Blessed to be feeling well
Blessed to have time to write
Blessed with my family
Blessed to live in freedom
It’s these seemingly little things we take for granted
That affect us so much
They don’t scream at us
They whisper very softly
It’s when we lose these things
That we notice how important they are
Anytime I want to complain
I ask myself what I’m thankful for
I remind myself of the little things
And listen very carefully
December 4th, 2019
It’s like starting a new chapter in a book
Beginning a new day
Everything looks crisp and sharp
It’s as if I’ve woken up from a bad dream
It makes me thankful for the little things in life
The energy I have to do things
The joy I experience when writing
Absence of anxiety
Socializing in a relaxed way
Making decisions more quickly
I sometime want to pinch myself
To see if this is reality
How can a few days make such a difference
It’s as if the light switch has been turned on
I need to process what happened
In the last three months
I’m back in the land of the living
And it feels awesome
So many of my days were spent in fog
So much pain and suffering
But those days are over
I can turn the page
And read the rest of the story
With excitement and curiosity
October 7th, 2019
So many days have I sat in this spot
For a moment of respite from the suffering that enveloped me
So many days, while here, have I wondered how much longer
till I feel alive again
So many days have I mourned the loss of happiness
So many days have I been revived by the kindness of friends
And as I sit in this spot again today
Feeling thankful
The rays of the sun on my face
I count my blessings
And rejoice that I can write again
December 11th, 2018
Today, I’m thankful for feeling well
Being able to laugh again
Today, I’m thankful that my creativity is back
And I want to write again
Today, I’m thankful to have energy
To do what is needed
Today, I’m thankful to walk in the sun
Having left the shadows behind
Today, I’m thankful to feel calm again
To face the things that come my way
Today, I’m thankful to have my optimism back
Along with my sunny disposition
Today, I’m thankful to feel well again
Once more, I’ve conquered darkness
September 2nd, 2018
There are times in my life
When the ocean is calm
The storm has come and gone
And I’ve survived
When the weather is mild
And the sun shines
When all is well with the world
And there are no big worries on my mind
At these times I feel as thankful
As can be
I feel blessed
And sometimes I almost feel guilty
For the way I feel
I know another storm will come
I know the clouds will appear again
And the rain drops will pelt my head
I know the light at the end of the tunnel
Will grow dim
I know all this
But for now
I’ll enjoy the calm and the sunshine and
Do my best to help others who may feel down
I’ll be a good friend, mother and wife
That’s what I can do to
Show my thankfulness
As I sail on the ocean of life
October 2nd, 2016
What does being in the moment mean?
I think it means being happy and content at the time
Not thinking how wonderful things would be if…
Or how awful it was yesterday when…
It means finding beauty in everything
Each step of the way
Not rushing to get to the next sign post
It means appreciating the mundane repetitive
Things we do each day
Because the fact that we can do them is a blessing
It means giving our attention to the task at hand
Less multitasking
Being in the moment involves finding things
To be thankful for no matter
What we are doing and how we feel
Realizing that even the unpleasant things of life
Are part of the puzzle
That they will pass
And if we learn something in the process
That is their gift to us
Lida Berghuis
October 26th, 2015
For now…
So, it’s not what I wanted
Nothing I planned
The situation plumps itself down on me
and I feel its heavy burden
Where did it come from?
Another surprise on the road of life?
Was it in my blind spot?
Why didn’t someone warn me?
I guess then it wouldn’t be a surprise!
Now it’s here
I feel the unease
Actually I don’t feel good at all
I was going merrily on the road of life
And now this…
I’m told I’m supposed to accept what comes my way
That resistance is futile
But how does one accept unpleasant things
The situation reminds me of one of the valleys of love:
“On this plane, the traveler meeteth with many a trial and reverse.
Now is he lifted up to heaven, now is he cast into the depths.
As it hath been said: “Now Thou drawest me to the summit of glory,
Again Thou castest me into the lowest abyss.”*
What is the traveller to do?
I can see that the opposite of acceptance is not helpful
Won’t change things
It only creates bad feelings
So first I have to accept it’s OK not to be in my comfort zone for now…
It’s OK to be frustrated … for now
It’s OK to not have it easy… for now
It’s OK! For now!
And in the meantime
I’ll look for solutions
I will try to get around the obstacles of life
And find an alternative route
The process is not pleasant, I admit
But accepting things the way they are now
And remaining thankful for all that is going right, is key!
Lida Berghuis
June 22nd, 2015
*Baha’u’llah, The Four Valleys
The person I’ve become
Is more authentic, more real!
I don’t wear a mask as much
I confide in my friends
The person I’ve become
Knows her limits better
I don’t compare myself to others as much
I’ve learned to say no more often
I’ve learned to ask for what I need
The person I’ve become
Takes more responsibility
Feels more empowered to create change
To change myself
My thoughts
And therefore my actions and feelings
The person I’ve become
Sees challenges as an integral part of life
Not to run from
But to learn from
The person I’ve become
Takes care of herself
Without self care, one can’t help others
One burns out!
The person I’ve become
Sees interdependence as essential
Life is not meant to be lived in a solitary way
We need each other’s help
We need to build deep, authentic friendships and
Call on each other when we need support and help
The person I’ve become
Knows there is more to learn
There is always room for improvement
Ways to do things better
New ways of thought
Deeper understanding
The person I’ve become
Is more thankful
Seeing good in all that comes my way
The person I’ve become
Tries not to take simple things for granted!
Lida Berghuis
January 15th, 2015
Emotions all bottled up
Though the surface is serene
But there is sadness
That’s hiding deep within
The human condition
The human emotions
Can grip me in their clutches
Sometimes they squeeze and squeeze
And breathing becomes harder
At such moments
I feel like throwing away my heart
It’s the only way to stop the pain
The only route to respite
But sadness is part of life
Confusion is part of life
The only thing that brings us peace
Is reliance on God
That’s easier said than done
The ego does not want to let go
Of the illusion of control that it has
Cultivated over time
We tend to forget we’re not so powerful
A breeze can blow
And set us off course
And life can change dramatically
For better or worse
But perhaps worse is not so bad
If we learn the lessons we need to
And better is good
But it won’t last in this world!
The soul’s journey in this life
Full of ups and downs
A smooth road this won’t be
I’ve come to realize
There is a lot to be thankful for
This we should not forget
Our blessings we tend to ignore
If the ego has its way
Don’t have all the answers
My emotions at times rough me up
But I’ve learned that friends
Can be saviors during the trials of life
June 6th, 2014
lida's musings 