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I've had a couple people comment on the fact that I'm finding these things to be grateful for. But that's the point of the exercise. With rare exceptions, my gratitude posts are for either things that started that day, or happened the previous day - hence posting in the morning. I try to never delay because I "don't know what to say" but find something to be grateful for. (I do sometimes delay because the baby's diaper needs changing, and I can't do that and type into Twitter at the same time. I also delayed on my birthday because I wanted something birthday-related. In retrospect, I probably should have just been grateful for my birthday the following day.)
I do this because it helps me to take notice of the good things in my life, even if they don't make it into a gratitude post/tweet. They may fade before I have a chance to write them down, but they hopefully do not fade unnoticed. Looking for things to be grateful for helps me keep in mind how blessed I am. This is important when I desperately need a nap and Ian has not slept for more than 45 minutes consecutively in the last five hours - and that only if he's cuddled in my arms - and and and and. I am reminded to take a deep breath, and note that Ian is here, he's healthy if fussy, he loves and trusts me. I have a husband who helps support me, a warm house and plenty of food - my biggest problem at that moment is that my baby is a baby...and actually usually a fairly calm and easily-soothed one at that.
Today, I did something else - I posted a second gratitude entry later in the day: "I am also grateful for the crisp lines of tree branches against the soft grey of the cloudy winter sky."
I was in the parking lot of the store, running errands with Ian along (he slept through most of the errands!), about to go in. And I looked up and the bare branches against the cloudy sky were just *glorious*. I took a photo, but the power lines and cars and all make it unlikely that it will convey the beauty of them - our eyes and minds and hearts are far better at tuning out the irrelevant/unwanted elements than is the camera, alas. And it was the sort of moment I love, when the world is so crisp and precise and purely beautiful. And I was deeply grateful for it and I made note of it to use tomorrow...and then wasn't sure I'd remember by then. Because it was such a glorious moment, yes, but not unique - and what a blessing that such moments aren't unique in my life! - and I wasn't sure it would come to mind as I was tapping out on the phone's keyboard tomorrow morning, "I am grateful for...."
Some things, you don't want to let go that easily. I wanted that one preserved, and so I preserved it. There will be other things to use tomorrow, and now there is a moment that is not lost. Maybe it would not have been either way; but it definitely isn't.
And when I am noticing and capturing moments like that...I think perhaps the attention to my life - that I intended to create by writing out what I am grateful for - is, in fact, being created.
I'm grateful for that, too.
I do this because it helps me to take notice of the good things in my life, even if they don't make it into a gratitude post/tweet. They may fade before I have a chance to write them down, but they hopefully do not fade unnoticed. Looking for things to be grateful for helps me keep in mind how blessed I am. This is important when I desperately need a nap and Ian has not slept for more than 45 minutes consecutively in the last five hours - and that only if he's cuddled in my arms - and and and and. I am reminded to take a deep breath, and note that Ian is here, he's healthy if fussy, he loves and trusts me. I have a husband who helps support me, a warm house and plenty of food - my biggest problem at that moment is that my baby is a baby...and actually usually a fairly calm and easily-soothed one at that.
Today, I did something else - I posted a second gratitude entry later in the day: "I am also grateful for the crisp lines of tree branches against the soft grey of the cloudy winter sky."
I was in the parking lot of the store, running errands with Ian along (he slept through most of the errands!), about to go in. And I looked up and the bare branches against the cloudy sky were just *glorious*. I took a photo, but the power lines and cars and all make it unlikely that it will convey the beauty of them - our eyes and minds and hearts are far better at tuning out the irrelevant/unwanted elements than is the camera, alas. And it was the sort of moment I love, when the world is so crisp and precise and purely beautiful. And I was deeply grateful for it and I made note of it to use tomorrow...and then wasn't sure I'd remember by then. Because it was such a glorious moment, yes, but not unique - and what a blessing that such moments aren't unique in my life! - and I wasn't sure it would come to mind as I was tapping out on the phone's keyboard tomorrow morning, "I am grateful for...."
Some things, you don't want to let go that easily. I wanted that one preserved, and so I preserved it. There will be other things to use tomorrow, and now there is a moment that is not lost. Maybe it would not have been either way; but it definitely isn't.
And when I am noticing and capturing moments like that...I think perhaps the attention to my life - that I intended to create by writing out what I am grateful for - is, in fact, being created.
I'm grateful for that, too.
no subject
THIS!!! I was out for a walk this afternoon and took photos with my camera phone (my good digicam is loaned out at the moment), and I was thinking about how the image so often fails to capture the spirit or sense or feeling...
Today, I am grateful for sledding hills in my neighborhood, people out having fun, and friendly employees at the local grocery store. :-)
no subject
It is a glorious, tree-of-life, tree. Classic branch spread, everything.
And none of the photos capture it, and never will, because there is a freaking power line RIGHT BEHIND. I do not think there is an angle that can capture the tree and not the power line; if there is, it's definitely on private property, but I think the line is too close for the other side to work.
It's beautiful when you see it if you like that sort of thing, because your eyes don't even *register* the lines in that moment, but it's not beautiful to the camera.
Augh.