Habitual Gratitude

Today I am grateful that although Sam hurt his finger in a football game yesterday, that nothing is broken and it isn't serious. I am also grateful for the lamps in our house and the warm light they provide. I teetered between extremes yesterday. Overwhelmed at times. Gratefully serene at others.  I took my list of 5 things to be grateful for and did new lists a few times throughout the day. It brought me back to center. And the word teeter couldn't help but bring a smile to my face as I couldn't help but think of the teeter totter we had growing up. We had plenty of fun with it, and also a few bruised backsides and a few fights to be sure. It was simply a long plank over a piece of piping, as my childhood mind recalls it. Simple, but plenty of fun. That was when life's ups and downs were about playing. As we get older, life's ups and downs become something else and aren't always fun. Yet, gratefulness keeps both the highs and lows in perspective...

Today I am grateful for my recovery from alcoholism and those who support me in my daily efforts. I am also grateful for a sense of balance.  At least today I recognize how balance feels and I have a desire to reside there more. Peace and balance reside HERE. This morning, however, I am not feeling very balanced. I feel more like I am teetering. I sense an unsteadiness. I am swaying back and forth between a healthy perspective and an unhealthy one. Right here, right now, five things I am grateful for are: 1. early morning quiet 2. fresh coffee 3. our dog Oliver 4. cooler morning air 5. being able to walk There. Less teetering. More stability. Onward!

Today I am grateful for a nice evening and clear skies to observe the lunar eclipse yesterday. I am also grateful for my physical capabilities. I want to send a special "Happy Anniversary!" out to my sister Zita and her husband Randy who are celebrating 30 years today! Wishing you thirty more :-) In the frenzied pace of recent weeks I have lost hold of peace many times. The only way to return to peace is to be in the present moment. That is the only place peace can reside. Right here. Right now. Peace is lost when I forget to let go of the weight of yesterday and/or I start piling on tomorrow's weight yet today. My job has felt especially weighty lately. Priorities need to be recalibrated. A simple pause. A breathing in and a breathing out of precious air. Eyes open to the beauty all around. Ears hearing what is making a sound right now, not yesterday, not tomorrow. Right now. The water in the fountain. An engine in the distance. And the incredible lunar ec...

Today I am grateful for safe travels and a chance to see parts of our state I haven't seen before. We enjoyed our visit yesterday with my stepson Arthur and his wife Alyssa. It was a pretty drive and the weather was gorgeous. It was nice to see where they live and work, walk around some of their community, and later share a good meal topped off with a stop at Cherry Berry for some frozen yogurt. I also appreciated getting to meet their cats, Triscuit and Licorice.  Our time together also included Arthur and Sam tossing the pigskin around while Alyssa, Darcy, and I enjoyed sitting in the shade.  The brothers always try to play some catch whenever they get together. Football is one of the ways they connect.  Here they are as they wrapped things up: Big brother and little brother who is not so little anymore. The simple pleasures of fresh air, football, and time together.  Thanks Arthur and Alyssa!

Today I am grateful for a backyard fire and for a break from work. On my way home from work yesterday I heard the song "Linger."  It is by the group The Cranberries and is from the mid-1990's. The song was never a huge favorite of mine, and I can't believe it is 20 yeas old already. It was the title I lingered over more though. Linger. Stay. Remain. Wait. They all sound good if it means I am taking the time to slow down. Linger over a cup of coffee.  Linger over a backyard fire with my husband and son. Linger over a view of the setting sun. Linger over enjoying our front-porch fountain. Linger over leaving a warm and cozy bed. Linger over a conversation. Take time to linger today. Appreciate it for what it is.

