It's only 10 am, and I'm curled up in the student centre, with a jacket over my legs, and a scarf around my neck. I've been here for over two hours, since the early morning class that I scraped myself out of bed for was cancelled. I found myself a comfy spot, with my tea and scone and settled in. As I've sat here, I've watched the sun creep up - a dull, wintery sun, fighting hard to break through the clouds that are the remnants of a winter storm overnight.
It's been quiet in this space lately, and, quite frankly, it's probably going to stay that way for a awhile longer. A casualty of school and life has been writing publicly. I'm barely finding time to write privately - to process in my journal, and keep up with dear, far-away friends by email. And right now, the focus of my life needs to be on school, and on honoring some quiet places of pondering, processing, and exploring. So I walk forward with that.
It's Thanksgiving today for my American friends and family, and it reminds me that I've been less than faithful in keeping up with daily 5 posts as well. The truth is, after much pondering, I'm saying goodbye to that daily habit - or more accurately, to the daily habit of recording my thanksgiving and smiles in this space. In the over three years that I've kept daily count, the habit of choosing joy has begun to be deeply ingrained in my soul. It has altered my internal monologue, taught me the value of choosing gratitude, and given me the ability to celebrate each moment of happiness. There isn't a day that passes where I don't pause multiple times to mentally note a moment of joy or gratitude.
I think I'll still be here occasionally with those lists, and maybe someday I'll resurrect the daily practice of recording them, but today, I'm saying goodbye to that practice, and ushering it out with a list of smiles that stand out from the last several days. It seems a good thing to do on a day that one half of my family lineage and so many of my dear friends use to pause and give thanks.
Daily "5":
It's been quiet in this space lately, and, quite frankly, it's probably going to stay that way for a awhile longer. A casualty of school and life has been writing publicly. I'm barely finding time to write privately - to process in my journal, and keep up with dear, far-away friends by email. And right now, the focus of my life needs to be on school, and on honoring some quiet places of pondering, processing, and exploring. So I walk forward with that.
It's Thanksgiving today for my American friends and family, and it reminds me that I've been less than faithful in keeping up with daily 5 posts as well. The truth is, after much pondering, I'm saying goodbye to that daily habit - or more accurately, to the daily habit of recording my thanksgiving and smiles in this space. In the over three years that I've kept daily count, the habit of choosing joy has begun to be deeply ingrained in my soul. It has altered my internal monologue, taught me the value of choosing gratitude, and given me the ability to celebrate each moment of happiness. There isn't a day that passes where I don't pause multiple times to mentally note a moment of joy or gratitude.
I think I'll still be here occasionally with those lists, and maybe someday I'll resurrect the daily practice of recording them, but today, I'm saying goodbye to that practice, and ushering it out with a list of smiles that stand out from the last several days. It seems a good thing to do on a day that one half of my family lineage and so many of my dear friends use to pause and give thanks.
Daily "5":
- The boy who walks his dog in my neighborhood while riding a unicycle
- Thanksgiving for a sound mind - especially after two rough hospital shifts caring for a patient with dementia
- a quiet spot to curl up on this cold morning
- Anything that has color in the grey colorlessness of winter
- watching the sun climb the sky today
- moments of rest
- a food awesome cooking successes this last week
- an extra large tea and a wonderful scone for breakfast
- bus drivers that make it possible for me to avoid winter driving
- dear sweet friends who have gone out of their way to encourage, pray for and with, and journey alongside me
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
