Day 556
Today was a day full of family, connecting with friends, tons of great food and Goldens! With my new commitment to Thanksgiving, where it is not simply a portal to Christmas (thank you Sue L!), I spent a large portion of my day being present and full of gratitude.
It is not a difficult challenge to feel thankful for all of the things we might take for granted from time-to-time...health, home, loved ones. Every time some "gift" would present itself on this day, I would take a moment to honor it with gratitude. Family around the table, Goldens surrounding us (with their eyes on the food), laughter, warmth and so much more made me stop and appreciate what I have.
Then, it was time for my second set of Golden walks for the day. Sam, Gus and then the seniors all get their turn on the leash. Sam's walk found me forgetting to be present in gratitude. It was downright cold! My hands were freezing and my face hurt. Still in the training mode with our newest boy, I was trying to reach in to my pocket to provide incentives for just about everything he did right.
"Heel." TREAT
"Sit!" TREAT
"Look at me." (Another dog was across the street!) TREAT
"Leave it!" (What is it with the squirrels this time of year anyway??) LOTS OF TREATS
"Come!" TREAT
Sammy has made infinite progress, but it was cumbersome to take my glove off to reach in for his dog treat every time...Bah, Humbug!
Well, it didn't take me long to realize that I had fallen off track with my day of gratitude. Forcing myself back towards my focus on being thankful, I made a discovery. Inconvenience and frustration can illuminate gifts we don't see right before our eyes.
Frustration with the dog treats led to an appreciation for Sam's accomplishments.
Taking my gloves off not only made me thankful for their attempt at comfort, but allowed me to see the mittens waiting at home to be available for the next walk.
My face hurting in the wind...well that took a moment, but I finally found myself with an overwhelming gratitude for the ability to be able to walk with that cold wind on my face.
For the next hour or so, I would take a negative moment and turn it around to see that it was based on a true gift.
A glass broke...nobody got hurt!
Sam dug a hole in the yard...we have warm water to clean the baby!
There were more than a few dishes to contend with...beautiful dishes handed down from my Nanny to me and warm, sudsy water to lovingly wash them.
The sun set SO early...in the darkness, we could enjoy the beauty of lights on the tree and the glow of numerous candles.
So, thank you Sue Leggate for making this Thanksgiving a wonderful, special holiday full of gratitude for just about everything. You enlightened me to the true joys of Thanksgiving and the holiday will never be a bump in the road to Christmas again. My thankfulness for all the gifts around me is endless...especially for friends and loved ones, like Sue.