Today I am grateful for morning quiet and a winding down of the work week. I have mentioned before that I am the youngest of 8 sisters (with 2 of my 5 brothers younger than me). This is one sisterhood I am very proud to be part of. Every one of my sisters has taught me important things about life and shown me the way.  Today I am especially proud of my oldest sister Danita. She has recently launched her own blog titled "Aging Troubles and Treasures." Danita is going through a profoundly difficult and heart wrenching time. Her husband Roger continues to decline as Lewy Body Dementia claims more and more of him. Yet, she moves forward each day, finding joy in the simple things, and facing a wide range of  emotions with grace and dignity. Here are some painfully poignant words from a recent post of hers: In the “Roger and Me Story” the villain is Lewy Body Dementia(LBD). Roger is declining and LBD is relentless. I am not a hero in this story either. I am scared, tir...

Today I am grateful for my job and other opportunities to be of service to others. Experience: insights and awareness garnered from involvement and participation in events and happenings. Life is full of experiences that allow us the opportunity to gain experience. Our jobs are one place this can certainly be true. I appreciate the years I have been first a teacher and now a school counselor. After ten years of teaching, I am now in my 18th year as a school counselor. As a classroom teacher I had some control over the events in my room during class periods. Not total control for sure, but some level of predictability. That is not the case in the counseling office. No two days are alike.  That both invigorates and exhausts me.  And then there are the days that take us to "Are you kidding me?" status.  One thing after another. One situation after another. One follow-up after another. We had a day like that yesterday. In the end, things were handled well and communicatio...

Today I am grateful for time with our grandson Leo and his mom Emily last evening.  I am also grateful that I feel respected by colleagues. Here is a picture of Leo that Grandma Lisa just has to share: Some of you may have seen it already, as my husband Darcy already posted it on Facebook and so did Emily. It bears repeating though. This look of simple and pure joy. This delight in the present moment and the attention being given. I am the one who got him to smile for this picture, but I am the one left smiling. Spread some smiles today!

Today I am grateful for the taste of real bacon and the sound of some of my favorite songs. I may have sounded a little harsh yesterday regarding World Gratitude Day (WGD). I didn't mean to. I just struggle with "a day for this, a day for that" to raise awareness. But that is exactly where awareness can start. Someone hears or sees something that resonates with them. They reflect on it, ponder making some changes, and find themselves inspired to do just that-make some changes. That is the best we can hope for. Learn more about ourselves, keep doing what works, try to change what isn't working, or simply let go of it. I did come across this good video when I was looking into World Gratitude Day. Consider pausing for 5 minutes and taking in the insights you will hear and see. The Gratitude Project Some of the things I picked up with this viewing: -I am grateful for my breath. -Let go and allow it. -A regular gratitude practice is good for my health in many ...

Today I am grateful for a sense of peace and for our ideal marathon training run yesterday. After a challenging 20-mile training run a couple weeks ago in the heat and humidity, my husband Darcy and I are both also very grateful for the ideal conditions we had yesterday. We were quite happy with the run, enjoyed the cool air and early morning scenery, and chalked it up as a great run to have under our belts just four weeks out from our marathon.  Here is a little scenery shot I paused to take along our route as the sun came up:  Switching gears now, did you know that today, September 21, is World Gratitude Day? It has been designated as such by the United Nations since 1977 and began in 1965 (a good year I might add). It reportedly began in Hawaii thanks to meditation guru Sri Chinmoy. He was the director of the UN Meditation Group at the time and suggested the idea as a holiday to unify people around the world. As I researched Chinmoy a little, I also found...

Today I am grateful for conversations with others in recovery from alcoholism/addiction. I am also grateful for a walk with Darcy and Oliver and a little football throwing with Sam. The "Word for the Day" at www.gratefulness.org for yesterday was: "Catastrophe is the essence of the spiritual path, a series of breakdowns allowing us to discover the threads that weave all of life into a whole cloth." (Roshi Joan Halifax) Catastrophes come in big and small packages. Some are obvious. Some are not. Some are universal, others are very individual and private. They each have a similar result though. They break us down, make us vulnerable, help us see more clearly, bring gifts into focus, shatter illusions. They become those threads that can weave a beautiful cloth if we are willing to feel all the feelings and willing to ask for help from other humans and higher sources. And there is no such thing as a catastrophe contest. At least there shouldn't ...

