Look up!
/Derek Walter, Co-found and Executive Director of Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary, shares some thoughts about sanctuary life.
Every day is a holiday!
The sight of the moon plays a monumental closure to my day. It means I’m still alive and able to make plans for tomorrow (which is never guaranteed). And if I can’t see it, I know I know it’s there somewhere trying its best to shine through. I use the personal mantra, “Every day is a holiday” — a lot! The amount of times that I say it aloud is squashed by the amount of times I say it in my head, but I really believe it, and have lived it for quite some time.
I celebrate (nearly) every day. Gratitude runs wild in my head, and when I seize the moment, I put actual pen to paper and send out some handwritten appreciation.
Thankfully, I have my sanity (still) and I don’t write notes to inanimate objects. But here’s the kick, if ever a day isn’t going the best, I shift my focus from what’s going wrong, to what’s going right —and that could include inanimate things. When you realize how easy it is to shift the day into a holiday, you will wonder why you weren’t thinking that “Every day is a holiday” sooner.
You have to take care of yourself. No one knows you better than you. Managing the self-chatter in your head is critical to celebrating ‘Every day is a holiday.” You can go on thinking about all the things you don’t have control of, (and there are a lot of distractions to make our minds sick) or you can celebrate everything that makes you resonate with joyfulness. And I really do mean everything! Here at the farm there is so much to be overjoyed with. The residents all have their stories of reintegration into life—-and when time, into death. (Death is a harder one to celebrate, as it takes time to find the silver lining in a departure.) Memories are points to be celebrated. They are little gifts that you can open anytime. And who doesn’t like gifts? You can unpack them whenever you want. Call me crazy.
Celebrate today——it’s a holiday, you know!
