Open to the Ordinary

After a day of minor trials and tribulations, I am delighted to find myself placed behind this truck on the ferry home.  Rust, peeling paint, my favorite shade of green... what more could my camera and I possibly want?

It makes me think of that dear song from White Christmas:

"When you're worried, 
and you can't sleep,
just count your blessings
instead of sheep,
and you'll fall asleep
counting your bless____ ings!"

Yes, it's true: there are times when I'm a bit of a Pollyanna -- which is SO totally uncool... And it's just as true that at times I can be a classic Negative Nancy.  I'm human: some things disturb me more than others. I'm an artist, so I'm easily distracted by beauty (sometimes in very odd forms, like this one.)  Sometimes that's a gift, but at other times it contributes to a certain lack of focus that can be disconcerting to other family members...

But here's the thing: we are who we are.  And each of the bits and pieces that make us what we are is both a gift and a curse. ALL of it is a mixed blessing, and over a lifetime there will be plenty of opportunities for both shame and rejoicing. But we get to keep moving forward, learning from our mistakes.  And we get lots of little gifts along the way -- like this one.  You just need to pay attention; stay open to the beauty in the ordinary: even when it's locked up pretty tight, with both a bolt and a chain!