Yesterday I went back to work, even though I'm still sick.
I had enough resolve to make my train, and even fix a technical issue on my own, which had been plaguing me for days.
Those sound like small victories, but small victories are the very best kind.
It's those quiet moments when I surprise myself I savor the most.
Sun-Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, and author from ancient China. He wrote a book called The Art of War. I read that book ages ago, along with Musashi's Book of Five Rings, long enough that I probably need to go back and re-read both of them.
One big thing stuck with me from The Art of War though. I'm paraphrasing here, but one of Sun-Tzu's teachings was about knowing limitations. When you know both your own and your opponents limitations, you can turn them into assets.
In my recent meditative work with compassion, that lesson keeps being driven home for me. Today's no exception. I was supposed to have an early morning dentist's appointment on my way into work this morning. It would have been about 11 minutes ago. But yesterday, I got sick. I came home, got some good care from Missy, and went to bed, hoping that'd be enough to set me right for everything I had to do today.
It wasn't.
But that's okay. I called the dentist's office, and left them a message about it. I'm sure they'll call me back with a different appointment time and date to go back. No big deal. I do feel rested enough, and am now up early enough, to get all sorts of things done:
- Catchup my blog
- Do some needed work for the Big Little Podcast
- Go out and get myself some over the counter medicine so I can go to work
- And actually, still go to work.
Because I know I can't do everything, I can spend my energy resources wisely to do some things. That's not failure, that's success with the resources I have. I'm grateful for the lesson.
Yesterday afternoon I started to come down with a cough, at work.
I came home and we ordered Chinese food. Wonton soup is a comfort food I go to whenever I'm not feeling well. After dinner, Missy gave me a bath, and even climbed in there with me, to take care of me. She put VapoRub on my chest, and got me to bed for cuddling, and good sleep.
Being sick sucks, but having a wonderful wife to take care of me when I'm not my best is a beautiful thing. I'm grateful I have such a loving partner. She's the greatest.
Thought I had a big tire problem.
I didn't! Grateful for that.
Our girl Kate's partner Ollie has moved to the east coast! This gives me great joy for several reasons:
- Missy and I adore Ollie, who is a marvelous, thinky, sweet, kind, person, who we love to spend time with.
- It makes Kate super happy, because long distance relationships are SO DAMN HARD.
- It means that when Kate does come down to see us, she has someone to share the drive with, and most importantly the drive home, after a long day or weekend.
- I love their shmoop. They're a pair of shmoopy mooshbags, who hug, kiss, and are generally just sweet to and on each other all the time. It's a very pleasant thing to be around.
I'm grateful Ollie's here!
