To say that a lot has transpired over the last few weeks would be a severe understatement of the reality most of us have faced. While it may have been “business as usual” for some, I don’t believe this is the sentiment of the majority.
We have clearly hit a space that I never imagined I’d see in my lifetime, where “crisis-mode” is set on full throttle. There is a food crisis, a safety crisis, a mental health crisis, general health crisis, an employment crisis, and a crisis of faith, all coupled with a world-wide pandemic. Oh, and that’s just my list; I’m talking direct and indirect.
But with all that is going on around me, I’m #grateful. #Grateful for my health, my home, my family and friends, and my resources. I’m #grateful for the village in which I reside and the neighbors with whom I share boundaries. I’m #grateful for my Rose tree, she decided she would bloom fabulously this year. And right now in this moment, I’m #grateful for technology and even social media.
In this moment I’m super #grateful for the Google team who thought it a good practice to remind me of photo captured moments from years past. Like the photo of my son and his teammates from 7 years ago at a basketball tournament in Kentucky, #grateful for the relationships he developed. The memory from 6-years ago of the reconstruction of my driveway and front porch, #grateful for ability to restore value in my home. And even last year (2019) when amazingly I completed the Bear Lake Trifecta, 3 half-marathons, 3 states, in 3-days, yep. #Grateful for the ability to run, the ladies with whom I shared living space on this trip, the beauty of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, and right now, I’m super #grateful for those memories.
In our current environment, it’s so easy to forget about all your yesterdays, because today, and tomorrow if we’re honest, seem like such gloomy places. It can be hard to remember to look back during times like these, but those memories can remind us of the better times we’ve had and what really is possible in the future.
Though some days watching the news or reading headlines, it’s hard to conceive that human kindness still exists, we don’t highlight it enough, but its as alive today as it was pre-pandemic. I’ve started adding to my Gratitude Jar every time someone is kind, because I need the reminder, that for everyone one person who is unkind, there are many more who are kind, and I’m #grateful for that person and their kindness.
I’m also #grateful for my frontline; they pray with and for me, they encourage me, they challenge me, they call BS on me and when I’m at my wits end they remind to STOP, which is still hard for me, but so necessary.
So the next time, you are feeling overwhelmed, under-appreciated, overworked, underpaid, and all the other overs and unders, start to make a list of all the things you are #grateful for. A change in perspective can brighten your day and the situation you may be facing.
Gratitude is a destination I will always seek. #grateful
Faith and Wellness
Pray! Then Wait.