Last week I posted about what I learned living in Seattle, and today I want to share one of the reasons I love this state. Some of the most amazing stories happen here. I may not always share everything (due to the fact that I don’t always remember to) but I just HAVE to share this one. It’s ok to cry when you watch, I did…
Here is the response from Kelly Clarkson
You can find the full article on it from the local news website here.
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Many times in life we are faced with events that can cripple us with grief, make us leap for joy with happiness or even make us just sit quietly in awe.
Just one month shy of a year, we returned to New York last week to see my husband’s uncle who had a stroke last year. I do not wish to go into details on everything but it took everyone by surprise considering moments before it happened he was laughing heartily with his mother on the phone and making plans with her.
Since that trip, I have been offering him up in prayer that he may beat all of the odds against him. If you know someone who has had a stroke, you know that doctors aren’t always positive in their diagnoses. Well praise be to God! A year later he is able to acknowledge our presence and answer our questions with a nod or shake, smirk at jokes and scratch an itch.
Things like this renew faith, give us hope for better days to come and give us an opportunity to know that anything is possible in life – positive and negative. God works in mysterious ways and whether or not you believe there is a God, it’s events like these that make you acknowledge that there is a force out there greater than us, putting things into action.
We are human, and when in pain we cry out asking for questions, not looking at what led to such events or even what God may be saving us from. Patience is key. Patience and silence are golden. Reflect on life, always give thanks for what you have before begging for more. We have the power to make our own decisions, but ultimately He has the power to put his into place.
Life is precious. Let those you love know how much they mean to you. Be kind to those you don’t know. Don’t hold on to grudges and make yourself sick in the process. If you can’t forget, forgive and move on – let God handle it. Yes we are human, but we have to rise above negative influences and be more positive. Life always gives us lemons but make sure the next glass of lemonade is better than the last.
xx
Technically I live in Bellevue but it’s still “part” of Seattle. Anyway, as I was driving on the road recently I was observing the weather which led to me consider writing the post. So here are a few things I’ve learned while living in Seattle since 2009.
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Weather
Compared to what I grew up knowing as rain, Seattle has more of a mist than actual rain. And it’s annoying. You keep getting this feeling like will it just rain and stop? It’s sooo annoying to have this “heavy mist” building up on your face. To light for an umbrella but heavy enough to need a hood. Sometimes, you can still wear sandals in it. Yes it’s weird like that. However, despite the more gloomy than sunny days, I have grown extremely appreciative of the sun as well as sensitive. I grew up in the sun and now if I stay out in it too long (even if it isn’t hot) my skin gets really sensitive to the touch. I’m trying to be consistent with taking my Vitamin D, because Lord knows I don’t get enough of it naturally. I’m learning to live with the cold and found out layering is key. I haven’t perfected layering to deal with the weather but I’m getting there.
Driving
NEVER blow your horn… never. For you will be wrong. Yes! YOU will be wrong if you toot your horn at someone who’s been sitting still at the green light. You will be wrong for doing it to someone who put on their signal while changing over to your lane. You just don’t blow your horn here. If you do, you’re a foreigner. I’ve somewhat adapted though, I count to 10 first then blow the horn if you haven’t move so, technically, I gave you a chance.
Lifestyle
People here are very zen, there isn’t much of a rush (except during Christmas). This also relates to the driving it seems. People are very laid back and it’s not about “look at me!” – you have every right to express yourself as you see fit. If there is a lot of plastic surgery I don’t see it and feel free to carry any designer label while looking like you just got out of bed, don’t make any effort to say I showered. It’s hard to get dressed up around here. It would have to be for a occasion or Saturday night. Women here don’t do heavy make-up unless they work at a make-up counter or that’s how they express themselves, but the majority doesn’t.
One of the places I encounter this “I live in a bubble” attitude is at the gas station I go to, where people are intent on getting to a certain pump and have no regard for the fact that they are blocking the road. They’re basically saying “you need to find a way around me as I’m not moving because I’m next”. Now honestly, the gas station isn’t the only thing there, you have a supermarket and mini strip mall, we just want to pass and obviously that’s hard with traffic coming down and you sticking out in the road just because you have to be next in line! I encounter some of the most selfish drivers on this road daily and it’s scary more than anything. I truly believe that a lot of people live in bubbles and only see themselves on the road. For that reason, I try not be on the road close to lunch time as traffic increases and these hungry people need to dash out for lunch and get back to the office within an hour and here you see the extremes – the crazy drivers and the ones who aren’t in a rush and drive well below the speed limit. I play music… it’s the only thing that helps my road rage. I’ll end that there 😛
Outdoors
Now Washington is known as the “evergreen state”. I am truly thankful that it’s here my husband ended up working. Despite the gloominess 300 out of 365 days, the atmosphere is one that relaxes you. I have been able to think and write more on the days I just stare outside at the mist. However, I am NOT an outdoor person and this is one of the activities a lot of Washingtonians take part in. I have considered getting a bike, but it’s not sunny enough and I won’t be riding in the mist and cold. I also have a fear of grasses touching me because when I was younger we used to go hiking around Barbados and I broke out into a rash or just itch like crazy after going through some grass areas, so I prefer to just stay away from it. And I don’t like bugs or wildlife unless there is a cage or glass or wire separating us. So outdoors just isn’t for me but I adore the greenery around this place.
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On a serious note, God knows what he’s doing when he puts us in certain places outside of what we’ve known to be our way of life for a while. Being so far away from family and friends has made me more thankful for them and also to know who my true friends are and strengthened a bond between my husband and myself. We only have each other up here and it’s been interesting growing in our marriage without the interference of family and others. If we had to pick up and go I’ll be happy wherever we go once it’s not colder than here knowing that this adventure of life can only get better with every challenge we face, and we can only grow wiser with time.
xx
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Just a Dash 