Artwork

Today I am grateful for the places I have lived and the places I have been able to travel to. My catalog of memories and pictures is full of treasures.

I was thinking about those places after I came across something Sam had made.

Before Christmas, Sam did a little piece of artwork at school when he had some free time. We discovered the little booklet in his backpack days later. He said he forgot to give it to me. We go through his papers every couple weeks and decide what to keep and what to throw. I was intrigued by this colorful 5 x 8 inch booklet because I always like to see what Sam is up to at school, but also because it had "I am thankful . . ." on the front cover.

I added it to my pile of "potential blog material" and it has finally arrived at the top of that pile. (It's a figurative pile as well as a literal one.)

Along with different designs made out of construction paper creating each page in the book, here is what it says page by page:

I am thankful . . .
                  for the brown earth we walk on . . .
                  for the tall pines and big oaks . . .
                  for the tall, pointy mountains . . .
                  for the bright shining sun . . .
                  and for the big blue sky . . .

So I think about the walks I took on the two farms I grew up on, and the smell of that brown earth in the spring when it was freshly plowed.

I think about the willow tree that used to be in my parent's front yard and how beautiful it was on a frosty morning.

I think about the majestic Rocky Mountains and the natural splendor of Denali National Park.

Do I take the time to see the sunrises and sunsets, to appreciate a clear blue sky?  I try to. Practicing gratitude helps me stay present, mindful. That helps me notice the natural beauty I would otherwise miss.

Have a good day!