Well, the week is rolling along. Today has felt like a really long day. I am grateful to be almost ready to call it a night and take my rest. I am starting to think that not getting enough sleep is a pretty serious thing. I am working on getting to bed a little earlier, though it’s not going quite as well as I’d hoped. Part of the challenge occurs with all the gear shifting I do during the course of a single day. Today felt like about three different days. I woke this morning and did my journaling then got dressed and ready for the day, ate breakfast, etc. Then I was up and out of the house relatively early to accompany my son to a meeting he had that lasted over 90 minutes. Then I was off to work. When I left work, I was tired and famished (I hadn’t eaten lunch) so I came home, heated up some leftovers, collapsed on the sofa and watched the news for a bit. Then I came upstairs to work on some job applications and now am here with gratitude.
I am grateful for a number of seemingly unrelated things today. So I will zero in on one and let that be the focus for tonight’s blog.
I am grateful that I have a son that doesn’t mind hugging me, in fact he often goes out of his way to hug me, and yes, even in public. Last night I had gone to sleep before Jared, as I usually do (and wake up much earlier than he does…) I heard him tap on my door.
“Mom, are you awake?”“I am now,” I replied in remarkable good humor, “Come on in.” He came in. I could see his outline silhouetted in the doorway. “I just wanted to give you a hug.” “Oh good! I’m always up for a hug.” He picked his way carefully over to me and gave me the requested hug. We chatted for a few minutes and then he headed back to his room. I smiled to myself there in the dark. It took me a little while to get back to sleep, but it was worth it.
I have a friend who has a son Jared’s age. She would dearly love to get even an occasional hug or “I love you” from him, but it isn’t in his personality to demonstrate his love and affection for his mother. Periodically he shows flashes of warm emotions for her, but they quickly pass. I am grateful that, although Jared and I are sometimes in conflict with one another, he still makes it a point to hug me and tell me he loves me at least once every day. I see that as a very good thing. I don’t take that for granted, either. I am pleased and so grateful for the love and unique relationships I have with each of my children. It is among those blessings in my life that has remained solid and steady and strong no matter how challenging life has been over the past year. I look forward to continuing to strengthen my relationship with each of them.
I am going to rest my weary head now. Thanks to each of you who reads this blog faithfully and who forgive me when it is not as coherent or interesting as it could be or has been. And, as James Taylor says in one of his songs, “Everybody’s got some days that they can’t explain.” Sometimes I can’t explain why the blog turns out the way it does. Sometimes it’s a struggle to come up with an idea for the blog and then write about it. But it has proven to be worth the effort to keep it going, so I’ll keep at it. Anyone who draws strength from reading some of the ideas I’ve written here helps me keep going–both on my own journey as well as in writing this blog. Thanks to those who read and comment. May you be blessed and create opportunities to share your gratitude with the world around you. So be it!
