Today has been a good day. I am grateful for how many times I start out a blog with those words. It means that in spite of times of challenge–frustrations, emotional lows, disappointment, etc.–I still have manage to have good days. This has been a pretty good day start to finish. I woke a bit late–having gotten to bed late. I’m still working my body back into the routine of the 10:45 p.m. Pinole to Berkeley run to pick up Jared from work. During the week that he was away for the holidays, I got to bed a bit earlier. My body clock is readjusting to the late night hours.
Today was productive at a number of levels. First, I started working on a project that I’ve been thinking about for quite some time. I downloaded and combined into four documents 180 of the now 188 Lessons in Gratitude blog entries. It took me a chunk of the morning to do this and when I printed it all out late this afternoon I ended up with 190 single-spaced pages of writings. The documents include a number of photographs that I’ve included in the blogs over these months; but by and large it’s a fair amount of text. As I was putting the documents together I began jotting down a list of themes that run through this blog. With relatively little effort I identified 24 different themes that have been focal areas in my nightly musings. My plan is to read through the entries and begin organizing them around the various themes. The end result of all of this will be to write and publish a book. While this project is in its infancy, I’m excited to be launching it. I am grateful for the creative energy that was generated as I began working on it today. I think I had become somewhat stale from some of the frustrations and exhaustion of job searching and interviewing. Working on a creative project doing something I love (writing) is opening the windows of my mind and letting in some much-needed fresh air.
And speaking of fresh air, the other thing I was able to do today was to get back out and walk at the Park for the first time in 2012. When I think about my schedule during the month of December, I realize that I hadn’t gotten over there for a walk in a few weeks–which probably also contributed to some of the mental stagnation I was experiencing. The weather was beautiful and sunny (unfortunately that’s bad for this time of year when it should be raining and we’re in real danger of drought) and the air was unseasonably warm. It was nice to get out and about and trek the 1-1/2 miles feeling pretty good. It was wonderful to be out there and the smile in my heart and on my face seemed to attract more people than usual. More people made eye contact and said hello than usually happens; but then, I was unusually lighthearted and smiling as I walked along. It was a good feeling.
Tonight I am pleasantly tired. I am looking forward to the next hour speeding by so I can head out and get Jared then hit the hay. Tomorrow (Wednesday) is Food Pantry day and I want to be relativel rested and ready. The pantry was closed on Monday for the holiday, so tomorrow is likely to be a somewhat busier day than last week. I am grateful for all that has happened in this day. My plan is to enjoy these days, these moments, as they arise. Day three of the new year will go into the books as a pretty good, easy day. Who knows what day four will look like, and day two with it’s struggles is over. What I have is right now, and right now, all is well. So let it be!
