When Life is Good

By now, it's 2008 officially. Ahhh...I wonder how many months it will take to get used to writing 2008 on everything? Except for that, the change in the fourth digit of the way the world has agreed to calculate time units doesn't change a thing. It doesn't make me feel like I can be a different person this year than last year, or make renewed commitments to eat better or exercise more frequently. Midnight tonight is just part of the continuation of life; of me; of you. I've got a dear, if currently snoring, husband next to me in front of the fire, a peaceful home despite some present remodeling turmoil, and very dear friends and family to love and to love me. If that's not enough to motivate me to change for the better, one digit of four is not likely to do it either.

But there has been a fire in the fireplace for the last several hours, defying my toes to remain icy. David and I still are young enough to feel giddy at staying up late because there's no work tomorrow, eating dark chocolate brownies with whipped cream and recklessly drinking coffee after 7 pm. Living dangerously. And I'm old enough to think that could possibly be living dangerously. Well, it was fully caffeinated. Oh, yes, life is good.

Usually when David tries to convince me that some event we shared was an actual date, I usually narrow my eyes at him and disdainfully dispel any such myth that he has obviously pulled straight out of his...imagination. But, tonight I had to agree wholeheartedly that our dinner of ratatouille and cous cous counted as a date, since there were candles at dinner and dancing in the kitchen while we prepared it. (Shhh! The kitchen dancing is a secret!) And that's how life is very good sometimes.

I'm just happy to be here in this place, in this time, to experience life as it unfolds. Getting older really is a good thing, isn't it? Well, up unto a point, I should probably say. I'm still on the upswing, and find that as I age, I feel more comfortable with the process that is living. Maturity, as it increases in bits here and there, immeasurably, and then a greater sense of contentment with where I find myself to be. To be sure, there's still so much change to be made in my life, plenty of heartache to be had over the things I can and can't change, and so many character flaws to overcome. But instead of refusing to face them or admit them, I look forward to the changes I can make, while asking for God's help to strengthen me every step of the way to make my life better--to make it better, and make it somehow good.