Wrapping up the List: Thoughts (18) and Words (19)

Living gratefully today, I give thanks for getting ice cream at our local ice cream shop for the first time in well over a year, and sharing it with my husband Darcy and grandson Leo.  Pre-pandemic experiences that were once no big deal are taking on a different significance as we return to them.

I am returning to this"19 Gratitudes After a Year of COVID-19" list to wrap it up today. Numbers 18 and 19 complement each other, even while they can be a source of discord. Thoughts and words. They bring comfort and connections, unless used harshly, leading to hurt and harm.

It is worth mentioning discord and harsh words, because they exemplify one of the ongoing struggles in my life where I have made good progress. From my drinking days, when my thoughts were out to get me most of the time, to more recent midlife muck and mire that had me really stuck in a rut, the words that made up my thoughts weren't healthy or helpful. 

Living gratefully, ongoing recovery, plenty of writing, and lots of other work help turn the negative tide into a more nurturing stream. Day by day. Hour by hour.

Then there are the beautiful words that create inspiring phrases and generate heartfelt emotions and connections. I was feeling some of those emotions the other day as I visited my mom inside her nursing home for the first time in over a year. I was able to hug her and say the beautiful words "I love you" directly to her. 

And I noticed these words in the main common area of the home. They are fitting closure to today's post and to this special gratitude list: