The fact that the three year-old woke up at seven, having fallen asleep at eight
Her brothers up, ready to play with her
Her mother
Her knowing what adoption is some of the time
Her waking up in the car in the middle of the night and singing “How many squirrels are in the world?” complete with hand motions
How robustly themselves my children are
Band-aids’ magical powers
Loving the kids when they hate us and love us
Companionable quiet with children
Moments when loudness and chaos don’t bother me at all
Moments when the house is empty
Noting the sky each morning
My feet
Friendship
Old friends
New friends
My nears and dears
Dearest spouse
Family, even still, and because
A household that routinely envelops people in welcome
That being grateful is “in” these days
Farmers
Farmers’ market friendships
Helping to make good things happen
Colleagueship
Virtual work “check-ins”
Real life “check-ins”
Sleep
Glimpses of the twentysomethings’ upstairs lives unfolding
Adolescence
Jamming
Writing
The people who read what I write
Performing wedding ceremonies
Yoga
Frozen yogurt
Friendship bracelets
The elliptical trainer
The Good Wife
Co-ops
My little town
My neighborhood list-serve
Walking up the hill from my house
Hope
I’ll stop here but I won’t really stop. Some people feel extra thankful on Thanksgiving. Others feel thankful—or work to feel thankful—every single day. I’m one of those.
I can’t guarantee you that gratitude will make your life better, at least quantifiably. It’s not subtle, though, how much better I feel, with every single caveat on any given day, because gratitude has moved in front and center. So, you can let the holiday invite you to investigate this in your very own life. It’s like a tiny opportunity, knocking at your door.