Today I am grateful for a clear and cool morning and the time to sit and watch the sun come up. I appreciated the perspective I regained this week thanks to forgetting my work laptop in my office Thursday when I left for the day. Just having that distance between us-my work computer and I-was a good detaching. (It was right where I left it when I got to work Friday, but I was at a different place.) That feeling stuck with me and I thought of the days before laptops and cell phones and 24/7 accessibility. There are certainly things I appreciate about modern conveniences-I typed part of the draft of this post on my phone while I waited for my son Sam after his football game.  But one thing I don't care for is the way these modern conveniences make some things too easy, which can make some other things too hard. It is too easy to get caught up in checking one more email, looking at a couple more Facebook posts, responding now so I won't forget... Which can make it to...

Today I am grateful for a working vehicle and efficient windshield wipers on that vehicle. I am also grateful for some divine intervention. Over time, windshield wipers lose some of their effectiveness and leave streaks, or areas where the rain, or snow, or washer fluid aren't quite cleaned off. Residue. A dirty windshield can cloud our vision when we are driving. It can even become dangerous. What about life's residue? Worries, lack of sleep, overdoing, overbooked, to-do piles that seem to propagate rather than diminish. They cloud my vision and weigh me down. They endanger my health and serenity. Sometimes a car just needs new windshield wipers. They aren't that expensive and they are pretty easy to replace. Sometimes we just need a new perspective. It needn't take much time or effort. In fact, trying easier can be helpful. The windshield wipers for my life are things like pausing, saying no, humility, accepting my limitations, being grateful, not judging ot...

Today I am grateful for my working senses and limbs, and for a fixed and working light switch. (Thanks to the electrician who made quick and inexpensive work of fixing the problem.) Here is a thought-provoking quote: "If you begin to understand what you are without trying to change it, then what you are undergoes a  transformation." (Jiddu Krishnamurti) If you have read my blog for any amount of time, you know I appreciate words that help me reflect and encapsulate what gratitude practice does for me. This quote does that. Gratitude practice has helped me see the good in myself and others much more readily. It helps me feel like I am enough, as is. The world around me is enough, as is. In this moment, in this day.  Less time spent chasing the illusion of perfection and things outside of myself means more time exploring and accepting who I am. Change does indeed occur then. My energy becomes more about feeling worthy, living fully, and trying easier. It...

Today I am grateful for rest and morning coffee. I also appreciate my sister's reminder to do a gratitude list. I just did an A-Z list as I walked Oliver. You might think I am talking about music genres when you first see the title of today's post. Actually, I wanted to wrap up my musings on rare and beautiful country. My body is mine alone. My acceptance of that body-flaws, scars and all-is mine alone. What about my soul, heart, and mind though? My soul allows me to continue an amazing journey to increasing faith, spirituality, mindfulness. Soul expansion will continue as long as I do the legwork and ask for help from my Higher Power, God, Great Spirit. All those names work for me. I hope you have at least one that works for you. My heart takes ongoing lessons in what love really is, and how to express that love with kindness and compassion to others and to myself. My mind can be my worst enemy or my best friend. It is far friendlier when my body, soul, and heart re...

Today I am grateful for our grandson Leo and his healthy growth and development as he turned 6 months old yesterday. I am also grateful for the chance to meet Sam's teachers last evening. The thought of rare and beautiful country within and without remains on my mind. I return to that which I know best, but also know least-the country within me. Much is left unexplored, yet I have reached a comfort level with this country within over my five decades of living. Body. Heart. Soul. Mind. My body is scarred and missing parts, courtesy of surgeries to address cancer that had taken up residence in my right breast. There are signs of aging that grow more numerous. Yet, there are also endless capabilities this body can perform. Arms that can carry, legs and back that can lift. Stairs I can climb, miles I can run, rooms I can clean. And the list goes on . . . On a recent run, I had my radio on and enjoyed some NPR, but also some good tunes. I hadn't worn my radio in weeks. It was ...

