What’s Your Attitude?
By DONNA HARRISON
Yep, spring has sprung! And for many folks, this means an intense time of allergy discomfort or even more serious consequences of exposure to pollens and springtime miseries.
Imagine these images:: a tissue box, springs of blossoming plants, a filter mask, a prescription order, a person breathing deeply, a floral arrangement, a songbird, herbs, even a quiet relaxation moment. Easy to divide these into pro and con ideas.
It can be argued we may alter our experiences by choosing which of these we can most strongly embrace in our lives.
Attitude can reflect our unhappiness, supporting it with sniffles, tissue carrying, and turning inward to focus on discomfort over our physical ailments. Gratitude can deflect perceived misery by seeing that tissue as being helpful in drying tears we may shed over hysterical laughter of what realistically is a temporary ailment.
Attitude can reflect an unwillingness to open windows and enjoy an afternoon on a porch because of fear or anger at our allergic condition, railing against the flowering shrubs or trees that cause us seasonal discomfort – maybe worse reactions.
Gratitude might cause us to enjoy an inexpressively beautiful view from inside our homes, still allowing deep pleasure of God’s grace in creation.
Attitude can use that filtering mask as an excuse to embrace resentment and limit our pleasure in sharing community, contact, and learning from others. Gratitude can step up to the plate and accept the role of science in helping us to protect ourselves – even temporarily – from injurious particles.
Attitude over perhaps necessary Rx orders might create a martyr complex drawing sympathy from even strangers as you wait in line at the pharmacy, explaining how you are forced to a prescription pad route. But Gratitude is powerful in paving a way for us to thank the medical community, there to help us as we receive sustenance (sort of like Matthew 9:12).
Attitude has the potential to curb the depth of our breath. We can limit ourselves by falsely believing in limitations. We can take more and more shallow breaths short-changing the oxygen we deserve. Gratitude provides that great inhalation of ‘joi de vivre’, the joy of life!
Attitude has the terrible talent of discounting the best of the best. A gorgeous floral arrangement holds (for an allergy sufferer) the possibility of discomfort, replacing the glory of beauty with the fear of a respiratory assault.
Gratitude allows all of us the chance to be thankful. We revel in the past, we see the present, we glory in the possibility of the future. If we are lucky, we embrace the beauty.
Attitude may even try to close your ears (not just your breathing) to the song of the springtime birds. They’re back! Hummingbirds, robins, chipping sparrows, bluebirds – all demanding we fill those feeders, we thrill to their trills: so much happy noise! And attitude wants to close your stuffed up ears? Gratitude says No way! We can hear with our hearts. End of discussion.
If all else fails in your battle with springtime pangs, know there are herbal concoctions and relaxation techniques. Maybe a bit over the top for some, but still available to us all.
Be at peace and never forget it is never too late to do the right thing.
Donna Harrison is a new resident of Jasper County, and an advocate of animals. Donna has served as the copy editor of the international AJTCVM (American Journal of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine), is a Masters Degree recipient and graduate of Georgia State University.
She has served 26 years as an elementary education instructor. She was recognized as 2001 ‘Teacher of the Year’ in Walton County and has since published her first book, Sensing the Forever Life, available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. and it is available in our public library for check out.