I’ll be posting just once as we begin our week together. I’m sending out Gratitude Notes each day and I’ll be posting daily on Instagram, but, here, I’ll post just once. I encourage you to leave comments and/or links to your own blog posts and/or links to Flickr shots or share on Instagram with #GratitudeWeek2018 on any day of the week! If you share your thoughts and links, we can visit and share your gratitudes with you. xo
There are many, many things to put on a gratitude list. I find myself, as I sit to write this, wondering where to begin. And when I find myself wondering such a thing, I know that I need to begin with right now, then flow from there. And so here I go…
For the wind that gusts outside. For the rustling leaves. For it being just warm enough to crack the windows so that I can hear the leaves. For the birch trees, whose leaves are the ones falling and rustling. For trees and sky and earth.
For the freshly-mopped hardwood floor and the way the late afternoon sun makes it glow. For the pup who’s stretched out upon the floor. For the comfy couch on which I’ll sit later this evening, and for the people I love who will sit close by. For the roof over our heads. For the flannel sheets on our beds. For comfort and softness and warmth.
For my desk where I sit to write this. For my cameras close by. For my journals and notebooks, filled. For my planner, nearly filled as we move toward the close of this calendar year. For pens and pencils and erasers. For memory and dreams and love.
For the avocado I ate earlier. For the glasses of clean, fresh water I’ve drunk all day. For the comforting dinner we’ll eat in a bit. For the time to prepare meals and tuck in a little love. For nourishment and contentment and convenience.
For the luxury to share in a space like this, with people like you. For the privilege of living in a country filled with freedoms. For the relative ease in which I live my life, knowing this isn’t the case for everyone. For hope and tenderness and understanding.
For the things I’ve listed here. For all the things (and people) not mentioned, but resting in my heart. For all of that and them and more.
Sending so much love today and this week, m
And you? What are the gratitudes in your heart right now?
***
Here’s how you can play along with Gratitude Week:
- Share your gratitudes with #GratitudeWeek2018 on Instagram.
- Leave a comment below and/or link to your own blog post. You can share in this post any or all days.
- Send me an email…I love them, I read them, I respond to them.
- Reflect privately at home.
Michelle GD 
Exhale: Life
Cold brisk air
Glorious fall days
Feeling these myself… xo
Thank you, Michelle, and all who have gathered here. These prompts and responses have been a sweet support to me this week. We are so fragile. And we are still so capable to set good intentions and to breathe into each launch and even each failure. I’m grateful, as always, for second chances and for community.
I agree with you Rosaria. And for me the *community* is the icing on the cake.
I’m so glad the Gratitude Notes/prompts have been a support for you. I’m glad that you’ve been here with us.
Sending continued love as you breathe into the fragility…
To be able to bring some comfort and support to a friend who suffered a tragic loss recently. Women coming together. Safe travels in rain, in darkness and on busy highway….again. Not having to cook tonight. My book clubs pick, Our House by Louise Candlish, waiting on the coffee table for me :). And 2 squirts of Reddi Wip (extra creamy) right into my mouth this morning……because I wanted to, because it was fun, because it made me feel young and happy, and because it was soooo good.
Oh, Betty! I was loving each thing I read…and then I got to the whipped cream bit! That’s (you are) awesome! Wishing you more fun like that in your days…xo
Thank you MIchelle. Sometimes you just got to do what you got to do!!!! And that one simple thing was fun and silly and it made me laugh….all worth it :).
I love this week of gratitude Michelle. It is such a lovely way to prepare for the holidays and to keep in our hearts all the year long. I am so grateful for your friendship. Here is a link to my gratitude post: https://www.whimsyandjoy.com/blog/2018/11/8/gratitude-week-2018
I’m so glad you enjoy this week, Grace…me too. xo
(going to read yours now!)
Gratitude is coming to the surface for me after a rough start to the week. I wrote about it (again) on my blog today: http://caroleknits.net/2018/11/08/three-on-thursday-42/
Here’s to coming to the surface…xo
(hopping over now)
An absolutely gorgeous, balmy 65 degree day here in NJ. Driving with the car windows open. A budding relationship with one of the women in my group. For starting that difficult conversation with a family member, and finding out that it wasn’t really that hard. Meanwhile 2 years of no communication….and for what? I’m still open to learning and keeping an open heart for all.
