It was a cold day in Alabama.  The winds possessed an arctic flavor I am unaccustomed to but in spite of the chilly breeze the sun was shinning in all its gusto.  I found myself in Birmingham with four hours to kill so instinctively I was drawn to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.  I zip up my coat and pull my hat down and begin to wander a path as beautiful as it was silent.  After a few moments into my walk I decide the wintry gust was an amazing friend on this memorable morning because he was able to reserve the entire gardens exclusively for me. 

        Initially I had nothing but contempt and curses for the unexpected cold weather.  I thought the chill in the air and the discomfort in my fingers would conspire to spoil my time in the gardens.    I had forgotten a great truth; all things truly do work together for our good (even cold weather).  Is there really any such thing as bad weather?  Or are there just different kinds of good weather?  Our job is to simply learn how to enjoy the weather we have been given. 

        Life is learning how to enjoy what you have been given.  Life is too short to throw it away wishing you had different circumstances.  Why not set out to enjoy the circumstances you already have instead of crying over those you don’t have?  We are rich and blessed beyond imagination.  We have been given so many good things in life it is obscene to complain about what we do not have.  Our task is to enjoy more, appreciate more, value more and to be more grateful for the amazing people and circumstances that we have today.

        This day is crammed full of amazing opportunities to love, packed with incredible moments to enjoy and shame on us if we allow them to slip on bye unnoticed or neglected.  Too often I am like a starving man who allows the mouth-watering fruit to rot on the vine.   How poor is the person who cannot enjoy the simple things of life.  Let us today enjoy the marvelous treasures hidden in this ordinary day before it is too late.  We are only here for a short visit, so be sure to stop and smell the flowers.  Happiness is a choice; choose to enjoy.

Something to think about:

• Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn’t stop to enjoy it.

• May we never let the things we can’t have, or don’t have, or shouldn’t have, spoil our enjoyment of the things we do have and can have. As we value our happiness let us not forget it, for one of the greatest lessons in life is learning to be happy without the things we cannot or should not have.

• If you don’t enjoy what you have now, how can you be happier with more?

• He who seeks more than he needs hinders himself from enjoying what he has.

• If we did but know how little some enjoy of the great things that they possess, there would not be much envy in the world.

• The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have.

• He who neglects the present moment may throw away all he has.

Thankful for so many wonderful things to enjoy
Rickey Moore