“God gave you a gift of 86 400 seconds today. Have you used one to say thank you ”
― William Arthur Ward
This quote made me realize that even though Thanksgiving, the one day set aside to give thanks, is just around the corner, we should find time every day to be thankful for what we have. It is so hard to do this amongst the business of our every day lives and I'm happy we have a full day where we can stop and say thank you to everyone in our lives that make it a little easier, a little more joyful and a lot more bearable. I have much to be grateful for this year. Maybe more so than any other year of my life not because of what I have which is plenty, but for where I am mentally and spiritually. I feel more at peace and more content than I have in a very long time. Its not perfect and it never will be but its as close as I have gotten since I can remember and I am savoring it. This is the first time in 5 years where I am not unemployed, hating my job, living somewhere that wasn't right, struggling with money (well that is still here but changing quickly), stressed all the time, commuting too far to work on public transportation or worried about fires or hurricanes. Life is peaceful and so I am thankful.
Over these past years of change, I have learned a lot about myself and a lot about what I want from my future. I have grown and endured a lot. I know that I am strong and can handle challenging situations. I don't turn to alcohol or food to handle stress; I turn to yoga, meditation and long walks outside. I am healthy and more fit than I have ever been in my life. I have learned how to be in this moment only - I don't practice this enough but the moments I am able to do this are so satisfying and amazing. Instead of working crazy long hours and feeling overwhelmed and stressed, I make my own hours at work and dictate how I want things to run. Instead of sitting on a bus for an hour passing by strip malls and fast food joints, I walk to work with yellow leaves crunching at my feet, neighbors walking dogs, church bells tolling, train whistles in the distance and fresh air. On my days off, while I may still do the laundry and chores, I also can walk to the library and sit by the window and watch the river or I can walk to Starbucks and get a pumpkin spice latte or see a movie at the independent theater down the street, instead of sleeping all day or binge watching a tv show. Even though my husband and I have totally opposite schedules right now have time in the morning together to take walks or enjoy a leisurely cup or coffee of watch, "The Price is Right." I am most grateful than I am able now to take the hard lessons given to me over the past few years to become a better version of myself. I am also so grateful to have a husband that supports anything I want to do as long as it makes me happy. I am thankful for my family who I love dearly and passionately even though they are far away. I am thankful for always having books to read and a blanket to keep my warm and a cat snoring on my lap. I am thankful for my sister Anne taking trips into NYC so we can spend time together drinking wine and playing silly games. I am thankful that the Red Sox won the World Series at home. I am thankful for a good cup of coffee first thing in the morning and a glass of wine at the end of a long day. I am thankful for the feeling of exhaustion after a day of being extremely physical. I am thankful for my parents and in laws for being loving, generous, kind people.
There is just so much to be grateful for this year and I am looking forward to a day filled with good food, good wine and family. Happy Thanksgiving!
― William Arthur Ward
This quote made me realize that even though Thanksgiving, the one day set aside to give thanks, is just around the corner, we should find time every day to be thankful for what we have. It is so hard to do this amongst the business of our every day lives and I'm happy we have a full day where we can stop and say thank you to everyone in our lives that make it a little easier, a little more joyful and a lot more bearable. I have much to be grateful for this year. Maybe more so than any other year of my life not because of what I have which is plenty, but for where I am mentally and spiritually. I feel more at peace and more content than I have in a very long time. Its not perfect and it never will be but its as close as I have gotten since I can remember and I am savoring it. This is the first time in 5 years where I am not unemployed, hating my job, living somewhere that wasn't right, struggling with money (well that is still here but changing quickly), stressed all the time, commuting too far to work on public transportation or worried about fires or hurricanes. Life is peaceful and so I am thankful.
Over these past years of change, I have learned a lot about myself and a lot about what I want from my future. I have grown and endured a lot. I know that I am strong and can handle challenging situations. I don't turn to alcohol or food to handle stress; I turn to yoga, meditation and long walks outside. I am healthy and more fit than I have ever been in my life. I have learned how to be in this moment only - I don't practice this enough but the moments I am able to do this are so satisfying and amazing. Instead of working crazy long hours and feeling overwhelmed and stressed, I make my own hours at work and dictate how I want things to run. Instead of sitting on a bus for an hour passing by strip malls and fast food joints, I walk to work with yellow leaves crunching at my feet, neighbors walking dogs, church bells tolling, train whistles in the distance and fresh air. On my days off, while I may still do the laundry and chores, I also can walk to the library and sit by the window and watch the river or I can walk to Starbucks and get a pumpkin spice latte or see a movie at the independent theater down the street, instead of sleeping all day or binge watching a tv show. Even though my husband and I have totally opposite schedules right now have time in the morning together to take walks or enjoy a leisurely cup or coffee of watch, "The Price is Right." I am most grateful than I am able now to take the hard lessons given to me over the past few years to become a better version of myself. I am also so grateful to have a husband that supports anything I want to do as long as it makes me happy. I am thankful for my family who I love dearly and passionately even though they are far away. I am thankful for always having books to read and a blanket to keep my warm and a cat snoring on my lap. I am thankful for my sister Anne taking trips into NYC so we can spend time together drinking wine and playing silly games. I am thankful that the Red Sox won the World Series at home. I am thankful for a good cup of coffee first thing in the morning and a glass of wine at the end of a long day. I am thankful for the feeling of exhaustion after a day of being extremely physical. I am thankful for my parents and in laws for being loving, generous, kind people.
There is just so much to be grateful for this year and I am looking forward to a day filled with good food, good wine and family. Happy Thanksgiving!
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