The Dandelion Has My Smile

I have had A LOT of stress in my life the past couple of weeks. Things happened which have triggered my anxiety big time and I am now completely focused on finding ways to make my life less anxiety ridden. I am working hard towards finding the balance I need. Thank God I'm not the obsessive sort :-)

I am reading the book Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh and tonight's reading was titled "The Dandelion Has My Smile."  He writes of being with a friend who has lost their smile, but knows that it is being held by a dandelion until they can find it again. It ends by saying

You only need to breathe consciously one or two times and you will recover your smile. The dandelion is one member of your community of friends. It is there, quite faithful, keeping your smile for you. 
In fact, everything around you is keeping your smile for you. You don't need to feel isolated. You only have to open yourself to the support that is all around you, and in you. Like the friend who saw that her smile was being kept by the dandelion, you can breathe in awareness, and your smile will return. 

I so often forget that I *do* have a support system and that if I keep myself open they will be there for me. Before I have wanted to go hide and lick my wounds and only reappear when I am stronger. This time I am trying to be so much better about opening to the support around me and breathing in the smiles.

Considering the shit storm that was going on around me I remained much calmer than I normally would have. Something is working. I need to keep on truckin'!!!!