Today I am grateful for a phone conversation with my friend Sheila and for both of us continuing in healthy survivorship since our breast cancer diagnoses. I am also grateful for my siblings and a special "Happy Birthday" wish to my sister Leonice and my brother Neal. (They aren't twins, but they do share a birthday.) Yesterday's post about "rare and beautiful country" stayed with me throughout my day. I went to our church services, which I only tend to do every few weeks. I enjoyed the time to slow down as well as the upbeat hymns used when we have contemporary services. As prayers were read, the refugee crisis in Europe came up, as did the wildfires out west.  There are 19 million refugees in the world today, with over 42,000 new refugees joining that number daily. That 42,000 is nearly twice the size of the community I live in, fleeing civil war and other strife each day. Syria alone has had 4 million people flee the country since 2011. Over 8 mil...

Today I am grateful for the geese I can hear as they fly over, starting their journey south. I am also grateful for peace, recognizing it and seeking it. This quote recently crossed my path and sort of parked itself in my mind and heart: "It began in mystery and it will end in mystery, but what rare and  beautiful country  lies in between." (Diane Ackerman) Profound and thought-provoking words. She doesn't say what "it" is, but it sounds like "it" is life and the meaning of life. To call it all "rare and beautiful country," to consider each fellow being as "rare and beautiful," gives us a kind and loving perspective that our overly busy, overly competitive, overly superficial social and cultural ways of today too often miss. Life can be frightening, challenging, exhausting at times. But without those times, how would or could we ever appreciate the days of new energy and peace?  If I spend less time trying t...

Today I am grateful for the view this morning as I sit in my recliner and look out our front window. I am also grateful for my sister-in-law Dana and wish her "Happy Birthday!" today. I appreciate that my husband Darcy and Dana, his only sibling, are close and have always been good support for one another. Yesterday I was trying to focus on going nowhere from time to time. Stepping back now and then to pause. I did it a few times in my day. Going nowhere leaves me here and now, in my physical body, in my heart, soul, and mind. I recalled something I heard and saw years ago from a motivational speaker and presenter. Take the word nowhere. When you go nowhere in the right sense, in the mindfully present sense, you end up "now here." From nowhere to now here. Same letters, different place.

Today I am grateful for morning air cool enough to need long sleeves and long pants. I am also grateful for the peace and mindfulness that can be found in a simple pause. The "Word of the Day" at www.gratefulness.org a few days ago was: "Going nowhere . . . isn't about turning your back on the world; it's about stepping away now and then so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply." (Leonard Cohen) I don't know about you, but there are hours and days I seem all wrapped up in going somewhere and doing something. Too wrapped up. Sure, things need to get done. But not every waking minute. Sometimes what is more important is what is not happening. Take a minute or two a few times today and step away. Go nowhere and do nothing. You may be surprised at the clarity and energy that arrive.

Today I am grateful for my son and my job. Our son Sam started 8th grade yesterday. Here he is in the "first day of school" picture we take every year. Is that my baby? How could he be growing up so fast?  It is with mixed emotions that each school year comes, just like each birthday. Bittersweet. He is doing well. He is his own person. He has self-awareness and a level of ease and confidence I didn't have at 13. Yet, he has much to learn and some challenging years lie ahead. We will be here for you bud! As Sam was just returning to school, my school is in week 3 already and we had our "Back to School Night" last night. I appreciate the opportunity to meet new parents and see ones I have known for years. When it comes down to it, we all care about our children tremendously. I am grateful to be both a parent and a professional who gets to interact with other people's kids regularly. Both opportunities enrich my life.

Today I am grateful for a nice bike ride last evening and the energy to move in the right direction. That tough stretch of trail I blogged about yesterday offered some bonuses. As we ran near the airport, we got to see one plane take off nearby and another come in for a landing right over us. I didn't grow up anywhere near an airport, and I flew for the first time at age 30. Planes and airports still impress me.  Before we made it out to the airport, we went past some grazing buffalo just off the trail at the Great Plains Zoo. Not an everyday sighting either.   Planes and plains buffalo. Those were just a couple things I noticed as we covered one mile at a time.   What will I notice today, one moment at a time?

