GRATITUDE

 Gratitude. I want to speak of gratitude.  A few months after the pandemic started I began a gratitude journal. It is different than a diary or a journal where you write in what you did that day or what your dreams or wishes are. At least my gratitude journal is. 

Every night I open my journal and I write at least three things that I am grateful for. I try to not just write one word like "air" but have it be meaningful for the day. An example would be "I am grateful for Suzie calling me to ask how I am feeling." I don't actual write the "I am grateful for" part at each item. I write it at the top of each day. 

I find that it helps me feel gratitude for the things in my day. People who call to see if I am still okay. My dog Lucky being in my life and giving me such entertainment. My dog walker taking Lucky three times a week so I can run the Roomba. A beautiful sunny day so I can go take a walk. A wonderful rainy day since we need the water. The nice customer service person who made me smile. A lovely postcard from a friend. It is so easy to find things to be grateful for. 

Today I swept up the leaves in my backyard. It was covered in leaves and tomorrow we are expecting a giant storm. If you didn't know, leaves on slate become slippery when it rains. Then if they sit on the slate they decompose on the slate and make it slimy with the mold. I am trying to avoid this by gathering up the leaves. I know the storm will make the rest of the leaves fall but at least the 2" of leaves that were there are gone. I was going to try and use the leaf blower I got from a relative but I decided to sweep and pick them up instead. Afterward I took a nice long bath to soak my aching joints. I did secretly want to jump in the pile of leaves but then I would have to sweep them in a pile again and I was too sore to do that.

I am working on a secret Christmas project. So far it is going along well. I hope it all works out. I have been thinking about it and planning it for months.

Until tomorrow...