The Peppy Writes Chronicles

A Journey through life with ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease) and Breast Cancer

A Journey through life with ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease) and Breast Cancer

Do You Own Each Day Or Does It Own You?

July 1, 2015 by Peppy

It happens every morning. As I look toward the window for any hint of the weather outside, I am thinking how glad I am to have another day. A fresh new day. Yesterdays angst, mess-ups, lost moments, etc. can be, and should be, left in yesterday. The day is stretched out in front of me and that is where I want to keep my focus – out front, ahead of each step – and I have, finally learned to do just that because … I now own each day.

Shirking ownership through attitude.

There was a time that something as innocuous as the weather could impact my day. Summer has always been my favorite season and I thoroughly enjoyed all the outdoor activities that it allowed. If I woke to anything but sunshine it was not out of the norm for me to question the point in getting out of bed. Well, okay, perhaps I didn’t take it to that extreme, however, because of the way it affected my attitude I may as well just stayed in bed.

Growing up, I would race through my chores so I could get outside and play with my friends – bike riding, jump rope, climbing trees and swimming, most of all, I loved swimming. If it was a pool day and there was even a hint of a cloud hovering in the sky my heart would plummet and take my mood right along with it.

So, from a young age I, basically, taught myself to allow outside factors, uncontrollable ones at that, the power to wield influence or outright control over the way I approached each day. Over the years it was clear I was shrugging off any sense of responsibility for my disposition when facing a new day. It was a habit developed as a kid placing all my hopes on sunny weather so I could hit the pool, beach, lake – whatever the swim plans were for the day. Ironic, huh? To love the water yet feel grouchy over rain. I looked at everything around me for the happy-feel-good feelings; hey, I wasn’t about to take responsibility for my mood.

Taking the bull by the horns

I remember a conversation with my mother towards the end of her battle with metastatic breast cancer. She had come to some realizations about her life and expressed a sadness, well, actually it was more of a frustration mixed with anger towards herself. I can still see the look on her face as she said “now it’s too late.” It left me wondering why it is we tend to seek and make all sorts of positive changes in our lives only when it becomes too late.

After mom died I had a renewed desire to take a hard look at myself – it was time to take the bull by the horns. I wasn’t really sure if that bull was representative of me or of my life. Actually, it ended up being both … working on my attitude spilled over into my life and I finally started, slowly but surely, taking responsibility for everything and anything to do with my life.

Even though I was a scheduled person (thanks to the German in me I was forever making lists) I would still allow all the unforeseen elements that tend to crop up on any given day the control to drive the day in any old direction. Combined with the part of me that stuck to schedules and, well, it was a recipe for stressful days and something had to change. Yes, bring on the bull, grab the horns, and hmm, now that I have it what do I do with it?

Control it. Own it. Be responsible for it. Put on my big girl, er, shorts and grow up. Or, as the song goes, ROAR. Whatever the step taken, I just needed to take a step … and that led me to ask myself another question.

Do you live life or does life live you?

Go ahead, read that sentence over again. And again. Don’t feel bad if you’re scratching your head – I can still see my husbands expression when I asked him that question. It’s a twist on the oft used cliché “Get busy living or get busy dying”. If I was going to accept full responsibility for my happiness, for what I would and would not allow in my life – and stop being a doormat – it was time to take ownership of each and every day.

Embrace the day … No matter what it brings!

I knew I had turned the proverbial corner when I looked out the window one dismal, windy, damp spring afternoon and there was a song in my heart … okay, so that part about the song isn’t only sappy but something I made up. However, I was in a good mood. I was thinking about this, that, and the other – everything but how horrible my day, my life, surely would be because of such terrible weather.

The point is, I wasn’t allowing something in my environment to shape, influence, warp, dampen my mood. As the days rolled into weeks then months, it became easier to embrace the day, each and every day, looking at it as a new start.

This may sound a bit trite but every morning really is a gift. Every morning is a try–again opportunity with the day stretched out in front of me … ah, yes, but then, I don’t need to go into all that since that is where this whole conversation began.

I don’t want to give the impression that each and every day is an exercise in euphoria. It wasn’t, and isn’t, easy for me to always remember my own culpability for each day … and there are definitely days where I want to pull the covers over my head and hide from the world. But, overall, I think I can honestly say I have taken or rather, perhaps I should say accepted, ownership for each day.

What about you? Do you own each day or does it own you?

