At the End of the Rainbow

Day 124 – as usual, after a busy weekend, it is good to have a little quieter day, just worked nothing else. And work, even if busy is not as tiring as a day full of hiking in the sun, even though, I have to admit, it is also not as much fun. But as usual, the ebbs and flows of life are what make it so exciting. We are all thrilled when it is all fun, or rosy, or any other kind of “high” feeling and we all dislike or even try to avoid the feeling of the receding tide, of the low, the “falling out” or falling down. I am writing about it every few weeks, since I always come back to that point. If I had a great weekend, the next day or two will feel slow and boring in a way. I am always ready to have more fun and do something, but I think that almost as much I like the slow days. This is what gives color to life. This is what makes the fun days so special. Even an chocolate, if I’ll eat it all the time, I might learn to hate, or at least I won’t fully appreciate it. Scarcity is what makes things shine. Against a very colorful background a flower will not stand out, but put against a little more dull background and it will shine. I am writing it and all these religious figures jump to mind, talking about not living a life of excess. So let me clarify, I think there is a big difference between not living life of excess and abstinence. One suggests moderation, whereas the other suggests self-punishment and I am never against self-flagellation. But I am also not a fan of having too much, of doing too much too big, of excess.  At least as it relates to money and to stuff, I am definitely not, and never will be preaching that. The borders are a little more blurry when it comes to doing things, but the truth is it might be an excess as compared to some of my less active friends, but it’s really not excess. Going for a moderate hike, even once a week is not excessive. Ditto for going skydiving for the first time in my life at the age of 53. Maybe this is the secret to a happy life. Do things that I like, but not overdo it and take the time to enjoy each one of them individually, separate up times from each other and allow each one of them to stand alone, to shine. Reading what I just wrote, it made me realize how good it was that I decided not to go on a two-year vacation somewhere in the world. I will get to enjoy shorter vacations so much more because of their scarcity.
I am thankful to the “down’ time in my week, my month my year that dull some of the color from background so I can re-draw, gives me the opportunity to have such great life. I am thankful to the “up” times, for the color and the joy they bring to my daily life. For the richness and complexion they add. I am thankful for the constant shift between the two stages, and that I am a very healthy person and so I can easily ride both and enjoy both, and now even more so. I am thankful for this realization, and that from now on I will actually wait for the slow days at the end of the rainbow.