Taking a moment

It can be so easy to take things for granted.  When I was growing up in PA I used to be insanely jealous of my mom's side of the family who were all living in FL.  I thought it would be so amazing to live in "paradise" year-round...with the palm trees everywhere and the beach just a few minutes away it all just seemed so idyllic.  I've lived in Florida on and off since the summer of '97 and I have definitely come to take my location for granted.

Today was an ugly, overcast, cold (by Florida standards) day but it's still a whole lot better than what a lot of my friends in other states are dealing with.  I was on my way to meet my parents for dinner at a Mexican place down by the beach.  From my house, it's only about 5 miles to get to the beach.  Turning north on 1st street, I caught a glimpse of the ocean and found myself finally taking a moment to soak in my surroundings for a few seconds.  Sure, it definitely wasn't the perfect day to take a stroll along the sand, but it was still beautiful - overcast skies and all!

So my goal for the week: take a few moments each day to appreciate some of the little everyday things that I've come to take for granted...my favorable location, a good job, great family and friends, etc.  Hopefully this can become a habit for me.  We can all use some more focus on the positive things that surround us every day.