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Comments

  1. stephanie carter says

    July 4, 2015 at 5:54 pm

    Yay!! Peppy is back to blogging! Kurt and I just mentioned the other day that we hadn’t seen a post from you in a while. Your posts are so deep and insightful – makes you really think about yourself. Keep them coming!

    • Peppy says

      July 4, 2015 at 11:07 pm

      Hello Steph!

      Aw, what a lovely thing to say – that really touches me and I thank you so very much! I am going to try to set up a “doable” writing/posting schedule. Thanks, again, for your comment, I’m still smiling.

      Peppy

  2. Carolyn says

    July 4, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    I think all of us need to apply what u said here and to own each day! I certainly know I do. Reading this I could see the balance of doing so and how much richer ones life can be. You are always an inspiration to me and I love you tons!!! Even as an adult you loved to climb trees. I remember several times having to help you out of our apple tree! ????

    • Peppy says

      July 4, 2015 at 10:48 pm

      Oh my, the apple tree! I loved that tree and those fabulous apples, mmmm! Thank you for your comment and your support – you have been there for me throughout my life!

      love you, my dear sister,

      Peppy

  3. Cy says

    July 9, 2015 at 8:40 am

    Another hearty “thank you!” for pulling your readers back towards centering ideas and benefical thinking . . . away from teetering edges of unproductive focus and/or efforts.

    Hope the digital connectivity issues melt away with our record rainfalls, and you enjoy the gifts we get each summer!

    – from the cell block (ah?)

    • Peppy says

      July 13, 2015 at 12:27 am

      Hello Cy,

      You have been an example for me regarding the importance and benefits in acquiring (and utilizing) a command of the English language – thus I have always felt your subscribing to my blog a compliment! Ahem, possible nepotism aside. 🙂 It means a lot when you leave a comment, Cy, and I appreciate it very much!

      Have a great day.

      Peppy

  4. Monica says

    July 9, 2015 at 2:03 pm

    Well done Peppy! I remember discussing this subject with you and feeling deeply appreciative of your outlook. Life is what you make of it and each day is an opportunity to make something good! Thanks for reminding me of that (especially today since it’s dreary and raining 🙂 Love you!

    • Peppy says

      July 13, 2015 at 12:38 am

      Hello Monica,

      That conversation is what helped fuel my thoughts until everything fell into place. You have been/are an incredible inspiration – regardless of what you must endure, you see such beauty in each day! Thank you for stopping in and sharing such a lovely comment.

      Love you, my friend!

      Peppy

  5. janet says

    July 15, 2015 at 2:20 pm

    The apple tree???

    You are truly amazing.

    • Peppy says

      July 17, 2015 at 1:17 am

      Hello Janet,

      Thank you for your comment(!) though I think most would agree that when it comes to being “amazing” you set the bar. You have gone through so much since the motorcycle accident – you not only “own each day” … you rock it!

      Peppy

  6. Tracy says

    September 10, 2015 at 4:11 am

    Dear Pep,

    Not surprising coming from you, a beautiful and introspective look at how we view life. Thank you for helping us all see that no matter what we face, we have a choice. We can choose to focus on the blessings or the pain. It is not always easy, but it is well worth the effort – both for our own well being and that of those we love. Thank you dear Peppy!

    Love Tracy

    • Peppy says

      September 13, 2015 at 8:56 pm

      Hello Tracy!

      You always touch my heart with the beautiful way you express your thoughts/feelings. Your example through the years is one that I consider a true gift – Tracy, your approach to life and the value you place on family and friends left an imprint and I thank you, dear friend!

      Always,

      Peppy

  7. Tom Bowen says

    May 26, 2016 at 3:05 pm

    I agree. Every day is a gift and a do-over. Some of us need them more than others. Love the way you put things, Peppy. What an inspiration you and your words are. I have often ruminated on the fact that we are created to sleep 8 hours out of each 24 so we can erase, erase, erase, and begin again. The earth rotates and revolves around the sun to give us new beginnings every day, month and year. Great blog. Thanks for sharing.

About Me

Hello! My name is Sandra - though I go by the nickname I was given as a toddler, Peppy. According to my mother, the name came about because the … Read more

Archives

Subscribe

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Recent Posts

  • Unspoken Life
  • The Write Side of Brooklyn
  • Getting Eye Level with Age(ism)
  • Why We Blog
  • Feeling Comfortable in Your Own Skin

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Copyright © 2021 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in