My Life is Lovely

I went on a five mile recovery run this morning.  I was recovering from my half marathon two days ago that I PR'd in that I am still on a high from!  At about mile 3.5 I found a penny!  I was so excited! 

Can YOU find it?

Then about five feet later I found another one!

 

Then about five feet after that I found yet one more!

Heaven was pouring down the pennies this morning!  I know I have Tyson to thank for them.  After that, I had an eagle eye out and about 10 feet from where I found the third penny I found a....

Drum roll please....

Nope not another penny, but a...

Heart shaped rock. Not just any old heart shaped rock, but a PURPLE one!

It was rather large and I was very happy I had shorts on with large pockets so I didn't have to carry it the rest of the 1.5 miles back.  However, my upper leg paid for it and it was about as purple as the rock by the time I was done.  But it was worth it.  I LOVE heart shaped rocks and purple ones are just total bonus! I feel those are little love tokens from heaven.... Or in this case large tokens from heaven. 

As I continued running, something totally unexpected happened.  I suddenly and almost instantly felt this overwhelming feeling of joy and happiness wash over me. It just flooded my body from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.  Now, I don't know about you, but I don't often just bask in the feeling of intense happiness at all times even though I am a very happy and for the most part, content person.  I feel stress and get my panties in a wad occasionally with worry and pressure and all those things we received in our "Welcome to Earth" packet when we arrived here.  BUT... at that moment I just felt immense peace and joy.   You would have thought it was Christmas or something with all the peace and joy I was feeling.  If I were a song writer I would have stopped and wrote a song about it.  Maybe a Christmas song even.  But since I'm not, I decided to just take it all in. 

The first thing my mind went to was the fact that I was running at the moment.  Not just running, but with ease and without much effort.  That is always a great feeling....especially while recovering from a half marathon.  I love the blessing of having a healthy body that allows me to run without difficulty and to be injury free right now.  I was overcome with gratitude for my ability to run and for the feeling it brings me.  I thought about how much I have improved this past year.  I thought about how I am actually on the road to Boston and it is within my grasp....something I never thought in my wildest dreams was even a possibility.  I thought about how so many people cannot run that really want to, but I have been blessed with this gift.

Then my mind went to all the wonderful friends I have been blessed with.  I really do have amazing and incredible friends. :o)  Just that thought made my insides feel a rush of deep gratitude.

I then reflected on how truly blessed I have been with a sweet family and how proud of my boys I am and what a great life we have.  I thought about Dave's calling and how even though I often feel like I am under a microscope, it's still overall a great blessing. 

I thought about how McKay is now in Russia and doing so well.  We just got a letter from him this morning and he is in his first area and absolutely loving it.  I have worried so much about him and his first couple of weeks of transition to a new culture, country, food, people, language, home, companion, etc. but his letter brought great peace to me.  I know that he is being surrounded by angels and watched over from above and that all will be well.  I also know that his brother Tyson will be with him often.

Finally, I thought about my relationship with my Savior and the indescribable joy that brings my soul.  There is no peace in this world more comforting than knowing you are known by your first name and loved deeply by the Son of God. 

My mind was filled with joy and gratitude for what a lovely life I lead.

Life is lovely.

My life is lovely.

I am a blessed woman.

For this I am deeply grateful.

I know this feeling of euphoria won't last because it never does and it's not meant to, but when it does comes it feels so good that I wanted to record it so I could go back and "remember".   Maybe I will take up song writing so I can sing to myself when those non-euphoric days return.  Or maybe I will just tuck it away in my heart and bring it out whenever I see the purple heart rock I found today to remind myself that life truly is lovely.