Gratitude for the Hard Stuff
The checkbook that I couldn’t find and looked all over for. The coffee filter that folded over in the coffee pot and ended up causing coffee grounds to seep into my fresh pot of coffee. Breakfast there was barely enough time for. Lost emails. Junk mail. Voicemails that need to be returned. The traffic jam that lasted far longer than I anticipated this morning. I am grateful for all of the minor inconveniences, misplaced items, intrusions into my schedule, unexpected hassles. All of it being proof of a full and busy life.
Spending time with a friend in the hospital after four days of protracted labor and her birth plan being completely torpedoed. Being able to provide some form of relief with acupuncture and gentle touch. Hearing a newborn wail for the first time down the hall. Semi-decent hospital food. Finally surrendering to the reality of the situation and getting the epidural anyways. Driving back to Denver with the windows open at 3 am. Full body tired. Finally getting texted a picture of her newborn the next day while working. I am grateful for friends who give me the privilege of being there for them.
A tight right hip that needs yoga on the regular. Hair that is greying much earlier than I ever anticipated. Sensitive skin that easily burns and will never fully adapt to a high-desert environment. Crunchy knees from years of weightlifting. A psyche that needs lots of sleep, downtime, and solitude in big doses. I am grateful for all of the messages my body gives me, good and bad, subtle and strong. A body that carries me through life and shows proof of living on my skin, in my bones, on my face, everywhere.
Miscommunications. Half completed house projects. A nail in my car tire. Marital strain. Prescription cat food that drains my bank account. Political ads. I am grateful for all of it, the whole enchilada. Hassle, inconvenience, the unexpected, the difficult, the annoying, the painful, even the completely tragic - all of this is part of life and it’s not going anywhere. It is inherent in living. I don’t have a lot of control over much of it, but I do have a choice over how I respond. I can let it wake me up to life and I can choose to be grateful for all of it. It may feel burdensome and difficult and completely impossible, but I am grateful for that as well.