Thankful for the Small Things

 Morning sky on Tuesday

It's another slog through the work week for me. I confess that my mood hasn't been the best since the spring. I've been consistently crabby and sometimes quite low, which isn't like me. (A few days now and then, yes, but every single day--no.) I've worked hard over the past several years to consciously alter my mindset, given my past history with depression, but I feel I've back-slid over the past few months. I suspect it's a combination of factors:

• All the work changes (change of direct boss and all that comes with it, change of top boss, a new assistant director for our sub-unit who starts on September 4th, etc.)
• The lack of walking since the spring, because of the plantar fasciitis (both feet)--walking is my mental therapy and I miss it greatly, never mind all the extra weight I've gained on top of my already overweight middle-aged body.
• The up and down middle-aged hormones--the hormonal impact on mood is tremendous, no one ever will be able to convince me otherwise. 
• The almost-unrelenting excessive, oppressive heat and humidity for months now. Sure, we get hot spells in the summer, but not like this. We have a break today and tomorrow, but then it's back into temps that feel like they're close to 100F with that humidex factor. It's nuts, heading into September, to have this kind of weather. 

 Resident work courtyard bunny on Monday

All that said, I've been making an extra effort to appreciate the small things in my day, have been jotting them down in the evenings, along with my "accomplishments" for the day. It helps, to be able to flip back and focus on the things I perceive as good, on the things that feed my soul.

Waning moon on Wednesday morning

This is the first August since I've had digital cameras that I've taken so few pics, that I've not been out "sight-seeing" around the city, taking snapshots. (The heat plus the foot issues being the reasons.) So any chance to take a quick pic of something that catches my eye has been welcome!

Last night's sunset from an upstairs window

Someone in our complex saw me a few days ago, snapping sunrise pics on the way to the bus stop. He asked if it was a passion of mine, and I was very offhand in my reply, said oh, I just like taking snapshots for myself (which obviously is the case). Afterward it occurred to me that it is a passion, being able to take nature (and critter) pics. It doesn't matter that I have chosen not to have a DSLR, I absolutely love trying to capture something that appeals to me. It doesn't matter that I have no interest in taking it further, I do it for myself and it feeds my soul. One of the many small (not-so-small to me) things for which I'm very thankful.

Cute little chippie this morning, outside our building

I truly hope that you have something that feeds your soul too; something, however small, for which you're thankful.  :-)

Peace.