I love that you stay open to learning and keep an open heart for all…that’s really wonderful, Betty. <3
Thank you, Michelle, for inviting us to lean into the depth of things. I’ve been stuck, frozen in fear, during this sobering half-week of doctor’s appointments. My 12 year old girl had a 4 inch growth spurt, which suddenly popped a scoliosis angle of 58 degrees. First, second, third opinions. Spinal Fusion is a hard word to hear once. It’s triply hard to hear as a chorus, a bad choice in poetic repetition. But life isn’t like a poem that I can edit. I can’t edit this line away. I must lean into it instead. And…I keep meeting people who have gone through spinal fusion as a 12 year old. People at the gym, at church, at homeschool co op. They have grown because of this. They can run and touch their toes and do Pilates and breathe without pressure of an errant rib curving into an innocent lung. So I am finding my breath of thankfulness. Thankful for my daughter. Thankful that she is indeed “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139) and has been so from before the stars were hung and shining. Grateful for God’s mercies which are renewed every day, and for medical care, for flexible homeschool classes and already pushed-back writing deadlines and for friends like you who can hold a paradox together. yes, I’m grateful. and yes, I’m scared.
Rosaria, I’m so sorry to hear about your daughter’s diagnosis…but so very happy that there are people in your path to reassure you (through personal experience) that it can all be okay. It’s kind of amazing when the dots get connected like that, isn’t it? Like these people and conversations have been handed to you, right when you most need them. So glad for all the pieces of your life that are supporting you now in this challenging experience.
I especially love what you wrote about your daughter and the stars, hung and shining…that’s beautiful.
Yes to the mercies renewed every day. Yes to the paradox. Sending love…
Thank you, sweet friend. I remember with great joy that nature walk years ago when we both carried our daughters on our backs during that hot, uphill hike! Such glorious times, both behind and ahead.
Glorious times behind and ahead…yes to that. xo
Of course you’re scared Rosaria. I understand. And it’s wonderful that you are getting so much positive feedback from others too. Trust in the medical profession. They are doing some incredible amazing work these days and I have been witness to many in the past year. You both will get through this….Prayers for you and your daughter.
Dear Betty,
I feel like you are an old friend, after having spent time together throughout these lovely gratitude week’s hosted by Michelle. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your encouragement and prayers. Much love, Rosaria
So nice to be back here Michelle. Today I am grateful for the wild and crazy and silly happy birthday message my granddaughter left me. Then I got to see a video of her playing her guitar and singing Happy B’day to me. Love her. She’s almost 12. Grateful for the explosion of color everywhere….finally. And so grateful for my soft/firm warm bed waiting for me at the end of this very long day :).
Oh, happy birthday, Betty! I love that your granddaughter left you a silly message and that she played her guitar and sang to you! That’s awesome!!
May the brightness of yesterday continue… xo
thank you for hosting gratitude week again. i love that you do this. i posted on my blog and IG today – and plan to all week. :)
happy thankfulness to us all!
Happy thankfulness to us all…yes!
Hopping over to see your post now :)
{and you’re very welcome…I’m so glad you’re joining again}
Today started out sunny and golden, as if a natural spotlight came about, announcing the start of the gratitude week. And I am sure that partly because I know and have been looking forward to today, my mind was all open for the good things. Which led to today being one of the best days this year actually. It contains all the precious ingredients for what is my definition of a great day – a really good conversation with a friend, a long walk to and from the cafe we met (not to speak of being able to meet a friend on a Monday morning because I am decidedly for working less with a reduced income to have time to be & stay healthy) , a chance running into of a nice acquaintance and arranging for an evening at the Irish pub soon, a very mild and sunny afternoon at my dear friend’s stables, cuddling my pony – godchild, sunbathing on an outdoor sofa with my friend and the 3 family dogs (feeling connected and protected) and a late afternoon at my place looking out to the colored leaves… About to start the gratitude journal. Because, again, time isn’t money, it’s so much more precious to me. Thank you, Michelle for offering this wonderful week!! Hello to everyone joining. Have a good day, everyone. Best, Nic
Nic, your day sounds amazing. Peaceful and full of all kinds of good connections. Thank you for sharing your goodness with us…my heart feels full reading all you shared. <3
For the beautiful early morning sunshine and clear blue sky I see. For this wonderful trip to California where I met amazing creative people. For being able to spend time with my 3yr. old granddaughter. For all the talent and wisdom that was shared this weekend. For the quiet and peace I feel this morning.
Mmmm…this feels so good, Angela. I’m glad to read of this goodness in your life right now.
I woke up thinking about this week of really paying attention to gratitude. Thank you for sharing this space with us. https://chasingstories.wordpress.com/2018/11/05/gratitude-week-monday/
I’m so glad to have you joining this week, Juliann.
Hopping over now to see your post…