is singing just for me. I don’t know if I had become grumpy over the almost 25 years of being a police officer, if my sullenness was just part of getting old, or maybe, dealing with cancer has just made me realize how precious every day is. I do know that now I am in awe of everything God has made and blessed us with, and find myself smiling over the littlest things. I find myself taking joy in just about everything and never want to miss spending time with family and friends. Even if that activity is simply to ride along to the store for a gallon of milk. While there, I hear a child crying out because she wants some chocolate… I crack a little smile, isn’t she precious!