See our Privacy Policy
Gratefulness
Right now I am deeply grateful. For the past 3 days I have been visiting and staying with my friends here their simple little house in the woods. Showing my appreciation for their warmth and welcome is a delight. How? By laughing and sharing conversations together. By cooking with them and doing the meal dishes; by bringing them plants for their garden—fennel, lavender, sage to be specific. They love creating their little garden, and spend much of their days puttering in it. It was fun to...
Right now I am deeply grateful. For the past 3 days I have been visiting and staying with my friends here their simple little house in the woods. Showing my appreciation for their warmth and welcome is a delight. How? By laughing and sharing conversations together. By cooking with them and doing the meal dishes; by bringing them plants for their garden—fennel, lavender, sage to be specific. They love creating their little garden, and spend much of their days puttering in it. It was fun to buy them some herbs that they didn’t have.
Today what is kindling fire within me is admiration for Simone Biles for knowing her limits and having the courage to step out of the incredible pressure is under in the Tokyo Olympics, and decide not to compete this week. Great going!
And my anger at the arrogance and ignorance of the radio talk show host Charlie Kirk for belittling her.
Like getting married? That is the thought that popped up for me. Hopefully “stepping into the unknown with a grateful heart.” But I have not been married, so can’t answer that one!
Much of what I have faced in life, has been stepping into the unknown, grateful heart or not.
I am planning a trip to visit a friend in Alaska in August, to sail with him for two weeks. That is stepping into the unknown for me, with a grateful heart, and also some trepidation. The ...
I am planning a trip to visit a friend in Alaska in August, to sail with him for two weeks. That is stepping into the unknown for me, with a grateful heart, and also some trepidation. The grateful part is his offer for me to partake in this sailing adventure in a wild, beautiful part of the world. It seems like a not-to-miss-opportunity.
As many of you have said, the natural world, often little things. Yesterday going for a walk around the housing community at dusk- suddenly at some particular point the tree frogs started calling. One minute it was quiet, the next minute they all started their song.
Buying fennel plants at the local plant nursery. I see that two of the plants come with with green and yellow beautiful swallowtail caterpillars on them. Of course I buy those! I have never seen fennel caterpillars 🐛 ma...
Buying fennel plants at the local plant nursery. I see that two of the plants come with with green and yellow beautiful swallowtail caterpillars on them. Of course I buy those! I have never seen fennel caterpillars 🐛 make a cocoon…
Makes life more interesting to interact with people who are different from me. Mind-broadening. I especially find it fascinating to interact with people from diverse cultures and countries. I have students in school who come from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, the Sudan, Vietnam. I can’t make assumptions about what they or their families experience and think, so it keeps me on my toes in a good way.
Going to be mundane here: During the pandemic I realized it was kind of fun having the “new perspective” of a little ponytail instead of a short haircut every few months.
To move from my lovely little apartment, due to exacerbated tension between me and my landlady during the pandemic. It was stressful and required determination and this new place is not ideal, but it got me out of an untenable situation, and I accomplished it within a few weeks “with a little help from my friends” as the song goes…
Challenges are teaching me to say no to what keeps me small and resigned, and more determined to go for what makes me a happier, more open and more joyful person.
I am visiting friends and family in New Jersey. Kind of running away from an overwhelming, discouraging situation where I currently live.
I am nurturing myself, and allowing myself to feel delighted and loved and at ease with people I love, and who love me. Took a glorious, early morning bike ride today with my sist...
I am nurturing myself, and allowing myself to feel delighted and loved and at ease with people I love, and who love me. Took a glorious, early morning bike ride today with my sister, after not seeing family for over a year. Am loving it!
Two important discoveries. In 1st Grade, I discovered that books and reading can open an exciting and entertaining world. What was a cultural dissonance though, was learning to read with Dick and Jane, even though I was born and in lived in remote, rural Paraguay! So much emphasis on European, white values and culture, now that reflect on it.
The other that continues to be source of nurturance and life for me is the natural world: trees, plants and animals. I notice them and they are...
The other that continues to be source of nurturance and life for me is the natural world: trees, plants and animals. I notice them and they are a comfort and stability always. Growing up in the wilds of Paraguay, and being immersed in the outdoors, my love for and connection to the natural world is a comforting, central part of my being. Especially high trees: I remember my many walks through the woods as a child, looking up at the protective green canopy way above me,
Yes, I like that too. And the question does not include “was the outcome positive?” or “was it the right decision?”
Yes, it is.
“stepping into the unwanted with a grateful heart”– I agree, that is a bigger challenge.
Can you give an example of when this happened?
I don’t feed them. I find them in the wild (or in this case in a plant nursery), not ordered by mail or anything. I bought the plants and planted them in the ground, with the caterpillars already on them. The butterfly lays the eggs on plants in the parsley family.
Black swallowtail caterpillar. Look it up. Very beautiful. The caterpillar feeds on fennel, dill, parsley, carrots and celery. I have only ever seen the ones on fennel. I don’t know where they go to make chrysalises. My two that fed on the fennel, disappeared. I imagine, that like the monarch caterpillar, they went “walkabout” and made their chrysalis somewhere close by, in an obscure location.
Nice!
Yes, resume wearing a mask.
Thanks,
Thanks, DeVonna.
Mary Pat, not Maeve. I appreciated her share as well.
Stay connected to the community by adding people to your list.
This site is brought to you by A Network for Grateful Living, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are fully tax deductible in the U.S.A.
© 2000 - 2021, A Network for Grateful Living
Website by Briteweb
We are delighted to announce the release of Kristi Nelson’s book Wake Up Grateful
