Beautiful day

It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining, birds are singing, a beautiful Carmel day. I went for a walk this morning with my wonderful friend Maria. We had breakfast in town and walked home along the beach. It was gorgeous down there, the water a lovely tourquoise blue. The happiest and luckiest dogs in the state were at the water's edge chasing each other, chasing balls. We are so blessed to be living here in Carmel, paradise.
Tomorrow is the Big Sur Marathon. The finish line is just a couple of blocks from our house. We usually get woken up nice and early by the loud speakers on the day of the race. I went to the grocery store which is right next to the finish line. As I was pulling out of the parking lot, I had this moment, a lightbulb moment, where it occured to me that I only have one arm. "What?" you say. I know, it's so weird. There are times when it just comes to me, this realization that I'm not "normal" that I don't look like everyone else. I look strange, I worry that I could freak out children, people look at me funny. Maybe people have always looked at me in a weird way and I just never noticed:) but it does make me feel self conscience.
Ok, that's it! No more pity party for me. I'm alive, I almost didn't make it. I live in paradise, I have a wonderful family, great friends, and only on occasion do I feel my age. So, be happy. I've chosen happiness and most of the time I succeed in maintaining it. It's just sometimes I lose focus and have to remind myself of all that I have to be grateful for.