Gratitude: Fresh Air

 

Breathing easy is not something to take for granted. There are places around the world with significant air pollution levels, and they cannot see the stars at night because it is so bad. Granted, many places with air pollution issues also have light pollution at play, but I digress. The fact remains that it is a blessing to have fresh air to breathe. The rain, snow, and even wind that helps keep the air clear throughout the year are blessings, and I am thankful for each day that I can be outside and breathe easy. 

Gratitude: Sunshine

 

Autumn is my favorite season with Winter being a pretty close second, but I am always thankful for those warming rays of sunshine that break through clouds on an autumn day or the full sun in a bright, fresh sky in winter. The sun shining in these seasons feels more welcoming than the blazing sun of summertime. It feels like hope and happiness. I am grateful for the sunny days that surprise and delight us when the temperature outside is telling us to stay inside. 

Gratitude: My Dad

I saw a meme on Facebook today that got me remembering a really random but wonderful memory about my dad, and so I want to share my thoughts about it:  

My dad used to catch me when walking by or sitting talking together and give me hug and a little cash every once in awhile when I was a teenager, anything from a couple bucks to a twenty. It always hit on days when I was broke and needed gas money or wanted to do a 7-Eleven run but had no cash. Gas cost around a dollar per gallon when I first was driving, so two or three dollars meant a lot. He grew up very poor, even destitute at times, and I am pretty sure that was his motivation to do this.

Another instance of this wasn’t when I was sad but getting ready to head down the aisle to get married. He asked if I was ready, gave me a hug, and slipped me $500. I had nowhere to put it, so I tucked it into the top of my dress, then he opened the door, and we entered the chapel. What a great memory even if things didn’t turn out.

I love my dad so much for all the ways he lifted and blessed us as a family. It has been twenty years this month since he joined my mom in Paradise, so remembering special little moments like this make me even more grateful for having a dad who tried so hard to get life right.

Gratitude: Support

 

I am thankful for all the people who see the world I am in and know to reach in from time to time. I do not need to feel seen very often, but when I do need it, somehow, people can feel it and they come to my aid and support. I rarely need to ask, and so it feels miraculous, and I point to God and His love for me that shows through the people He has put into my life to help me. What a blessing to have so many people who care. I know not everyone who needs it has support, so I am exceedingly grateful that I do. I cannot see how I would have made it through today without the supportive people who crossed my way. So thankful. 

Gratitude: Good Pens

 

I don't know about you, but I have always been a sucker for a really good pen. It is not about being an expensive pen but more about how cute, nice, special, or purple the pen is. My favorite type of pen is gel pens, so when my youngest daughter bought me a whole box of purple gel pens for Christmas? or my birthday? about five years ago, I about fell over with happiness. I literally still have one or two of those pens that I use for letter writing or in my journal, but I do save when I use them in order to make them last. Another pen I especially love right now is the purple pen I got at the Tower of London two years ago when I visited England. It is purple, has a purple crown charm, and has Crown Jewels stamped on it in a gold tone font. It has blue ink that writes nice and smooth, so that is great too, but I really wish it had purple ink to match the outer casing. But I digress… I am so thankful for the several pens that I have to write with to match my every mood or whim. It feels luxurious to me!