Yesterday

Yesterday was a beautiful day to be out.  I personally do not like to be out that often, but I actually was out in the yard.  And no, I was not outside for picnic or frolicking among the fallen leaves.  I was racking up a whole bunch of eaves and dried leaves, stirring up the small dust storm off the dry dirt.

I often think about my days in the evergreen tropical land, Malaysia.  There is hardly that many leaves I had to rake or sweep.  Nor were there any snow days where I have to shovel, or grass that grew the minute I mowed them down in the spring.  Days in Malaysia were rather easy, if I think about it.

As I aged, I often think about life.  Some people had a hard life, while others not.  But then again.  I believed, whether it is hard or not is a matter of relativity.  I knew someone who often claimed their life is miserable, but that person had three meals and a place to sleep everyday.  Yet, I knew someone who barely had a meal in a day nor a place to live, yet, not a single whisper about such unfortunate circumstances.  I asked, "Are you not angry about the way your life turned out?"  The respond:  "Life is a choice."

Yesterday, I was raking for almost three hours.  It got me thinking.  I probably should just have a picnic and frolic with the fallen leaves, because I have a yard to do so.  Yes, I at least have a big yard to do so.  As I was complaining about why there were so many eaves and leaves, I was glad that my yard is an open nature with lots of trees and animals.  I even found a beautiful pine cone that fell from one of the pine trees.  It is the most beautiful pine cone I have seen so far.  And believe me, I have tonnes of pine trees in my yard.  This pine cone is so big---bigger than my palm, and still green on the edges.  At the bottom by the stem, there is still fresh sap on it.  When I saw it, I thought it was so magical.  It was then, my tiredness from raking was relieved a little.  It put a smile on my face.

I shouldn't be too greedy.  That's what yesterday had taught me.  I have a big yard with lots of pine trees, crab apple tree, maple tree, tri-color beech tree and cherry blossom tree among others.  So, why should I cry about raking the eaves and leaves.  I should be frolicking around them or having a picnic under the shades.  My backyard is an open nature.  I don't even need to go elsewhere to enjoy such natural beauty.  I am actually very lucky.