Gratefulness and Love and Favorite Things

It’s been documented, if not at least well-touted on the internet, that expressing thankfulness - even for the smallest or most mundane thing - has an emotional benefit and boosts a person’s experience of life. For a while I made an effort to keep a list, in the vein of Ann Vokamp’s One Thousand Gifts. I liked the experience of being thankful for small things, for mundane things, even for mildly absurd things, and although I no longer keep a physical list I still like to share some of the things that I notice and for which I am grateful.

  • The ability to copy and paste a Microsoft Office file into Outlook. Just ctrl+c and ctrl+v to share information.

  • The One-Pound bag of pretzels from Aldi.

  • My new house!

  • Figuring out that I should rake the dead grass out of my mowed lawn. I don’t love the work, but I love the clean yard that is left behind.

  • Drinking cold water from a blue mason jar.

  • Central air-conditioning and being able to sleep at night.

  • Tombow drawing pencils.

  • Friendships that are long-lasting and beautiful. I have felt a great deal fo joy over several sweet moments lately.

  • Raspberry sauce on Lemon bars from The Smitten Kitchen.

  • This wall in my house.

  • The Goose. And The Chicken.