As you can see from the last blog, I was always on the move. I forgot about the little things in life. Yes I went through the motion of life. I read quickly and miss many small words or thoughts. I garden without truly enjoying it. I neglected the little insects and butterflies and birds. Oh yes I saw them and I really had fun but I was missing out. I got all caught up in this rat race of life. I forgot about the marvel of a seed pushed into earth. The color pattern of that little bee. I missed the antics of the squirrels. I always wondered how are the boys going to turn out. What will happen when they get older and how am I going to support this growing family. I was always thinking why, how, when, what, were etc. And I know I am not alone in this thinking. The problem with the ' rat race' it means by definition, that you and I are just that a rat/rodent. Racing from one spot to another, hoping to find that wonderful slice of cheese. What is the answer?
I can only anwser for myself. In the last six years, I have been battleing a muscle disorder. For me it meant to slow down. I was forced to pull in the reins of life. I loved running to this job, or that job, to volunteer for every little thing that was offered to me. However I was missing out on the little things of life.
So what changed? How was I able to pull out of this rat race of life? this battle? this disease? My disease saved my life. It forced me to slow down. Pushing on the brakes of life, I appreciate some of the smaller items. I have discovered some little sayings that have provided me lessons of simplicity. I hope you enjoy them as I have;
I have learned to live each day as it comes and not to borrow trouble by dreading tomorrow.
Do you own your stuff or does it own you?
He who buys what he does not want ends in wanting what he cannot buy.
Too much good fortune can make you smug and unaware. Happienss should be like an oasis, the greener for the desert that surrounds it.
Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have.
A house is no home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as for the body.
Nature does not move in a straight line, and as part of mnature neither do we.
Neglecting small things because one wishes to do great things is the excuse of the faint-hearted.

Some find the thought of my disease saving my life troubling. However it has! I watched the baby squirrels chasing each other. Or the chipping sparrows catching worms dangling off the old locust tree. The many different kinds of bees tasting the sweet nectar of lovely flowers. I learnt that there are thousands different kinds of bees. You might think that this bit of information is odd, useless, however this bit of knowledge brought a smile to my face. What about you? How do you face the rat race of life?
With a wink and a nod, HeWal