There’s nothing like a gathering of any kind—family, school, business, whatever— to launch me into that terrible habit of comparison. My own 50th high school (all-girl, Catholic) reunion was just a few months ago, and for a while, just the idea of attending filled me with dread. In retrospect, it was silly for me to waste so much energy on something so inconsequential, but I could not help thinking of myself as an outsider, as well as an outlier, and therefore didn’t belong.
Unlike the majority of my classmates, I left ”home” more than 40 years ago, opting to live life on the fly, unconventionally for the most part, first on a boat, then an RV. Even still, at the age of 68, my home is on wheels. And sometimes I even compare that to those of my neighbors. I really have to be careful of my nemesis.
When I acknowledge what is, instead of what isn’t, I realize how much I have to be grateful for. I’m outside in the fresh air every single day, soaking up sunshine—walking, bicycling, even kayaking. My health is great. I get to meet people from all walks of life. Fall foliage is gradually unveiling exquisite beauty all around me, and I’m blessed to be right in the thick of it. When it comes to my quality of life, there is no comparison.
Go your way…for the joy of the Lord is your strength. -Nehemiah 8:10
