365 Less Things

Reducing our stuff one day at a time.

Day 299 Gratitude

by

A guest post by Cindy Bogard

I am writing this on Sunday, although I know you are not reading it on Sunday. At my house, we take Sunday as a day of rest and family time. So instead of writing a blog, I am going to list the things that I am grateful for today. I challenge you to use to comment section to add your own gratitude list.

Cindy’s Gratitude List

  1. Insulin, which was not discovered until the 1920s and without which my daughter would die.
  2. The fantastic weather we’ve had for the past month.
  3. My friends Holly and Dan T and my mother who spent 8 hours yesterday helping Dan and I paint. (Dan T did the 16” ceilings in the stairwell!) Also Holly’s husband Steve, who took the kids away with him for the day.
  4. That my husband is still employed when so many others have lost their jobs.
  5. Books on CD, which amuse the girls and me when we are in the car.

For Cindy – Today’s decluttered item is courtesy of Dan: 2 remote control cars.

ITEM 299 OF 365 LESS THINGS

I have soooo many hand towels that I really don’t need these holey ones

Hand Towels

Colleen’s Gratitude List

Amidst the haze of sadness it makes life more bearable to concentrate on the good things in our lives. There are so many things to be grateful for that we take for granted every day until we find ourselves in a position where our focus changes

  1. A good nights sleep – It is amazing how emotions running wild can wear you out. I am so glad we seem to be able to get some sleep at night.
  2. Good private health insurance.
  3. Our boy is making great progress. He is awake at last and starting to speak, he can recognise us and has written some stuff down but is a bit confused and distressed about what he has done to himself.
  4. My little girl being here for her little brother and for us and doing what she can to help.
  5. All the prayers and good wishes from all those wonderful people out there that took the time to care.

Comments

  1. I’m grateful for –
    1. Cataract surgery – otherwise I would be losing my sight in my fifties.
    2. Nature’s beauty everywhere.
    3. Good books.
    4. People who love us in spite of our flaws.
    5. Being born in a free and democratic country.

    So happy to hear the update on your son, Colleen!

    • Thanks for being our first contestant Jo. I was starting to fear that no one was going to join in.

      Someday I’ll be grateful for cataract surgery, too, I think Jo. The good news, at least according to my MD, is that everyone will get cataracts if they live long enough. He says, “It means you’re still alive. Good for you.”

  3. My gratitude list for today:
    1. an amazing daughter in law who actually enjoys my company.
    2. an abundance of food in a world where people are starving.
    3. My husband washed the dishes this evening.
    4. My sister in law made me laugh by telling me to go watch ‘Silent Monks’ on youtube.
    5. Clean water. See #2.

  4. So glad to hear that your son is on the mend! Thank goodness for that. My son’s partner was in an induced coma for 2 weeks and in intensive care for 3 weeks in total during July, and it is just such a massive relief when they finally turn the corner. I’m so pleased for you
    Judy

  5. things i am grateful for

    1. a little bit of extra time enjoying the warmer weather
    2. family & friends
    3. enj0ying my job after many years of study
    4. this blog, it has really inspired me, challenged me to change my way of thinking and opened up my world
    5. jane austen’s writing. a good companion, also works well as white noise for me

    • Hi Imogen,
      thank you for being grateful for my blog I am glad to be of help. You in turn are inspiring me to get back to the keyboard as soon as possible.

  6. 1. Books that help me grow and change as a person.
    2. Blogs that make me realise how world is filled with wonderful, inspiring people.
    3. My tidy bedroom.
    4. Vacuum cleaner that I brought from Ireland to UK in a travel bag because the moving company overlooked it when packing our stuff.
    5. Bananas that make great quick breakfast for my boy when we’re running late to the nursery.

    • I wholeheartedly agree with #2. The world is full of wonderful people, isn’t it?

      My youngest once said, “The world is really full of wonder, isn’t it Mommy? It’s wonder-ful.” I love that and hope she always feels that way.

      • Isn’t it beautiful to look at the world through the eyes of a child? I am grateful for being a parent and being able enjoy the simple wonders of discovering the world once more. (This makes no.6 for today 🙂 )

        My husband likes this quote by Albert Einstein: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

  7. 5 things I am grateful for:

    1. people worldwide who dare to share their thoughs, emotiotions, ups and downs with other people
    2. compassion and my ability to cry for a boy named Liam and his family.
    3. people who are honest, friendly and really motivating in times of struggle
    4. Love
    5. Peace

    • Wow Lena, you threw me into a spin with this comment. You have obviously reached the traumatic period of 2010. I went back to see what I had written that day and the memories and grief came flooding back. Thank God our boy made such a good recovery but what a scary time that was. He still scares me because he is a young man in his early twenties and most males are reckless individuals at that age. Liam is relatively cautious but not enough for my liking. They think they are invincible and since he was almost fully recovered before he could remember one day to the next he doesn’t really understand the severity of the situation. My husband, his sister and I constantly remind him that another knock like that could damage him for life so he needs to be mindful of what he is doing.

      Thank you for your gratitude list that reflects what you now see in me at the time I wrote my list that day. I have always found it therapeutic to let my feeling out rather than hold them in. A little reflected sympathy goes a long way towards the healing process for me. And thank you also for reminding me of how lucky we are that the outcome was good. I think all the prayers and well wishes from my readers and their friends had a lot to do with that.

      • oh, colleen, I didnt want to give you a hard time reminding you of this specific time of your life. But it helps once in a while to be reminded of the intense phases. and as I am going through your archives systematically I already dreaded this moment. And I was surprised it made me cry, but then again, it was a hard time and I could see how many people were praying for your family. support and compassion are important things in life. Good you had so much of it in that time.

        I have a brother who is 2 years younger. He had a huge accident when he was 18, I know what a shock it is for the family. He survived mostly unharmed, the car didnt. and instead of learning how to drive slowly, he had some other small accidents without serious injuries. He is a careful driver now at the age of 25. So there is hope that they learn it sooner or later. I bet children will always be a bit too reckless for the taste of their mothers 😉

        • Hi Lena, don’t feel bad I don’t mind being reminded it also reminds me how lucky we were. This evening on the way home from a walk there was an ambulance in our street. My first thoughts were I hope Liam is home safe. As we walked up the street it became apparent from the talking going on that a girl had been hit by a car. I hope she is alright, I feel for her family.