Whining

I wonder why we're so quick to notice and comment/whine on the negatives in life?

This valley goes without sunshine almost all winter. Literally weeks go by without the slightest hint that there is a sun. The occasional day has a few hours but generally we are situated in such a way that we literally wedge a cloud in between the mountains, right over our valley. If you drive up to the ski resort you actually drive above the clouds and lo and behold, the sun is shining up there while we are in cloud down here.

...On to my point. Spring has come to this valley and we've been drenched in the sun for the past several days. There isn't a hint of snow on the ground and although it isn't exactly sun tanning weather, its very very pleasant outside. I've been absolutely thrilled to see the sun, everything looks and smells so clean and fresh but apparently, my feelings aren't shared by all.
I was working at Ten Thousand villages on Tuesday and remarked to a customer how wonderful the weather was and asked if it was still warm outside because we can't actually SEE the sun from inside the mall. In answer she barked, "Oh, its freezing. Absolutely freezing! The sun is alright but that wind is just horrible!" I assumed that the weather must have clouded over since I'd been outside in the morning so after she left I went to the back and checked outside. Perfect, mild, sunny....a brisk breeze was frisking about but it was certainly not the freezing gale this lady had described. I attributed her mood to menopause but Wednesday was even nicer and as I walked into the library I overheard two men grouching about how this "freezing wind makes you feel it isn't even spring!" What??? What is wrong with you people? What is wrong with US people?
Why is it that you can have a day with ten things going right and one thing going wrong and you have a rotten day. You wake up alive, put on clothes you own, eat food right out of your own fridge, get in a car that runs, drive to a job that pays you, etc. and somehow its the soggy deli sandwich or the rude customer or the paper thrown right into the puddle that you notice. There are so many things that go RIGHT for us every day that we've stopped noticing! Our eyes blink, our family loves us, our minds function, (well, not before coffee) there are shoes on our feet and hopefully underware on our bums but these blessings are so "humble" as to be unnoticed.

I desperately want to learn thankfulness. Not the mindless "cheer up, Christian- count your blessings, pilgrim" but a real genuine heartfelt thankfulness for the good I get to experience all the time, every day!