Day 17: MAKE A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS I’M THANKFUL FOR
When your husband is gone, your house is in disarray for reasons beyond your control, your kids are cranky, you just can’t shake that cough, and you haven’t been to the gym in 4 days, it’s difficult to feel appreciative. So that’s exactly what I’m going to do today.
I’m well aware that Thanksgiving is typically the time to list off everything we’re thankful for, but that never seems to happen for me. Whether I spend the holiday traveling, cooking, or missing family, there always seems to be too much chaos to be genuinely thankful. I realized this 2 Thanksgivings ago, so last year one of my New Year’s Resolutions was to keep a thankful journal. Every day in 2009 I wrote down at least one thing I was thankful for. (I highly recommend this project for all you pessimists out there. Even on your worst days, there is always something to appreciate.)
Today, instead of focusing on the little things, I’m going to look at the overall picture and remind myself of all the wonderful big things in my life. Now who’s cooking the turkey?
My list could have gone on all day…and it did! I just kept adding and adding. However, when I realized I was adding things like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in the freezer, Netflix, and my fake Uggs, I figured it was time to stop. The Top 10 are the most important anyway, the things I couldn’t live without.
The list helped me get through yet another long day. When I found myself complaining that my floors are still not finished, the list reminded me how thankful I am to have a roof over my head. When the kids were about to kill each other over a Matchbox car, the list reminded me how thankful I am to have those 2 beautiful kids. As I listened to the cacophony of coughing and sniffed the medicinal malodor of menthol, the list reminded me how thankful I am that we are all generally healthy. And when I mentally cursed my husband for not being here through all of it, the list reminded me how thankful I am for all the great things the military has done for us. I truly have a lot to be thankful for.
