What is Gratitude?

Here we are the day before Thanksgiving and our home is quiet. Eerily quiet for this time of year for us. 

For the first time in over 40 years we are spending the holiday physically alone. It's weird. Very weird. The food prepping frenzy is and will not happen. Yes, we are making a lovely turkey dinner for ourselves, but not the extra five, at least, kinds of appetizers, four side dishes and the bottomless offerings of desserts.

It's weird, I won't deny it. 

HOWEVER, and this is a BIG however, just like you, we've much to BE grateful for.

Really? I can BE Grateful in 2020?

You may absolutely BE grateful in the year that pretty all wish would slink back to the dark corner it crawled out of. 

Why and HOW can I BE grateful? IF you are reading this, you are alive and hopefully healthy. This 100 year pandemic has reared many thought processes from thoughts it is over-exaggerated (tell that to the ones who died or their loved ones left behind), oppressive - how dare you tell me to wear a mask. Sorry, get over it, just like you or those before you got over wearing a seatbelt to keep you safer and those that travel with you. 

Many of us are blessed. For us personally this year has been a major inconvenience. We didn't get to see many, if any, of you in person. However, I am very grateful to still have YOU in my circle. Yes YOU. If you are reading this, you are in my circle. I'm grateful for the downtime this 'standing in the corner' offered to re-evaluate life in general, my family (how to spend more time with them) and of course the business. 

I'm grateful that we can, and have, made donations where we could that we are drawn to support.  So very grateful. 

I'm grateful to be able to slay 'monsters' daily with the exercise video game our youngest introduced me too. It makes me giggle, yell periodically and indeed exercise! It helps keep the COVID (insert your personal COVID weight gain) poundage somewhat under control. For those curious, it is the Nintendo Switch; Ring Fit Adventure. 

I'm grateful, so very grateful, for FaceTime, Zoom and all the other applications we all have become more familiar with this year to see loved ones and more. This has helped grow many relationships stronger and deeper; like the one we have with our granddaughter who is still fixated on Zayde's boo-boo. 

I'm grateful to BE able to take the Getting Lost in the Woods walks. Connect with Grandfather Tree, sit by the river and contemplating navel lint ;) (just making sure you are still reading) and hear the crunch of leaves along the trails. 

I'm grateful to have gone kayaking with my eldest and sister to... wait for it... pick up trash along isolated islands in the Potomac River. While we came out filthy and filled with briars, one that is still stuck in my backside, we laughed, relaxed and carted away over six bags of trash with Gus T Bassett Hound along as our mascot. 

I'm grateful that our youngest came down to spend quality giggle, comedic, and card playing time with us after Richard left. Cancer sucks.

I'm grateful to hear the fox calls nightly mixed with our own owl. Just some of the coolest noises ever!

I'm grateful for the LOVE that I get to witness daily from Honey Guy, our lions, the endless text threads between various members of our family and periodic checkins from friends who aren't officially family and you. Me? Yes you. I witness the support each of you offer another Chatterer in our sacred group in Facebook. 

Your Turn. What Can YOU BE Grateful for?

You see, The Art of Gratitude is just that, an art. It is a chosen state of mind that one can drift into within a moment's notice. It is state of mind that one can get lost in while swimming in the pool of thankfulness. It is, and always has been, your choice. 

You may chose to complain about the state of the world safely from your couch. You may chose to slip downward for lack of family gatherings this holiday.

You may chose.

On the flip side, you may chose to BE proactive about something not to your likening that you can do; pick up trash as an example. While the human touch will still not be with you, you may zoom to see, hear and giggle with your loved ones. My sister and I have intermittent parallel work times. FaceTiming while we work. It's fun since we both have our own businesses and we LOVE encouraging the other on. Plus we rather like hanging out with each other; the twins that we are - just eight years apart. 

Right now, make your list. Hold onto that list. Expand that list daily as you hold it close to your heart. 

BE forever grateful for what is in your life.