Habitual Gratitude

Today I am grateful for good listeners and observers in my life who can reflect back to me that which I cannot always see on my own.  Below are the next three installations as I build a list of "19 Gratitudes After a Year of COVID-19. 12. Dr. Michael Osterholm's The Osterholm Update podcast. We have been listening weekly in recent months, and also sporadically in the first months of the pandemic. I have ample respect for the science behind what Dr. Osterholm discusses, and an equal amount of appreciation for how he humanizes it all.  13. Recovery during the pandemic has been both a mainstay and a key source of grief. A mainstay day by day to keep me connected to others walking this "journey of self-acceptance." And to my Higher Power/Universe/Friend. Connected to the tools that allow us to be productive in our thoughts and actions, not counterproductive like our addictions would have us be.  And a key source of grief because I have so sorely missed seeing smiles, giv...

Today I am grateful for the beautiful moon that filled me with awe as I went for a walk at dusk last evening. I am a tiny part of an amazing Universe. It humbles me in a good way.  Two recent milestones on this blog give me a reason to also pause in humility.  I wrote the very first post here nine years ago, officially taking the plunge into blog territory on March 27, 2012. Just a few weeks ago, the number of posts published on Habitual Gratitude surpassed 2,600.   One word at a time, one post at a time, one day at a time, this writer has discovered plenty about the world around her and the world within her.  Thanks to blog-to-book services, this picture captures what nine years of regular blogging looks like in print.  There's plenty a picture cannot capture though. On some days, I wrote with a full and thankful heart. On others, I wrote from a deeply painful place. It was with clarity I wrote many posts, but with muddled mind and heart other posts made t...

Living gratefully, I am appreciating the clouds as they roam across the chilly morning sky and the simplicity of oatmeal for breakfast.  Picking up with round 2, one year later, of "19 Gratitudes to Counter COVID-19," here are a few from the last several days, taking the list up to 11:  4. A meeting with a grateful parent. We noted her child’s progress over the last 3 years and she shared sincere appreciation for my support of their family.  5. Less than an hour after feeling pride about that meeting, I ended up feeling guilty when a fellow driver made it clear he didn’t like me taking a quick look at my phone at a stoplight.  6. I thanked my Higher Power for that 1-2 punch (or should I say 4-5 punch?) and the reminder to keep my ego right-sized and in check.  7. Shortly after, I appreciated a phone call with a recovery friend who could listen and laugh with me as I related the stories of numbers 4 and 5.  8. Right after that phone call, I made a stop at ou...

Today I am grateful for the sound of wind chimes, the feel of cool morning air, and the sight of streets and trail lit for safety. My senses help me stay present and provide awe.  Let's kick off the one-year-later version of "19 Gratitudes to Counter COVID-19."  1. People I love have survived COVID in pretty good fashion. This includes our son Sam, some siblings, my mom, extended family members, and friends. 2. The many takeout meals we have enjoyed and the creative approaches for family meals that some of our local restaurants came up with. Energy has gone to so many different things this year, so an easy and tasty meal is appreciated even more.  3. Vaccines! I got my second dose yesterday. No slow moving line this time. In and out in about 20 minutes. Thank you to all who are making these possible. Tomorrow my husband Darcy gets his first dose, and next week my home state of Minnesota opens up vaccines to anyone 16 or older.  There are times I don't wish to be in a...

Today I am grateful for all of my siblings and for a couple of conversations yesterday that keep me connected to extended family and recovery friends.   Speaking of siblings, I want to send birthday greetings to two of them. Happy birthday today Ruth! Happy birthday tomorrow Morry! Enjoy your special days!  Looking back at posts I was writing a year ago has given me perspective recently. Living gratefully helped keep some sense of balance in a time of turmoil then, and it does today too. I had forgotten about  19 Gratitudes to Counter COVID-19 Concerns  that I began on March 16, 2020 and carried through four additional blog posts with links below: Numbers 5-8 (March 17) Gratitudes 9-12 (March 18) Numbers 13-17 (As Concerns Grow, So Can Gratitude (March 19) Where did 18 and 19 go? Zoom and a Tree (March 23) The list ranged from cashiers and stockers in grocery stores, to chocolate, and smiles, computer passwords, and Zoom. It was a year ago March 22 that my six s...

Living gratefully today, I lean into faith to counter the fear and uncertainty that woke me this morning. I gave thanks for a breath of fresh air and some light rain as I walked our dog Oliver. It reminded me of the new life on the way with spring.  It is hard to absorb the news of another deadly mass shooting in the United States. Ten people died at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado yesterday afternoon. This is less than a week after eight people died in the Atlanta area.  The only Boulder victim known by name at this time is a police officer who was the first on the scene. His name is Eric Talley. He was the father of seven. His dad said he had been considering a career change to drone operator because it would be safer.  Reread those last lines. Life is precious. Life is fragile. It can all change in an instant. All any of us have is today.  I have been to Boulder a couple of times while visiting my family in other parts of northern Colorado. Most ...

Living gratefully today, I am noticing our dog Oliver's kind eyes after his recent haircut and also noticing how the uncertainty of March 2021 feels far less crazy than the uncertainty of March 2020.  Disrupted and Interrupted  is my post from one year ago today. Here are some lines that especially struck me this morning: "Let's be kind and gentle with one another and ourselves as we each individually try to weather our own emotional turmoil. And as we collectively support one another through the upheaval that is impacting each and every one of us. Individual stories are happening, but so are global stories. It is important to honor both in ourselves and one another." "When the heaviness comes, as it will at times, just breathe through it. Do what best helps you unburden. For me that includes fresh air, walking or running, putting pen to paper to let emotions flow out instead of stagnating and stinking up my heart, soul, and mind." "I am feeling that he...