Feeling Grateful

This week gratitude is on my mind.  I love my life, and feel incredibly blessed and grateful for all that I have.  Sometimes it can be a challenge to sustain a grateful attitude amidst the hectic day-to-day schedules of family life: household chores, monitoring homework, having to go shopping yet again for new sweat pants for my rapidly growing teenager (who looks like his cat died), calling the fridge guy, taking the car in to get new road tax…and the list goes on and on.  (And did I mention the word teenager?)

I struggle with maintaining gratitude in April and May because I’m steeped in the hectic prepping schedule for the SURTEX show, but since 2010, it’s been particularly tough because it’s the anniversary of my Mum passing.   In the mornings I wake up with a heavy heart, and at night I crash into bed feeling overwhelmed because no matter how much I’ve accomplished, my “in box” is still overflowing. 

It’s now the last day of May, and I’m feeling grateful to be moving into summer, but before I bid farewell to the melancholy and stress of these past two months, I feel compelled to express my gratitude.  It was on this last beautiful day in May, sixteen years ago, that I said, “I do” to the love of my life.  Marrying Elliott was the first of the best three decisions I’ve ever made. Like all couples we have our highs and lows, but there’s no one else I’d rather sail my ship with and without hesitation, I’d marry him all over again.

Our beautiful wedding ceremony in Central Park

Between us, we now have a few more grey hairs, less hair and few more pounds, but we still manage to feel this joy.

On a day like today, it’s easy to feel gratitude and see that my glass is half full.  I’d love to hold on to this “attitude of gratitude” on the more stressful days.  As I’m about to get cross with my 10 year old for only completing forty of the fifty minutes of his reading homework, I can be grateful for what he did manage to read and for the bonus I get of snuggling and reading to him for the extra ten minutes at bedtime.   I can remind myself that my glass is certainly half full.

My three best decisions, snuggling in our tent on a camping trip in New Hampshire 

Happy Anniversary Elliott sweetheart, and happy last day of May to you all.

Much love,

Debbie