What We Think, We Become

I woke up this morning to take the dog out and discovered it was pouring.  I mean, all out downpour.  Cats and dogs.  

I grumbled a bit, grabbed the umbrella, and got the dog all set up for his soggy potty outing which would no doubt result in him looking like a drowned rat with lots of tangled fur.  I hate when his fur gets wet...little sticks and blades of grass get all intertwined in his fur and it's a bear to get out.  I was muttering to myself as I passed in front of our hallway mirror and I caught a glimpse of the grouchy gal reflected there.  

Surely, I couldn't look THAT grumpy THIS early in the morning?  I thought back to yesterday's post and then took a look down at my dog.  There he was, staring up at me, wagging his tail...super excited to go outside...despite the rain.  

"Ok, Dorothy," I thought to myself.  "Here is your opportunity. Treat it like an experiment.  Can you choose a different perspective?  Can you choose gratitude?"

Now here I luck out.  Choosing gratitude in this situation is easy.   After all, I live in Silicon Valley, land of the drought.  Last year, it was so bad I think we only had two rain showers the whole year. We barely got spit on.  All the grass turned brown, the trees were droopy, even the air felt dusty.   So yes, I can be grateful for this rain.  We need it. 

So with my new "attitude of gratitude" I turn my attention to different things.  I noticed that since we've gotten a bit more rain, the grass is greener, the trees are a little more upright, and the air smells amazing (really, it does!).  I checked out the raindrops plopping in the puddles and could hear the birds chirping as they were hiding out in the trees.  

Upon re-entering the apartment, I noticed the warmth of the inside air as it took away the chill from the dampness outside.  I could hear the rain on our roof, making the familiar sound that I used to love so much when I lived in Massachusetts.  I thought about rainy Sundays and curling up with a good book and a cup of tea while the rain came down outside.

I looked down at my little wet dog.  A drowned rat, for sure...tiny twigs stuck in his matted fur, but the tail was still wagging.  I bent down to take the leash off and got a little lick  of thanks on the hand (or maybe he was just licking that raindrop off?).  As I stood up, I caught a glimpse of myself in the hallway mirror again.  But this time, the reflection was smiling.....  

I guess you CAN choose to be happy.... 



"All that we are is the result of what we have thought.  The mind is everything.  What we think we become."  Buddha