Chinese New Year - Your Struggles Have Ended.

For you, the struggle has ended.

I stared at my Chinese fortune cookie’s message. What a weird message. On one hand great, on the other hand scary. Usually when you think of the end of all your struggles, it means there’s a tombstone standing over your head. WTF?

Yes, it’s been a year of struggles. Cancer, bills, the loss of my sweet 14 year old Lhasa Apso, Emma. Tough times added to the normal human challenges that I’ve carried all my life, including being overweight. Suddenly, the promise of the fortune cookie made me smile. I already had been thinking about how lucky I was for all the good things in my life. Now, it seemed fate was agreeing with me. I folded the fortune and put it in my pocket.

Yes, I’m trying to capture happiness. Healthy eating has been something I’ve added to improve my life. I’ve been cutting down on the bad stuff. Salads are now my lunch time fare. In the morning I take Omega-3 and Blue Green Algae pills along with my multi-vitamins. I’ve pretty much given up soda drinks and I am really trying not to drink from plastic. There has been a little weight loss, but not much. Generally, I just feel better. But, don’t kid yourself, I’m still enjoying a wide variety of cuisine. No pressing wheat grass for juice for this gal. Enjoying the foods and culture that come with dining out is one of my favorite pleasures. Thai, Mexican, Italian, Japanese, American BBQ, Chinese – the more authentic, the better.

It’s not just health. My husband and I spend each weekend doing fun things. More sex, travel and simply doing relaxing projects like re-organizing our hundreds of old travel photos. We don’t get hung up on the daily trials of our young adult children – we focus on us. We don’t worry about cleaning the house, we rest in it.

Work has been leveling off for me. After being out sick for so long, I’ve pretty much caught up and now I work normal hours. Overtime is saved for big emergencies. Given the chance to earn a little comp time or spend time at home, I go home.

Born a practical brunette, my hair is now blonde. In my twenties I was a blonde, and I was a red head in my thirties and early forties. But, now I’m blonde again because it captures the theme of my life. Have fun and enjoy it. Don’t take the struggles seriously.

But, the ending of struggles for me? Were they only struggles because I made them so? Or, are my problems going to all be magically solved? Either way, I feel a calm happiness as I fidget with the little strip of fortune in my pocket. Something good is sure to happen and I’ll just ignore the struggle for now.