Vista

Today I am grateful for cozy blankets, a comfortable bed, and my husband next to me in that bed. But I am also grateful for the motivation to get up and head into this day.

Vista caught my eye as I perused the "v" section of the dictionary. It is defined as 1) a distant view and 2) an extensive mental view.

1) Some of my favorite vistas include: the view of my community from the hill I come down each day from the north as I drive home from work, the hilly countryside of the farm I return to when visiting my family, and the sight of a marathon's finish line when it finally comes into view. Other amazing vistas that I have only been treated to once or a handful of times include places like: Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Denali National Park and the glaciers of Prince William Sound in Alaska, and the Oregon Coast.

I am grateful to be able to travel to these places near and far, and I am grateful for my eyesight with which to enjoy these views.

2) Gratitude practice creates a healthier and more extensive mental view for me. Self-pity and fear close the horizon, narrow the view. They also zap energy. I lived in self-pity and fear for years. Gratitude widens the view and expands the horizon, offering more hope and more energy. I do my best to live in gratitude today. Just for today.

Two kinds of vistas. One result. A better view of the world.

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