For accomplishments, challenges, travel, and gifts

It's been a long time since I've posted to my gratitude journal. Sometimes, the "speed of life" prohibits stopping long enough to share ... even though I am mindful of my gratitudes, most of the time, I don't always get a chance to point them out to others.

So, here ... from the last month:

I'm grateful for another year ... a birthday for me, and one for John, and another year of being married to this man I love so much. Another year with our loving, beautiful, talented, and dearly-cherished daughters, as well.








I'm grateful for my kitty (Mack) cooperating with my psychic messages begging him to continue eating, despite our extended absence on vacation and my subsequent travel for a work-related conference. He's doing just fine, although he does tend to insist on his special food treats, and has enjoyed sleeping for the last three nights smack-dab on my chest!



I'm grateful for a successful Summer Assembly, and for the presence of mind, for whatever reason, of not accepting more responsibility for next year than I already had. And for time to spend with people I care about, but see only once a year. For time to "just be me," and relax, if only for moments at a time.












I'm grateful for the opportunity to travel to a new place with an adventurous companion who led me to meet Lake Superior again, after almost 30 years; and with a delightful coworker I only get to see a few times a year.









I'm grateful for the artistic talents of people I don't even know, but have the good fortune to meet occasionally at street fairs and art fairs, and those I will never meet whose works have brightened my waiting hours at the Duluth airport.







I'm grateful for the magic (science that I don't understand) that allows planes to fly, and therefore allows me to see the earth as the living organism she really is, and us as an infinitesimal part of her enormous awe-inspiring "being."





I'm grateful for the opportunity to practice loving detachment as my youngest angel tries her wings, and I hope we have established strong enough "roots" for her to feel confident that we are here for her, whatever her path.





And I am grateful for family time, enjoying silly things and laughter together. Making memories is much more important, I believe, than being practical.