Today I was reminded of something I had recently lost sight of, something that used to be one of the highlights of my day but had fallen into the ever-widening crack between the most immediate demands of life and the most implicit delights of life. Today I checked in with an internet friend and was reminded that an attitude of gratitude can change everything. It's as simple as setting aside a few minutes every evening to look back on the day and list a few things that brought me a smile, a giggle, a sense of hope for the future – those few moments of reflection do far more to ease me into quiet and restful slumber than a hot cup of chamomile tea and a chocolate chip cookie.
Here are a few highlights from tonight's gratitude journal entry: Today I received an email that granted a request I hadn’t even had the heart to make. Today I read about Booker T. Washington with my children, and we all marveled at his tenacity and courage. Today my daughter helped me make dinner: sauteed shrimp and scallops on a bed of brown rice and spinach salad; even the pickiest eater in the family had seconds. Today I drank my favorite loose leaf tea in my favorite green mug; both the tea and the mug were given to me as gifts from a dear friend for no particular reason other than that she saw them and thought of me. My thoughts savored our friendship with each sip of the tea. Tonight I went to the first session of a writing class that is made up of ten remarkably funny, thoughtful, talented writers, an outrageously enthusiastic and encouraging teacher – and me. Very soon I will crawl into my phenomenally comfortable bed, sleep deeply, dream vividly, and awaken to yet another day when I get to choose joy, choose peace, and choose between four varieties of organic, high fiber, high protein breakfast cereal that Steve and I picked out last night at the brand new health food store just a few blocks from our home.
Thank you, Leonie (www.leonielife.com/journal), for reminding me that gratitude trumps grousing, groaning, and grumbling my way through the day every time.
Who needs Tylenol PM when I can fall asleep counting my many blessings?
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