Being grateful

[jp1]

As I mentioned on the roadtrip thread I recently embarked on a two week road trip. A week spent housesitting at my sister's house, followed by a couple of days visiting a close friend in LA and then several days in Palm Springs with SO for his birthday. When I left my sister's I decided not to look at social media, including simple living, until after I got home. That ended up being a great decision. Since getting home I've obviously gotten back to my old routine but I've decided that for every post I put up about politics and my concern that the republican party wants to take the country back to the bad old days of the 1950's (which would suck for all of us who aren't straight white males) I am going to try and post something more upbeat. Something that I'm grateful for, something that I think is delightful, whatever. There's a lot of good in my life and sometimes I forget to acknowledge that. Seeing SO step up and help Abigail with the end of her life, loving our new coffee table and the story behind it, the wonderful hikes I took in Palm Springs where I got to see beauty that looks way different from what we have here at home, are all reminders that for all the bad in the world I'm doing ok and have much for which to be thankful.

Feel free to remind me of my promise to split my focus on both the good and the bad in the world if I drift back to always complaining about everything that's wrong. Not everything's wrong, and while it's important to fight for what I think is right it's also important to remember that overall things are pretty good in my world.

[iris lilies]

This is an excellent idea!

despite its excellence, my own ratio on “Rants” to “Raves” threads does not make me proud.

[Yppej]

I am grateful for Judge Mizelle.

[jp1]

I am grateful for Judge Mizelle.

I’m grateful that I’m not such an asshole as to soil one of your heartfelt threads by responding with my political opinions.

[Yppej]

I’m grateful that I’m not such an asshole as to soil one of your heartfelt threads by responding with my political opinions.

You moved out of gratitude fast.

[early morning]

Well, he DID say he was grateful to not be an a$$hat.
jp1, it's a nice sentiment and a good reminder for me to stop bitching so much IRL. And thanks for sharing your upbeat stories. Love the coffee table!

[razz]

Wonderful approach IRL as well as online. There is so much good going on each day to trigger gratitude. Great thread!

Yesterday when out walking my beagle, I met another dog walker with a gorgeous 6 month old Dalmation. I am sure that young man was both surprised, amused and pleased to hear the story of Toby, my dad's Dalmation - how he rescued kittens that had fallen in a hole and returned them to the mother cat; how he stayed in the barn when a cow was about to calve and woke the family if the cow had problems; let my toddler daughter grab his skin in her little fists and let her slowly learn to walk by holding onto him. The young man had wanted a Dalmation pup based on his past history with one. His pleasure in sharing how he was able to find one, enjoying his pup today and my chance to remember a remarkable dog from my past, gave me a lift. Gratitude for magical moments are jewels in one's life.

[happystuff]

Great idea for a thread! I'm looking forward to reading the posts. I have no specific story to relate - just that I am soooooo grateful for my family and friends. We are there for each other in both good and bad times, no judgements or expectations - just love. With the day-in and day-out aggravations of this job, finances, etc., I really need to remember that I am very, very blessed.

Thanks, jp!

[Simplemind]

One of the things I love about Facebook is the memories feature that pops up with pictures/memories that you shared in the past on that day. Back in 2020, many of my FB "friends" had gone very dark and angry with their posts. Media in all areas was negative and concerning. I decided to post something lighthearted or humorous every day since life was feeling so heavy. I really enjoyed looking for something to post and people responded positively.
Now all the memories are popping up. Toilet paper shortage jokes, goofy things about being trapped in the house jokes, thoughts on what I had never appreciated until life became so quiet. In so many ways 2020 seems like a lifetime ago since time as I spent it is now completely different. Not better, not worse, just so different.
Everyday a memory/meme of those early Covid times pops up. They are still making me laugh. They are showing me that we have come a long way from not knowing where we were going. Remember those days when we thought this wave would roll over quickly and we would be back to business as usual? Little did we know how far things would reach. Through all that hardship and loss there were still bright spots to be found. There were chuckles to be had. I am so enjoying the daily memories and it is a reminder that it is really important for mental outlook to take a moment and bring some light into the into the dark corners every day.

[pinkytoe]

Today, I will be very grateful if the wind stops blowing.

[nswef]

This is something I try to do in real life and on line. I'm better on line than in real life about focusing on the good things. I have a joy list that I write on daily- just a line or two of the joys of my life. They are often simple, today a robin bath! I am delighted to see how enthusiastically they enter the water, hunker down, wiggle, splash, fling water everywhere, wallow in the pool of water and then out to a low branch where they shake and shimmy, fluff and preen. That's just one minute of one day. How many joys do I miss??? So I try to take notice. Record them so like Simplemind I can re read them and the moment returns. My list goes back to 2015. I used to limit it to one line but this year I decided to just list all I can think of!

