Energized by Gratitude

It has been four months. Four long months since I have written a blog post. It has been longer than that for any progress in writing my third "I.T. Geek to Farm Girl Freak" book or the second book in the "Shelly Martin" series.

After so many months away, surveying the horizon that is the indie author world seems like a foreign landscape. I see others plugging along and writing, editing, publishing, releasing and selling their works. I wish them well. I realize how hard they are working. I hope to get back to doing the same thing very soon. Whether I actually do is another question ...

What have I been doing the past four months, you ask?

Living life outside of the virtual reality that is social media is the only answer I can give you. Life has gotten in the way of writing and of interacting much with on-line friends or groups. But this is not necessarily a bad thing ... Taking a break from all of the on-line craziness that often times is just a major time-sucking waste of energy. This is especially true in an election year, where abnormally large amounts of energy is exhausted while discussing politics and arguing about who is the best candidate for the job.

Which brings me to the first point that I want to make about "energy".

I have a limited amount of it. We all do.

I have been using a lot of physical energy as well as mental energy dealing with caring for two pieces of property - a one-acre newly purchased plot and a 15-acre farm that my husband and I have had for about seven years. On the rare days that I am not working 10-12 hours a day on either one of these properties, I take a little time out for myself and escape for a few hours of "me" time, which usually entails a nap or a check of email or a run to town for needed groceries, animal feed and/or other sundry items.

I have even been able to take a "real" vacation this summer. Have not had one in over 10 years, so this was a big thing for me. (I went to France for 10 days with my sister. The hubs had to stay home and care for the animals).  I wished he could have gone as well, but hiring a farm sitter would have cost more than his plane ticket ...

I am not complaining at all about this rural lifestyle that I have chosen to live, quite the contrary. I am grateful that I have enough energy to do all of these mental and physical things as well as take a much-needed vacation. Many people my age and even younger do not have the energy to do what I do on a daily basis. I am thankful that I am "retired" from Corporate America at the moment and do not have to juggle an "off-the-farm" job as well.

No, complaining would take too much of my precious energy, but gratitude definitely fills the tank back up.

You see, I start my day before the sun comes up - in the arms of gratitude. I end the day after the sun goes down - also in the arms of gratitude. The connection between the two is what makes me ready for each new day. Without one or the other, the days would be much harder to get through.

Maybe tomorrow I will have the energy to get back to writing. If not, I am just grateful that I have the option not to.