I had an epiphany about my life.....

I had a pretty deep and philosphical epiphany yesterday. (No, it wasn't a flashback, I know the difference.)

My littlest had to drink some tea yesterday. I am a budding herbalist (excuse the pun) and we have NO medicine here, just herbs. So when my kids get sick, they get tea. Well, my youngest had a bad cough so I had made her some mullien tea, bitter stuff, even with honey (NEVER use sugar in herbal teas, messes up the healing properties, only sweeten with honey.) I noticed she would take a TINY sip, then gag and contort and 'bleuck', then do it all over again, over and over until the tea was gone, (and it wasn't even a full cup) sip by tiny, reactive sip. Later that day I had poured her some orange juice, her favorite beverage, and she gulped down a HUGE glass, gulp gulp gulp till it was gone and wanted more.

What I realised is I do the same thing with life. I gulp down the good stuff without knowin it, chug away and take for granted all the wonderful little things that abound. But when I have a little cup of sorrow, pain or hurt I microfocus on it, almost as tho I am savoring every morsel. And when I hafta drink the bad stuff, it seems like ALL that good stuff, those glasses and glasses of good stuff I chugged down never existed.

Odd, that.

Yes this is life. In fact it's practically Biblical: Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Essentially, we should focus on the good things. It sounds so simple, yet it takes a great deal of spiritual peace to do such a thing. Sometimes our "medicine" is a bitter herb that heals us slowly and painfully. Sometimes it goes down like honey. Sometimes, what goes down like honey is poison. Good and bad will always exist in life, but our quality of it (life) and spiritual health within it are determined by what we let our mind focus on.

The trick with the little cups of sorrow, is to get rid of the cup after the sorrow has been drunk. Or maybe never pick it up to begin with, but sometimes there is no choice.

Me- I have a debilitating chronic pain condition. My day-to-day can be very challenging. Yet I am happier than I have ever been, for other reasons (focusing on the good things- like my sexy husband). One way to focus on the good things is to find something you love and do it. Do it a lot. (I love my sexy husband- keeps my mind on healthy, positive things.)

good stuff puff. how ya been?

SLIK! I missed you on the bake thread!

I missed you so bad. How is the tater tot?

shes good. i havent been very chatty lately, i get the winter blues pretty bad every year. just not my season. how have you and the fam been? you start your grow yet?

You mite be one of those people who go vitamin D deficient in the winter. Get out, even if it's cold, and get it every drop of sun you can. (Or stay under your grow lights.)

Good to hear, mine are awesome. We are doin pretty good, all considerin.

I ain't been able to grow yet, I hope we can go solar and wind soon, the onliest way around here to keep it on the down-low.

good to hear. its a combo of things i hate about winter. i dont like the cold, i dont like the alck of sunshine, i dont get alot of work which directly translates into little money. but the good news is were on the down stroke, its february and were almost done.

Yeah, you definately need the light. They got certain lights that would help you, but they ain't free. The work and money thing sure don't help, seems bad all over that way, particularly those of us in the trenches.

And I hate to add insult to injury, but from the look of the day here it is gonna be more winter, sorry for the warning, don't hate the messenger. But it is darkest before the dawn, and coldest before the light comes, so take hope that it can't stay like this always. There will be some orange juice comin soon.

put your chin up, tilt your head back, and slam that cup of sorrow.

Good to the last drop.

for a second, i thought youre epiphany was going to be that little kids hate tea

new battle cry - C'mon Orange Juice!

HomeGrown- Heh heh, I already knew that. I think they'd like the sticky sweet medicine better, but I like that I have no side effects to deal with.....

Slik- Am juicin some oranges now...... Bottlin sunshine just for you, baby.

I could use some sunshine too. I think spring is going to be earlier than the groundhog predicted. The birds have been singing outside for almost a week now. They never sing during the throes of winter.

"I ain't happy, I'm feelin glad, I got sunshine, in a bag"

Gonna be 57 degrees here today, getting me all kinds of excited.

misshestermoffitt said:

I could use some sunshine too. I think spring is going to be earlier than the groundhog predicted. The birds have been singing outside for almost a week now. They never sing during the throes of winter.

"I ain't happy, I'm feelin glad, I got sunshine, in a bag"

Gonna be 57 degrees here today, getting me all kinds of excited.

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word, sista moffit, word.

feelin good this mornin for once in a while. saw some old friends last night...some that are near and dear, and theyre doing real good.

Smile Slik my man, spring is on it's way, the big freeze is just about over.

Next time you're in wal-mart, or wherever, and they have those spring flowers in pots, buy one of them. Hyacinth smells really good, almost like a lilac. Set it on your kitchen table or somewhere, it'll help you think happy thoughts and Shortcake will love it.

misshestermoffitt said:

Smile Slik my man, spring is on it's way, the big freeze is just about over.

Next time you're in wal-mart, or wherever, and they have those spring flowers in pots, buy one of them. Hyacinth smells really good, almost like a lilac. Set it on your kitchen table or somewhere, it'll help you think happy thoughts and Shortcake will love it.

Click to expand...

thanks....i hope the day finds you and yours well.

Puff, you try tinctures for the bitter herbs instead of a tea? Much easier to get my little one to take that..

good insight from the original poster. i have been a glutton of everything this last year, and like the squirrel who partied too much and didnt stock up on nuts for the winter, i am now suffering the consequences. now i got a mug full of bitter truth and i am drunk off of it lol.

Sorry I missed your comment, HotandSexy!

No, I have heard of that, but never tried it. I don't know how to make tinctures myself, so I stick with tea. I used to get the mullien from my herbal mentor, but most of them now I pick and dry myself. All KINDS of stuff hanging and dryin in MY kitchen.....

Mastakoosh- Well, it has been my experience even when you stock up for the winter, you get relatives come by and eat all your friggin food anyhow. Be a glutton for ALL of it, even the bad junk, and you will be a happy person. THat is one thing I have learned, cuz we focus on the good, and seem to not want the bad, but without the contrast, how would we know what we enjoy?