[catherine]

This is something I try to do in real life and on line. I'm better on line than in real life about focusing on the good things. I have a joy list that I write on daily- just a line or two of the joys of my life.

Such a good practice, nswef!

I am grateful for something related to a dog in the neighborhood--the dog, a Weimaraner, was at the house of a nearby dog sitter whose owner had gone to Hawaii for the week. Well, the dog slipped her collar and went missing. The dogsitter posted on our local online forum about the dog, which had been last seen in my neighborhood on Friday night. Subsequent posts indicated the dog still had not been captured by Tuesday, but "multiple sightings" had been reported in our area.

Tuesday, DH was looking out the window, and sure enough, there was the dog wandering around down by the lake. We called the contact number and "Nate" came down, but by that time the dog was gone--the posting had cautioned that she is very skittish and should not be chased. She had dashed off into the woods. So Nate brought us a camera and an item of the owner's clothing which he wrapped around a post by our little courtyard. I went to the store and bought $30 dollars worth of dog food, treats, and liquid smoke to entice her to the area. It was going to dip into the 30s at night so I made a little bed in one of our empty lean-tos with blankets and a sleeping bag from my son's teardrop. We left our mudroom door open with more food and treats.

No doggie appeared that night, but the camera did identify a raccoon scarfing up the treats.

But in the afternoon a new posting on our local forum was a happy one--the dog had been found and brought back home. The folks who had worked so hard to bring her home came by and thanked us, and of course there were many others who were involved in Luna's fate to be thanked.

All's well that ends well. This is why I love living in a rural area. I'm grateful Luna was safe, and also that the whole community jumped on the effort to help out.

[KayLR]

I have a joy list that I write on daily- just a line or two of the joys of my life.

I need to do this.

Today I'm grateful for the many services available to those like my grandson who need extra help to become successful. He lives with autism.

[Teacher Terry]

I have been involved with finding lost dogs and locally people help all the time. It feels so good. Kay, hoping things work out for your grandson.

[frugal-one]

I am thankful for feeling better and finding a doctor that listens to me. Checked our insurance coverage and looks like most everything should be covered from recent ER and hospital stay. ER and one night in hospital racked up $36,000!!! The sun is shining today and we had great finds at our village wide garage sale. Good friends from Canada called today to catch up.

[jp1]

You moved out of gratitude fast.

As early morning points out, gratitude comes in many flavors.

[jp1]

Reading everyone's responses I"m reminded of a dear friend who decades ago made a decision that every day he would find one thing to be happy about. He didn't have to be happy ALL day but he did need to be happy about something, no matter how small it might be, at least once per day. He has never regretted that decision and now every October, on the anniversary of that day, he celebrates what he calls "happy day". During covid he had to celebrate virtually. Before, and in vaccinated covid world, he has always hosted a party so that he can share the joy of the day with everyone close to him.

[gimmethesimplelife]

It's an interesting topic. Here in Phoenix the past few days leaked recordings have come out damning our Police Chief for lying about illegally charging peaceful protestors as gang members.

I'm about to be a Scorpio, folks. My heart is filled with joy seeing the police chief's world come down around her. She has caused multi million dollar lawsuits by numerous aforementioned illegally charged peaceful protestors AND by several subordinates she demoted to deflect blame in her lies to.the DOJ.

I'm grateful. Our Police Chief has now been shown via leaked recordings to be the lowest form of criminal trash. It does seem like actual consequences are coming!!!!

Beyond that I'm in love and I'm out of waiting tables. My cup runneth over, it truly does. Rob

[rosarugosa]

I am thankful for feeling better and finding a doctor that listens to me. Checked our insurance coverage and looks like most everything should be covered from recent ER and hospital stay. ER and one night in hospital racked up $36,000!!! The sun is shining today and we had great finds at our village wide garage sale. Good friends from Canada called today to catch up.

Oh wow, glad you are feeling better too!

[Tybee]

Frugal, that is such good news about finding a good doctor!! And great news about the bills being covered-- I am not surprised yet I am always surprised at how much 1 night in the hospital costs. It is ridiculous.

[happystuff]

Nice, frugal-one. So glad you are feeling better.

[frugal-one]

Thanks for the kind words! Got written word today … all bills covered at 100%. That’s a relief!