Love this Trail. Make the most of the life you have. LOVE the life you have.

About 3 years ago I adopted my friend's attitude: When I awake each day instead of moaning about having to get up, go to work, etc., I rejoice in the ability to get up, go to work, etc. Your post and the following story reminded me of my friend who takes every opportunity to live it as it comes:

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight oâÂÂclock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. âÂÂI love it,â she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

âÂÂMrs. Jones, you havenâÂÂt seen the room â¦. just wait.âÂÂ

âÂÂThat doesnâÂÂt have anything to do with it,â she replied. âÂÂHappiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesnâÂÂt depend on how the furniture is arranged, itâÂÂs how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. ItâÂÂs a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open IâÂÂll focus on the new day and all the happy memories IâÂÂve stored away, just for this time in my life.âÂÂ

It really doesn't matter whether you're in Italy or Holland, does it?

I love this essay. A copy was given to me shortly after my first child, a son, was born with Down syndrome in 1989. We love it here in Holland even though it is nothing like we expected. Life is full of surprises...it is best to embrace them. Thanks for posting Trail.
Judy

tina...thank you ...I know I need reminding and I am glad that you posted. You are SO right !

java..that is indeed a lovely story. I have seen it before...I am glad you posted it here...it is perfect. You are absolutely right. DH has always said "thank your lucky stars" when we hear stories of other's travails.

Oh Judy, thank you for posting. You and your son are both very lucky . Holland can surely be wonderful no need to long for somewhere else. c

Reminds me of a quote from an older woman...can't even remember where I read it...who said, this may not be the life you planned, but while you're here, you might as well dance.

Nice story, Trail. It helps because it is so visual...

This story helped our family about 10 years ago when my grandson and his parents were hit by drunk drivers. Nathan has a traumatic brain injury and it changed the lives of all who know him. With medical problems you learn a whole new language, just like in Holland. It's not the life we planned but it's still a good life, just different.

That's a very good way of putting it Annie !

mnt..you are right...I passed this along to my kids...I think they "got it" and I don't come off sounding preachy.

natesgram..thank you for sharing your story.I am glad Nathan's family was able to "learn the language".

My running partner for many years had the same thing happen to his nephew...the boy hit a tree late at night on a dark road. He will never be the same nor will his family. Unfortunately they spent many years wishing they were in Italy...I don't have any contact with any of them anymore...now I wonder "where they are living" . c

About 3 years ago I adopted my friend's attitude: When I awake each day instead of moaning about having to get up, go to work, etc., I rejoice in the ability to get up, go to work, etc. Your post and the following story reminded me of my friend who takes every opportunity to live it as it comes:

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight oâÂÂclock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. âÂÂI love it,â she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

âÂÂMrs. Jones, you havenâÂÂt seen the room â¦. just wait.âÂÂ

âÂÂThat doesnâÂÂt have anything to do with it,â she replied. âÂÂHappiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesnâÂÂt depend on how the furniture is arranged, itâÂÂs how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. ItâÂÂs a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open IâÂÂll focus on the new day and all the happy memories IâÂÂve stored away, just for this time in my life.âÂÂ

It really doesn't matter whether you're in Italy or Holland, does it?

C- I gave this to my sister after my nephew received his autism diagnosis. She was so heartbroken at the time. It is the perfect analogy.

I hope it helped her cope. It certainly is food for thought about attitudes and living whole-heartedly as Brene Brown talks about. c

It did, and still does, every single day.

So often I have to stop and remind myself to be grateful to experience Holland. No, I didn't end up with the lovely Italian marriage I had dreamed of, but my experience is just as wonderful. I had to go to the doctor for a minor hand injury. Traffic was awful getting there, parking was scarce and expensive, I took the elevator down to the office only to find a sign that said the offices were now upstairs, had to wait so long to see the doc. I was fuming when I left and then I saw a woman pushing her daughter in a wheelchair. The young girl had lost all her hair and looked so very sick. All of a sudden I remembered that I am the luckiest person on earth -- or Holland.

Love this! TY Caroline.

The story of my life... Live in the moment and there is nothing that isn't supposed to be.

Thank you all for posting, I needed this today!

Trail you are special and so is the message. Thank you very much for sharing.

Mom here of a child on the autism spectrum and another one who is now an adult and making a lot of mistakes. I have learned a lot about acceptance, letting go of pride, and embracing the many blessings we do have. Holland may not have the wordly appeal of Italy, but it offers many less visible gifts. In the end, that is what matters most.