I must admit I started strong and often did not have enough space to write about all I was grateful for that day. As the year progressed my writing got bigger and sometimes there was only one thing I was grateful for each day, but the point is there was always something written.
It seems I picked a good year to start my gratitude practice as a lot has happened over 2016 that has left people hungering for it to be over.
Me?
I am sitting back relaxing, sipping on some hot tea revelling in all the small wonders and magnificent things that have give me hope and helped me stay positive throughout the year.
I will not bore you with all 365 days of gratitude but here is a sampling of some of the unique things that made me grateful this year......
I am grateful for:
- Blue skies, crisp air, snow covered hills and the sun.... the glorious sun!
- Starry nights and dogs that already know how to walk and ones that are finally learning the word heel.
- Ferg hugs and kisses and great conversations with my siblings.
- Wonderful and caring co-workers.
- Matches and windows (one of the dogs left me a pootacular surprise).
- Whatever caused the Viking kicker to miss his field goal attempt which allowed the Seahawks to continue in their Super Bowl chase.
- Heated seats and goose down mitts on a cold blustery winter day.
- Time to tidy and clean the house.
- Gravol and Tylenol, without which I would have had a long painful day.
- Stolen moments cuddling with the dogs.
- Stackburger take-out.
- The restorative powers of lying in bed reading, with the dogs cuddled close.
- Lazy Sunday mornings spent in PJ's.
- Fast simple meals..... PANCAKES!
- Getting to spend one final night with Vivian (cat) and that she crawled under the covers and poked me in the armpit like old times.
- Post winter walk hot chocolate.
- Neo Citran and the bed to myself.
- Late morning starts and early bedtimes.
- Family and friends who let me vent and provide encouraging words.
- Warm houses on extremely cold days.
- Sunbeams, warm blankets and afternoon naps.
- Sunny driving days that inspire the planning of road trips.
- Elliot Lake days at work.
- Days that are done and awaiting beds that heal all wounds.
- Puppy frolics
- Jam busters and memories about donut days.
- Ferg injuring my left not my right hand.
- Impromptu lighting storms
- Reuniting a dog with its owner
- Evenings that remind me how blessed I am.
- Harry Potter and restorative sleep.
- Holding my tongue and not telling others to Fuck off.
- Not breaking any bones when I fell down the stairs. (Sadly there were two of these types of entries in the journal. One would think I am clumsy).
- General slothfulness
- Camping dreams
- Chicken jerk tacos at the Fireside in Elliot Lake
- Sharwarma and visits to MEC
- Peeps who offer to pick-up the dogs from the kennel, so I don't have to wait another night to see them.
- My Dad and his vast knowledge
- The entertainment I have watching the changing light patterns on the back of my eyelids when I close my eyes.
- Multiple years watching Canada AM.
- Teenage boys calling my Miss.
- Rainy days that don't make me feel guilty for being a sloth.
- Short relaxing moments eating cinnamon buns at the St. Joe's Island rest stop.
- Being sorted into Ravenclaw on the Pottermore website.
- Pictures from Norway that allowed me to have mini vacations at work.
- A fantastic OT team.
- Kids that would rather work with me than go on a field trip to see the Firemen.
- Ice cream celebrations.
- Surviving the mosquito hoard at the Sleeping Giant
- Tea and late night chats with Mom.
- Texting with friends I don't get to see often.
- Mr C said he wanted to stay with me forever and for Mr. H hugs and kisses.
- Getting unlost in Minnesota.
- Mom's saskatoon pie.
- Being able to retrieve my "bear" hanging rope from the tree when I accidentally threw the whole thing up.
- THRIVE day
- Brisk breezes and meditation in the secret grotto.
- Epihany's about life.
- The feeling of ahhhhhhh when I walk into Staples.
- Deciding to sleep vs Fit Bit.
- Listening to nephew's laughter on the phone.
- Stinky moats of lavender and mint that repel things the squeak.
- Brightening the day of someone who's day had not been spectacular.
- Ice cream when camping, warm fires and pleasant conversation.
- Getting to attend friend's weddings.
- Catching up with high-school friends and the feeling that time had not passed.
- Ferg hugs while I drift off to sleep.
- 10 hours of sleep.
- Sage advice from the Management team.
- Books to read while waiting for insomnia to pass.
- Sometimes mistakenly writing greatful vs grateful and how for the laughs it brings me every time I see the mistake.
- All the generous people in my life.
- Mystery trails that lead to magical spots
Looking back through the journal I would hazard a guess that the things I am most grateful for are: the dogs; my bed and pharmaceuticals (Tylenol, Advil and Neo Citran ) as these were all mentioned multiple times over the year.
Can't wait to see what type of gratitude 2017 will bring with it.
