Quotidian Gratitude

 Therapists recommend keeping a gratitude journal.  Arthur Brooks in his letters on happiness asks readers to respond with what makes them happy—not a bucket list kind of happiness but a more ordinary, daily happiness.

I wake up in the morning and start my day with the prayer:  “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  Then I read Heather Cox Richardson’s daily Substack post and I despair for our country with its leaders making bad decisions day after day.  I pray not to let my struggle with mild depression get the best of me. And right now I pray that my struggle with pain and mobility not overcome me.  And then I get out of bed. 

I do keep a gratitude journal in my private online journals but I thought that today I would make my routine reasons for gratitude a bit more public here. 

As others said in the Brooks article, I am grateful for that first sip of coffee in the morning.  Jim almost always has it ready for me in the thermos.  I like opening Spelling Bee and Connections on my NYT app on my iPhone.  I do what I can on my own and then Jim and I compare our lists.  We don’t give up until we get to Genius—even if it means having to look at the hints provided. I rarely succeed in Connections without getting the message “next time.” 

I read the lectionary for the day and often go to Sacred Space or Divine Office for wisdom and guidance and a few moments of peace.  I like my time of mindfulness on the deck when I do my breath prayers and try to see and hear and feel nature around me. 

I am thankful if I have a plan for supper that does not involve much work—maybe just leftovers from another meal. 

I am thankful if my husband comes over and gives me a kiss saying that he knew I just needed that. I am thankful to have him here working in the study or doing errands with me.  The only times we are apart are when he goes golfing and I am always happy to get his message from the 13th green and know that he will be home soon.  I am thankful that we can do a NYT crossword puzzle while enjoying a happy hour in the late afternoon.  Usually I am thankful that we can cheer the Mets on SNY with our favorite announcers Gary and Keith and Ron although the Mets don’t make it a relaxing experience very often.

I am thankful to have this iPad and the connection it gives me with a world of information and with friends and acquaintances from years past and with our family wherever they are. (Today it’s Ocean Grove, New Jersey and Venice!) 

I don’t have a bucket list.  I am quite content to stay home and have a pretty routine existence.  I like that word “quotidian”  which has entered my vocabulary recently.  I have quotidian reasons for gratitude—many of them.  

Another Stage of Life

I can’t really think how I want to title this post but I have been thinking about how life changes and how solicitous and dear my offspring have been in the last few days.

Friday night we went out to eat with Jeff.  Susan was in North Carolina with her dad.  I had a craving for a steak salad so I did a search “Steak salad near me” and Rocky Hill Inn came up—just a short ride from our home.  There were no parking places left in the lot so Jim dropped me off and looked for a place down the street.  Jeff very kindly helped me walk to the entrance and get up the steps.  We had a very pleasant meal and the steak salad was perfect!

Then Saturday we drove to Ocean Grove to spend some time with Laura’s family at the ocean front cottage they have rented for several years—beginning with the 50th anniversary week we all enjoyed eight years ago.  Laura too was very solicitous about my walking across the lawn and up the steps to their porch.  She offered me her arm if I wanted to go down to the water but I decided I was happy enough on the porch feeling the sea breeze.

I have been thinking how life changes.  Once upon a long time ago, I held their hands and helped them walk.  And now they are looking out for their mother who stumbles along with her cane.  I am grateful for their looking out for me.  I am humbled by my need for help but try to accept it with thankfulness.