Today I’m grateful for flexibility. Remaining fluid in life allows a person the ability to sway in the wind, rather than to snap. This has been a challenging week once again, but not letting things get to me and just rolling with the punches has allowed me the ability to not murder people and to also be nicer to my family. I know last week I was kind of terrible to my husband and I’m trying to be better. He’s also been helping more so that I don’t feel under so much pressure. I’m thankful for this too. He loves me and is willing to help me keep my sanity. I like that about him, amongst other things. Being flexible has helped not just at work, but also at home. I could be freaking out because our baby was up 100 times again last night, but I know these times are fleeting and she will be grown before I know it. Instead, I roll with it and get back to sleep as soon as possible after she settles down again. I’m grateful that she usually settles down fairly quickly.
Day 31 and 32- Gratitude Project
So, I was sidetracked yesterday with family and errands yesterday. I missed my post, but I’m making up for it now.
I’m grateful for the ability to run errands. We have a vehicle that works most of the time, even though it’s incredibly finicky. I have a job to pay for the car and it gets me to that job every day. It’s a safe car that keeps my family safe when we’re riding in it and I have to say it’s pretty fun to drive. I love the brand of car we have (Subaru, for those that are wondering), and will not likely own a different brand. I trust them with not only my life, but also the lives of my friends and family; my most precious cargo.
I’ve got the time to devote to things other than work, such as spending time with family and friends, because I only work one job at the moment. I use this “spare time” to run errands, like grocery shopping and taking pets to the vet. I’m grateful for this ability.
I’m also thankful for the fact that my husband is able to stay home with our daughter. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but it needs to be mentioned again. Last night was very challenging sleeping. She woke up every 30-60 minutes from about 9pm until 6am. I was up with her during those hours so she could get the attention she obviously craved from me. But the highlights of my day are getting phone calls from my husband on speakerphone, with her cooing and chattering on his lap. They call me when she wakes up in the mornings, and often when she gets up from her naps. It makes my day. If she were in daycare, not only would she be being raised by strangers, but I wouldn’t get to “talk” to her several times a day. I’m grateful for these moments, since she is growing up so fast, this time is fleeting. I’m also grateful for the cost savings of him being home and in school, rather than trying to eke out a living while paying the outrageous costs of childcare. I’m grateful for his willingness to be a stay-at-home-dad/ student.
My heart is full today, as is my caffeine level. I’m grateful and so very fortunate to live this challenging, fantastic life.
Day 20- Gratitude Project (halfway there!)
Gratitude is a funny thing. Either you can embrace it in its pure form, or you can resist it. I’ve been battling gratitude in certain situations recently, but I’ve decided that I need to embrace it more fully. So, I guess in a way, I’m grateful for the lessons that gratitude has shown me. For instance, I’ve been so overcome with gratitude and truly humbled since I started writing my thankfulness yet, I’ve been partially blind to other areas that I could embrace in my gratitude.
This culminates in the fact that I’m grateful for the women who have come before me. Their struggles have paved the way for many of the things that I take for granted. I am able to wear pants, for example. I can go in public without an escort, and I can vote, should I choose to. However, at the same time, I’m an idealist. I want things to be right; I want the world around me to be a just place, and I seem to be more and more disappointed at this lack of righteousness and justice. That doesn’t take away my gratitude, but I am also not choosing to shine a light on the parts of things that aren’t perfect, that I am grateful for. Please note that this will be my only “political” post during my gratitude project.
In the spirit of true gratitude, I am eternally grateful (while also incredibly sad) for Bernie Sanders and his unwavering commitment to public service. He has not faltered in his convictions or changed his ideals for anyone or any amount of money. He has not caved to the immense pressure in decades. It has likely strengthened his resolve. I would literally walk through fire if it ensured his presidency. I truly believe that he is the only politician worth my vote that has come along in my lifetime. I am truly grateful for his lifetime of challenging the status quo and his ability to unite people. I’m truly saddened and have been experiencing a period of mourning that he is not the Democratic Nominee.
However, I am also grateful for the fact that Hilary (although, I’m not a huge fan of her) has achieved something no other woman has in our country. I am grateful for her dedication to not wavering or allowing politics to remain “a man’s game”. She may not be the person I want, she has overcome many obstacles and has worked her way to this perch. That has not gone unnoticed by me, even though I have been upset about the results. She knows how to play the game and has achieved a lot. She cannot be bashed for that, not that I’m bashing anyone.
I’m grateful that we are able to have civil discourse, and that we have relatively free elections. There are things that could be better, and I wish they were, but I’m grateful that I do not live in another country in which I do not have these same freedoms. American is FAR from perfect for an idealist like me, but I am grateful that I live her compared to many other places.
I’m not sure what I will do in November, and I’m likely to take more time to decide. But I’m grateful for Bernie, and for what Hilary has achieved. Perhaps this is a start to more women being in politics and changing the face of American governance. We certainly cannot keep going this same path.
Day 19- Gratitude Project
Today, I’m thankful for writing. I love writing and have several projects going on that involve writing. When I was in college, I hated much of the writing and after many years of school, I all but lost my love for it. I really wanted nothing to do with writing and I felt lost for a very long time. I feel lost when I stray from my love of writing. I love thinking and expressing using the written word. I even love writing by hand, even though we do so little of it these days.
Writing also makes me feel better. Even if I’m not writing about what has got me down, the simple act of expression oneself soothes me. I don’t do nearly as much of it as I’d like, but I’m working on that. I someday aspire to do it for a living, though, I feel like it could dampen my gratitude for writing if I’m doing it for money. But I feel like I can still love it, if I’m doing the writing I want to do. Writing term papers sucks the love right out of me. But writing about observations, thoughts, feelings, joys, sorrows… THAT inspires me.
So I’m not just thankful for the act of writing, but the feelings I get from it, and after it. I am also grateful for the inspiration that sparks my desire to write. I’m thankful for the words in my head, aching to come out, like a composer orchestrating a symphony. I love words and their meanings. I used to read the dictionary as a kid. True story. And I strove to learn new words, and to use them whenever possible.
I will not likely author the next great novel, but someday I would like to write a memoir, about a previous life I once had. But in the meantime, I’ll write my memoir as it goes. Even though it is a far cry from what it was even just a few years ago, I have a blessed life and a desire to share not only my life experiences, but the words scrambling in my head about it.
Day 15- Gratitude Project
This week has been a struggle emotionally, mentally, and physically. Honestly, I am most grateful that today is Friday and I have the weekend with my family. I’m glad that I’m fortunate enough to work a job in which I have two days off together and they are the weekend. Many people do not have weekends off or both weekend days off. I acknowledge the struggle with that. Not having two days off together sucks, and I feel for those that do work weekends, when they’d rather not. Since my husband is a student and stay-at-home-dad, weekends are not critical for us to have off together, but I enjoy having the same days off as most of my friends and family. We can all spend time together, which we often do. I’m grateful for this time we share on the weekends. Being able to stay up a little later and thinking about sleeping in a little (which basically doesn’t happen for parents of small children) are also good parts to weekends that I’m thankful for. I’m glad that I get a break from my daily work routine and I’m so fortunate to spend the weekends with my baby and husband. Today I’m thankful it’s Friday and the weekend is about to begin.
