Grace in Small things

Last week, I was having a grumbly, grumbly bad day. Tabitha erupted in allergic skin lesions that developed secondary infections almost overnight. Buddy Luck was peeing out of the box, and I found that he had a terrible UTI. I had to change his diet, which means that I now have six pets eating five different kinds of (expensive!!!) food. I was playing beat the bank with my electric and credit card bill, whose interest just went up. A cat had a feral moment and ripped down my leg before whipping around and biting my hand. I was just plain old stressed.

And then this lady came in with her very, very sick kitty. She had four children under the age of six- one of which was a six week old baby. A week before her baby was born, her husband had been laid off of work, so when she went on maternity leave they had no income. Zero. Her husband had struggled to find a new job for weeks, and money was very tight. And then on top of that, their beloved cat was ill and in need of medical attention. After spending a few minutes with her, and seeing the exhaustion radiating from every inch of her body, I pretty much felt like an ass for being so grumpy about my admittedly small problems!

This really is a time where we should be thankful for what we have, so I am going to copy my friend Katie who has started doing this- basically, posting five things that have graced my life every day. Except that there is no way that I will be doing this EVERY day- I don't have that kind of commitment. But I do want to remember to bask in the happy things in life, and not dwell on the bad.

So, here are my first five "Grace in Small Things."
1) Friends who build me up and tell me that I am doing the right thing even when I feel like I am being total jerk. And an idiot. And then spend 20 minutes telling me why I am I am neither of those things.
2) Gilda sighing, and resting her head on my lap in a totally trusting moment when just one month ago she was given good reason to never trust a human being again.
3) Cats who cuddle up with me and purr.
4) Being told, "It is amazing the way you can make me feel like you love my pet as much as I do when you are taking care of her... thank you."
5) Buddy Luck sleeping in the bed with the rest of us every night since starting on Amitriptyline, fully content and feeling great!