Today I am grateful for family and friends. They have been a boon to me during challenging times. Just today I spoke with two of my sisters, my BFF from college, and my good and patient friend Nancy. All in one way or another encouraged me to stand strong and know that things will get better soon. My daughter has been encouraging me today as I worked under deadlines to get ready for a class that I am teaching tomorrow. Even at this late hour she is preparing materials for the class session. The teaching opportunity came up unexpectedly and I have had little time to prepare for it. But I’ll go in and do the best I can to engage the students in stimulating and thought-provoking conversation.
I don’t have time to write much more than this as I am still behind in my preparations. I do know this: I am moving forward. My legs are powerful, strengthened by the effort of wading through waist-deep mud of loss, sadness, anger, and fear. My arms are strong from pulling myself up out of the abyss of despair and depression. My heart is softened with compassion, connecting my own suffering with that of others; I can empathize and relate in ways I could not have before. My mind, though weary, is keen and sharp from thinking through scenarios for keeping my family moving forward individually and collectively. My spirit is buoyed by the knowledge that I can begin to see the light of dawn after the long night. I will keep speaking the words of faith and positivity as best I can; and when I fall back into patterns of negativity and self-sabotaging speech, I’ll recover and get myself back on track.
I am grateful to be standing strong. I will keep standing strong. And by and by, we’ll all rejoice together at the great things that unfold. May we all know happiness and enjoy the fruits of happiness. So be it!
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