Life is Sweet

I had a couple of texts yesterday from friends asking if I was still alive! Apparently the radio had reported that "the body of a woman in her forties from Bradwell, Hope Valley had been taken from the river near Hope where she had been walking her 2 dogs"! From that description it really could have been me so I'm pleased that they cared enough to check up on me! And also that it was NOT me.

I know the unfortunate woman in question a little from our local pub and it is very sad for her family and friends. We don't know the circumstances of how she met her end as yet but what is indisputable is that life as we know it can be snatched away from us or changed dramatically without any notice. Although I doubt I would have risked my life near a surging river, I know how much I love my dogs. Could I have left them in trouble? Might I have absentmindedly wandered too close and slipped in?

So, the cliched response to a needless death is to vow to make the most of every day and appreciate how lucky we are. But I also think we should ACTIVELY take care of ourselves, both physically and mentally. Make an EFFORT to be happy. Address problems when they arise. Think about one's actions. Be mindful. Because wasting our lives by sleep-walking through them is almost as much of a tragedy as accidents which happen to us either through no fault of our own or through lack of care.

Because I'm now in a good place diet and exercise wise I feel much more alive and connected to the world. I loved every minute of my morning walk up the field today despite the fact that it was cold, grey and wet. (I was also pleased with how well having my morning walk clothes and wellies out ready worked - there was no chimp resistance at all to leaving the house at 6.45am!) A few weeks ago I would have been having a few extra minutes tossing and turning in bed instead which is nowhere near as good.

I notice that I've hardly read a word of my book for over a week now. This is partly because it's not very good but more because I have better things to do than hiding myself away in a book. I'm blogging more, exercising more, taking more photos, contacting my family and pals more, cooking more, just living more.

I'm back out of my latest mini-fog and "plugged-in" again. And life is even sweeter now than it was a few weeks ago (even without the icecreams and biscuits!).