I am a renowned “the cup is half full” kind of person. Don’t get me wrong. I can easily slide into a worse case scenario faster than the average non-risk taker. However, in any situation, I can quickly find the bright side. Raining? At least you have an umbrella. Hurt your ankle? At least you don’t need surgery. My husband is more of a realist, and begs at times for me to just wallow with him in his trials for a while. In fact, last week he said to me, “you know at times, your positivity can be annoying’. I love you, too, hon.
I am always looking for the opportunity in any situation to look at it in a different way, a positive light. Being grounded in constant gratitude helps a lot, however, I find that it is easier to be grateful for something when I know that good feeling, amazing experience…won’t last forever.
Our adult son was here with us in Germany over Christmas and knowing that his time was limited with us, we made conscious choices to spend time together each day. Play that new board game. Go explore something new. Take a walk. I feel like we probably spend more quality time with our adult children having them on another continent, because when they are here…we are HERE! We are present and treasuring each moment, because we know that it is not going to last for long.
For Christmas 2022, I gave my husband a simple greeting card with 30 lines written on it and I titled it “Dreißig (30) Deutsche (German) Dates”. I knew that he wanted nothing tangible for Christmas. He needed ‘no thing’. What he needed though, was time with me, time together as husband and wife. And I recognized that our time as expats in Germany was going to be over before we knew it.
I told him that I was going to take him on 30 Deutsche Dates in the coming year, doing something that we have never done before or ever gone to. He would be surprised with each one. Some might cost money – some might be totally free. But they would make sure that we experienced amazing things that were in our area, and more importantly, ensured that we spent time together as spouses.
All of the 30 Deutsche Dates in 2023 did not fully happen (I think I was somewhere around 25), however, that was one of the best decisions I could have made last year. This opened my eyes to look for opportunities for us to get out in our little world and to do that, together. So for Christmas this year, I gave him another card, where we can record this year’s “Ditto Dates”. A Ditto date in our world might be something totally new (we are in Year 2 of Deutsche Dates)…or it might be a fun date that we did last year and want to do again. I am still going to keep looking for the opportunities that are out there, around me, because I know that clock is ticking. I don’t know how long I will be on this earth, but I do know that as an expat, you don’t live anywhere too long.
Things get clearer when your endpoint is almost visible.
So what is the biggest tourist attraction within 60 minutes of your house? Have you been there? Is there somewhere locally that you have always wanted to see or do? Many people will say that they never see the incredible and unique things that are right under their noses. We think…’life is busy’. It’s expensive. We don’t have time. We get in our regular routines and the thought of doing something that we have never seen or done, never comes to our mind. I can assure you, you can find unique experiences right around the corner, for little to no cost at all.
We still do not know how long we will be living here in Germany. But as I enter a new year and realize how fast this special time here is passing, I am encouraging myself to make this my year of “Embracing Opportunities”. We are beyond blessed to be living here and I give thanks to God each day for this rare opportunity. But if you are reading this, that means you are breathing…and that also means we are each blessed to be HERE. Some opportunities around us are easier to see than others. Keep your eyes and ears open. Talk with others. Make a plan and get out and do it. Embrace your opportunities.
The cup really can be overflowing.
Embracing Second Half Wonders 