Notes on Gratitude
"We can learn to rejoice in even the smallest blessings our life holds. It is easy to miss our own good fortune; often happiness comes in ways we don't even notice. It's like a cartoon I saw of an astonished-looking man saying, 'What was that?' The caption below read, 'Bob experiences a moment of well-being.' The ordinariness of our good fortune can make it hard to catch.
The key is to be here, fully connected with the moment, paying attention to the details of ordinary life. By taking care of ordinary things–our pots and pans, our clothing, our teeth–we rejoice in them. When we scrub a vegetable or brush our hair, we are expressing appreciation: friendship toward ourselves and toward the living quality that is found in everything. This combination of mindfulness and appreciation connects us fully with reality and brings us joy." –Pema Chödrön, The Pocket Pema Chödrön
Maybe a bit less than ordinary, but fully connected to the joy of experiencing this amazing first major step of independence with and for my daughter. Filled with gratitude.
So excited for Olivia!
And as far as joy goes, I have learned to find joy in what used to seem ordinary. Having experienced several difficult situations, simple things that I didn't pay attention to or appreciate before take on more meaning. How wonderful that is! We should not deny ourselves joy. Even when going through difficult times, one can find moments of joy. Like when you, Tracey, made me laugh when we had dinner together one evening while my husband was in the hospital last week. One the one hand, it felt strange to laugh during a time of crisis, but on the other hand, why not get some relief from my stress for awhile, and nourish my soul as well as my body?
Find joy in whatever you can! It's uplifting.
Dear sweet Susan–It was such my pleasure and joy to be with you and to provide slight comfort during that difficult time. And yes–there is nothing wrong with comfort and even laughter during difficult times. That is, after all, a part of how we cope and get through them…Yes. Find joy in whatever ways you can!