Easier Said Than Done, But Still Do It ~

I used to get really excited about things: tragedies, unfair occurrences, mishaps, and bad behaving kids.

I came to realize, as I am becoming more and more comfortable in these 40's, that NOTHING is THAT serious.

Having the heart racing, fists clinched and head on fire just wears you, and those around you, out!

SO I stopped it.

"Turn the other cheek" has new meaning for me.

Last night our furnace went out. It is a temperamental piece of equipment, even on a good (and warmer) day, but after all the tricks had been tried - still NO HEAT.

I longed for that click, the ringing noise as the electricity answers the thermostat's call for heat. I longed to hear the gas releasing, the fan beginning to blow and the furnace as it hums... - wait was that it?? NOPE. This went on for hours.

Up and down the stairs at least a hundred times. It was NO use. I wanted to bash the walls, scream out into the darkness, call everyone and make them a crippled wreck too, but I didn't.

I knew it would be a long COLD night, so I set everyone up in the area where the electric heater would be most effective. Throughout the night I would run the showers to get some hot humidity and make sure the pipes did not freeze. We all moaned, but I made sure everyone remembered that there were plenty of people sleeping in the cold EVERY night. We would all make it and have help in the morning.

No frantic calls of "get here now". I did not yell, not even once, and it all paid off.

The wiring inside the furnace was somehow disconnected. Simple. The Heating and Cooling Company came right out at 11 a.m. just as they said they would. The workman was nice, efficient and even offered to remove his shoes upon entering the house! I declined to inconvenience him, but wasn't that SO sweet?!

Heat is back inside the "House" on a hill. I suffered no melt downs, no one was on the other end of some pointless rage and I actually feel more in tuned with the world today. I am not sure why!

I did feel compelled to share this with my reading family because it is possible to make it through a seemingly stressful situation in tact. You can keep your blood pressure maintained, with no attitude in need of adjusting and a big, fat smile.

Smiling through an occurrence that is none-to-pleasant can be a healthier response than surrendering to intense auto-piloted, uncensored emotion.

So the next time something happens out of your control, do not flip out! Maintain and continue breathing slowly. If you can, and need to, close your eyes, imagine something soothing, do what needs to be done and move on. Happiness will find you!