Out my window

I saw a blackbird sitting on the topmost branch of a tree. The branch was spindly and unable to hold the bird's weight. The bird kept toppling off and readjusting its wings and feet to stay on top. It could have easily had the same vantage point on nearby thicker branches, but no matter the difficulty it was undeterred from seeking either an unobstructed view or from conquering the tree.

About that list...

So, I obviously fell off the gratitude wagon. Not that it was intentional. I am actually very sad that I did not make it to the end, but life can just get too busy sometimes. I'm going to think of it as a pause instead of a failure. Twenty-two days of recording and acknowledging gratitude are still 22 days.

Gratitude: Day 22

Camaraderie. Not that this is at all what I had expected, or where I would have originally looked for it, but I'm glad we both have people individually and collectively that we share mutual respect and trust.

Nice meals. Food always tastes better when shared with those you love.

Gratitude: Day 21

Creativity. My husband has taught me a lot about this. I have never felt overly crafty, artsy, or generally creative. But he has taught me that there is creativity in most things. We all look at things in our ways and we approach things from a unique angle. And I'm grateful to have the influence of his unique perspective on things.

Gratitude: Day 20

Helping people. I am fortunate enough to get to do work that is rewarding. Giving talks on health, answering peoples' questions and working one-on-one with individuals gives me the opportunity to make the world a better place. Health really does start with food--but most people are too confused by what they see on television and/or find the topic too boring to give it much thought. I enjoy the challenge of combating those two issues and helping people to feel better.
Over the years certain experiences, even knowing certain people, really cemented a level of concern about people's relationship with food. In school, reading study after study and learning from progressive doctors, chefs, and authors, was an amazing experience--even eye opening for someone who had given the topic a lot of thought. I am grateful for all I've learned both in and out of the classroom. I am equally grateful for the opportunity to plant seeds that help people feel better.

Gratitude: Day 19

Pretty things to see. I recently added a few blogs to the blogroll I read just because they are pretty. I enjoy looking at the pictures. No need to make anything or buy anything or be told to buy something because everyone else has one. I love that there are people out there who dedicate their blogs to just looking at things, seeing the beauty in them and sharing that with other people.

Gratitude: Day 18

Reading. This is something I definitely value more as I get older. Not only do I appreciate having the skill to read but I appreciate the fact that I have so many stories to choose from. There are so many great books out there, I always have things I love to read.

I also appreciate the fact that that there are so many options these days for how a person can read. You can buy books at a store, you can order online, you can use a book reader, or listen to an audio book, you can borrow books from a library, you can swap books online from people all over the world. I love all the options!

Gratitude: Day 17

Family. Although for me and my husband family is really few and far between, we are grateful for family members that we do have and keep in touch with. They make our lives better with their support and understanding.

Gratitude: Day 16

Relaxation. I love to work, but I also love having a four-day weekend once in a while.

Gratitude: Day 15

Thanksgiving. I've had a lot of Thanksgivings in a lot of different places, with a lot of different people over the years, and the thing that always strikes me is that no one does it the same. No two houses or families ever celebrate alike.
But it seems like the tradition would be almost a carbon copy from home to home. I guess that speaks to how different families are themselves.
There are aspects I notice such as: the level of formality, the location, the amount of religion involved, the food itself, the time of day, the conversation, the number of people, who cooks and why, and the length of the meal. Thanksgiving is a meal, but its also microcosm of a family's structure and I'm happy over the years to have been able to spend it with so many varied kinds of families in three different states.

Gratitude: Day 14

Sometimes we forget to be grateful for certain things like having heat in our homes in the winter time. It's easy to take those kinds of things for granted because it's something most of us have been able to count on all our lives. But not everyone has had that kind of security. Even if it gets hard to pay for heat at times, it's not the same as having to face going without heat. And I am just thinking about the enormity of that.

Gratitude: Day 13

My teapot and its accessories. Sounds a bit strange, but ever since I purchased this teapot (a couple of years ago) that you put hot water and loose leaves in, place over your cup when its done and it empties from the bottom, it has made having tea so much easier. Almost mindless but in a good way.

We already have a setup in our sink to use instant hot water (no boiling, yay!) so this is a super combo.

I won't go into the other tea accessories, but I was just thinking about how much I love the convenience of being able to have tea all the time without it being a hassle.

Gratitude: Day 12

Today, I am grateful for Damn You Auto Correct.

This silly, little website cracks me up.

Gratitude: Day 11

I heard a story today that just broke my heart. It was told to me by a person whose life is also pretty heartbreaking.

Today, I guess I am just grateful to have had a certain level of luck and the ability to try to make the best out of a bad situation.

Really everything in life comes down to how we think about ourselves and what happens to us. Because everything we do, or don't do, stems from that.

Gratitude: Day 10

The Internet. I (vaguely) remember a time when I couldn't have (even incredibly obscure) questions answered just by typing a few words into a search bar. Not sure what I would do without Google now.

Gratitude: Day 9

Having a regular schedule. I remember in the past, working odd schedules like Wednesday through Sunday and odd times like noon to 9 pm. I remember a time when I worked three jobs: 8-12 at the first one, 1-4 at the second, and then 5-9 at the third. And I needed all the time in between to drive to the next location and eat in my car. It's a luxury to have one weekday job. OK, it's not quite one, but it's close enough to call.

Gratitude: Day 8

Wishlists. Especially Amazon. It's not just for buying things, it helps me organize books I plan to check out at the library as well.

Gratitude: Day 7

Fireplaces. This is the first place I've lived where the fireplace actually still worked. There is something about a fireplace that's unlike other experiences in the home.

We are generally so removed from what anyone would deem "natural." The fire and the wood and smoke and the flickering light in the dark is a novelty to us. But it somehow makes me feel connected to a past I never experienced.

Gratitude: Day 6

Clarity. Even when something is hard to hear, it's better to know than not know. It's hard to come up with solutions to problems when you don't know what question to ask.

Gratitude: Day 5

The combination of:

Pesto sauce. Because it's just so yummy.

Funny videos with cats jumping into boxes. And out of boxes.

Decent, but inexpensive red wine.