Missed Marks (2100), Milestones and Millstones

Today I am grateful for the warmth and security of our home, as wind and cold batter the outer walls.
I send thoughts and prayers out to those who struggle to find shelter, especially in the winter.

It has become my tradition to mark every 100 blog posts here. I missed the most recent marker, 2100, a few days ago. Today is actually going to be post #2103 when I hit publish. I'm not bothered that I missed it. It's actually reassuring. I'm going about my business of living gratefully and writing regularly. The actions and intentions matter more than numbers.

Each century mark I hit is a minor milestone. I think more of the significant milestones that have come my way in the nearly seven years I have been blogging. Milestones like being a contented writer, coming face to face with my ego and then settling it in to a more right-sized state on many days, increased awareness, attention, and peace.

Writing about gratefulness is key to me living gratefully. It started with my first gratitude journal 24 years ago and is enhanced with every post I compose.

As I pondered milestones, the word millstone came to my mind. It is a word that has a couple of different meanings. One is referring to the stones used to grind grain for flour. The other is referring more to an obstacle or burden, something making it difficult to more forward or achieve a goal.

Words are intriguing and amazing to me as a writer, and as a human seeking to bring and give meaning to my life experiences. How can one word have two meanings that are nearly opposites? It speaks to the complexity of the human condition.

Some days I am using millstones productively, taking grain and making flour. Working to nourish my body, mind, heart, and soul and to make a meaningful difference in a sometimes discouraged and distracted world. On other days, I am the burden or obstacle to my own progress or someone else's.

I believe I am creating more flour than I am obstacles, but I still create both. I always will. It is part of what makes me, and all of us, perfectly imperfect. Living gratefully and writing about it adds more to the flour bin while lightening or sometimes even removing the heavy burdens.

Thank you readers! Whether you've read a few or hundreds of these 2100, I appreciate you and the inspiration and motivation you give me. Onward! One blog post at a time. One moment of mindful gratitude at a time. One day at a time.

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