Oh, I know, it’s not even Halloween (quite) yet, but just like I’m sure you can find retail locations in your community that are a bit ahead of the game with the witches and ghosts keeping company with the Santas and menorahs, my heart is already set on Thanksgiving.
Being thankful is good for you, but it isn’t always easy. In the hard times it is easy to slip into survival mode, just putting one foot in front of the other and not having the energy to look up and see what is still going well. As I’ve written before, sometimes even when things are going well my mind is still wondering what disaster is going to hit next, so I don’t even always enjoy the quiet times. So when I am feeling thankful I like to notice it, write it down, revel in it, and hang on to it for as long as I can.
I think it started last week with reconnecting with the group of parents that has helped us so much. There has also been a lot of fun in our house this week preparing costumes and planning decorations for Halloween. It’s a chance for me to let my creative juices flow a bit when normally they are restrained by the sheer pace and demands of maintaining the routine that keeps everything on an even keel. There’s still a good bit of that going on, but even a few minutes here and there making little red riding hood, an airplane, and a fairy take shape has given me a great deal of joy. Maybe it was accentuated by the “mini” Thanksgiving-ish dinner I made the other night: roast chicken with stuffing and sweet potato bread. Sometimes it is the big things that come to mind. We’re in a good spot for now. Grandma is still struggling, but we’ve learned how to address what we can. The child is going great guns in second grade. The twins are thriving in their second year of preschool. Economic stresses aside, it’s all good. Sometimes it is the small stuff: natural beauty, a full night’s sleep (wait maybe that’s a big thing), or finding a good deal on meat at the grocery store. For whatever reason, I am thankful right now, and I’m loving it.
Will you join me? What are you thankful for today?