Just Wait for the Mud to Settle

It’s a beautiful Rocky Mountain day. Seriously. I have hummingbirds dive-bombing each other at the feeder on the back porch, and there are mule deer about three feet from my living room window. The sky is that intense blue that I’ve rarely seen anywhere but up here in the mountains. There are even puffy white clouds lazily drifting past like a herd of white fluffy sheep. The aspen trees are whooshing in the breeze.

Perfect.

So, why don’t I feel perfect? Where did the stress come from, and how do I deal with it?

I’m what they call a seasoned military spouse. I’m used to the military and its fickleness, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t annoy me when plans change unexpectedly. It does.

And, if I usually handle it better, well, so be it. We’re all allowed to have an off day. Plans changed, I had an unexpected disagreement with some friends last night, the middle of my home ripped out because we’re going through a kitchen remodel at the moment (you never realize how much you use the kitchen sink until you don’t have one), and I had a migraine four days ago that is just lingering on the edge of my brain.

So, I’m grabbing the camera. That’s my place of peace. Behind the lens, editing images on the computer, publishing to my page…all of it.

When I need that space inside my own mind, that’s where I find it.

There’s something about composing the image in my mind, finding the right settings on the camera, snapping the photo, and then having it come out just as I imagined it once I’m done. Just walking around my home, there are so many opportunities. A little wildflower, all by itself, boldly declaring its life from a crack in a boulder. A hummingbird dipping in for a snack at the feeder. My old dog, sitting and looking out the window. It’s all there.

Everyone has something that they love to do. Just think, on those off days…what can I create? Knitting, cooking, canning, playing, running, or just sitting still and having a quiet thought.

Find your little quiet space and live there for a little bit while the mud settles. It’s okay. You can not only afford the time…you deserve it.