Today I am grateful for safe travels over the weekend, time with Darcy's family, and for friends with whom to celebrate recovery. Darcy and I did a long training run in Sioux Falls on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, the excessive humidity didn't take leave of the area until Sunday night. It led to challenging conditions for the first 20-miler of our marathon training season. We love the SF trail system and the well-placed amenities like bathrooms and drinking fountains. It was that heat and humidity we didn't appreciate much, along with those bikers who don't find it necessary to say "on your left" when approaching behind us. (A big thanks to the many who did say it though.) The picture below was taken about 11 miles into our run. It was near mile marker 13 on the Sioux Falls trail system. For those of you familiar with SF, we were heading out to the airport area. It's the most remote stretch, and for us Sunday it was a tough stretch. A couple miles...

Today I am grateful for my husband Darcy's ongoing support of my recovery from alcoholism. I am deeply humbled and grateful for all I have learned on this recovery trek. Today marks 26 years of sobriety for me. I am reminded "Don't get so many years that you forget the days." Today is all I get. It is all any of us get. And it is precious. I have endured challenging times in the last 26 years. Some had everything to do with alcoholism, others had little to do with it. I have endured complacent times in my recovery. I have endured my own alcoholic mind, more enemy than friend. But it is easier to endure one day or one hour at a time, and with ample support surrounding me. I have endearing friendships and relationships with others in recovery and I am so grateful for each and every one. I have endearing support of my husband Darcy and others in my life. I have a source of faith I trust and rely on. I hope you know how much you all teach me and the many ways you he...

Today I am grateful for updated technology and for old memories. The updated technology means our ten-year old TV has been replaced. These new flat screen TV's are sure a lot lighter. Old memories have to do with this picture: I took this picture in the "Miracle of Birth" Center, one of the most popular attractions at the Minnesota State Fair. If you time it right, you can witness a live animal birth. I got to witness some of those growing up on a farm. I recall seeing calves and piglets enter the world. I especially liked the cute little piggies like the ones in the picture above. I appreciated growing up on a farm for many reasons. Witnessing the "circle of life" so to speak was one of the things I remember. It was matter of fact in ways, amazing in others. The picture above shows a litter of 14. I wonder if the one piglet eating is getting an early start, or finally getting his/her turn. I love their sleeping arrangements. It just makes me smile. ...

Today I am grateful for a good fair experience yesterday and enjoyable family time together. I am also grateful for this morning's rain shower. Yesterday our son Sam had his first opportunity to have a 4-H project judged at the Minnesota State Fair. His tractor project got a blue ribbon and he got to share his interest with others who have similar ones. Here he is, after a bit of grumbling, graciously allowing his mom to take a picture: Darcy, Sam, and I went to the fair together and enjoyed our time there. After Sam's judging was done, we were able to do things like: *tour a tiny house (It didn't take long but was fun to see.) *look at a "bagnado" and be reminded to use fewer plastic bags *eat a variety of fair food (And feel good about the deals we got with our coupon book.) *check out numerous implement and truck dealers and see the wheels of Sam's dream future turning *wander through various livestock barns, enjoying the atmosphere and odor (...

Today I am grateful for people to whom I can vent and feel safe in doing so. I am also grateful for the chance to explore new technology and applications (new to me anyway). Some of my recovery friends were discussing overthinking and overdoing recently. That resonates with me because I have been there and done that, and I continue to do so. That is why my disease requires daily work, and why habitual gratitude practice is so helpful. It creates pauses in the overthinking and overdoing. And it helps me prioritize what I need to do, which means less spinning. The discussion inspired this poem: Just One More Just one more                            Drink Pill Hit Bite Fix Destructive Shaming Deadly Just one more Task Chore To-do Should Just as Destructive Shaming Deadly There are Many ways To feed Addic...