The Best Things

One of the greatest cards I've ever received was from my friend, Kristen, after she and her husband visited us in Chicago last year. I still have it hanging on my fridge. The front says "The best things in life aren't things" and it has all these little squares full of pictures of "things" - tea kettles, tvs, whirly gigs, stars, robots, glasses, rockets etc. The inside reads, "They're people like you." I loved it so much because it is SO TRUE! The best things in life aren't things at all. They aren't dollar bills, houses, ipods, stereos, cars or even round-trip tickets to anywhere in the world. The best things in life are in front of us every day, and so taken for granted.

Today Dave and I left to go to work and our car was gone. It's gone. It was stolen from the corner of Ravenswood and Sunnyside. Prior to that we had been rushing around, running late as usual, hoping to grab a quick coffee before making our way to work. Neither of us was in a very good mood. We're not morning people. We quickly learned that the car was gone, couldn't get a real person on the phone in the police department, so we walked to our favorite local coffee joint, Beans & Bagels, for a cup of iced joe and a muffin. There is nothing like excellent coffee when things aren't quite right! After that we dug our bikes out of storage, aired up the tires and rode to the nearest police station to report the missing car. I have to say it was one of the more pleasant encounters I've had with police. They let us park our bikes in the station because only one of us had a lock, and we were helped right away. The whole process took about fifteen minutes and then we were on our way. Both of us rode to work on what had to be one of the most beautiful days of the Spring so far.

I got to work feeling refreshed and grateful for my bike. I was reminded once again as I am every time I walk through the doors at my work that more important things are to be attended to. Their names are Poplo, Volara, Shady, Lincolnetta, Brando, Boo Boo Kitty, Marmot, Rumor, Jessika, Humdinger, Kong, Sweet & Sour, Matteo, Billie, Hayden, Ingrid, Heloise, El Camino, Tangerine and Panda, to name a few. There are quite a few others that are out on the streets, injured, diseased, and starving, and can be helped if people donate money to places like no-kill shelters. The thing is that I LOVE being a part of that process. I love that so much more than worrying about how I'm going to pay for another car.

Dave and I both enjoyed how we felt after riding our bikes to work today. We love the fact that even though we lost our car we have each other and the animals, and we are so lucky. I'm grateful that the car is gone. It guzzled gas and needed expensive work. It gives Dave and I the freedom to exercise more, which we've desperately needed to do. It makes life a little less easy, which in turn makes us more grounded in the present and mindful about what is needed in the future.

So car or no car life is good, and I couldn't be happier right now. I got an A- on my massage final this evening, and Elias gave each one of us a small rose quartz heart as a gift. I'm currently soaking mine in salt water to rid it of other people's "woo woo germs" so that the energy I receive from it is pure. Tomorrow I'll hold it in my palm and remind myself once again of all that is really important to me, and quiety let go of all the things that aren't.