Suppose you are lolling about in the post Christmas blur that is the days before everything gets back to ‘normal’.  You are considering taking down the tree, eating the last of the chocolates, reflecting on the parties and the presents, thinking about times gone by and looking forward to the New Year.  Minor squabbles, because everyone has been at home together, the change from routine, all conspire to make the start of the year that little bit more irritating than usual. That was my family last week.

In all the time we spend together, how often do we actually appreciate what we have?  How often do we take the mundane, the trivial and the downright ordinariness of life for granted.  I do, all the time.  I have a great life. It is true that with a bit more money and a bit less stress, with a nicer climate and another car, it could be improved, but all in all it is wonderful.  And I have taken it for granted.

Last weekend my gorgeous and wonderful husband discovered that he has a health issue.  Now luckily for our family it is treatable and not going to be the end of him, but, and it is a big but, without good luck it could have been much worse.

Without going into details, because this is not about the health problem or about how good the NHS are (amazing, if you are interested) it is about the feeling you have when someone you love goes into a room with a doctor and no one is smiling.  This has not happened to me in over 30 years, and then it was my dear parents, and both of them lost their battle with illness, way too young.  The feeling is one of fear and of anger.  I found myself wanting to shout at the very stressed and overworked staff who were trying so hard to take care of everyone, I wanted to say, ‘look here, its my husband, he is ill, notice him, now’ and as ever with me when I am scared I seem angry.  It is the lack of power and control, the fear of what might be, the unknown.  How in one second your world can alter forever.  Mine did.  Hubby is home and recovering, but I have changed.  He has always been my rock, the one who looked after me, who cared for us all, handsome, kind, loving and invincible.  Except now I know he isn’t invincible. He is however still handsome and kind which is a bonus.

So I have learned that all the blogs in the world do not matter, whether the decorations stay up or come down doesn’t matter, one car, little cash, cold weather, it doesn’t matter.  What matters is life, and living it to the full, every day in every way.  Grab happiness in every moment, pay attention to family and friends, and embrace the world as it is, do not waste time waiting for something wonderful to happen because something wonderful happens every day, I just didn’t notice it before.