Gratitude

I just finished reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. And this post isn’t a book review, per se, it simply got me thinking about more than just the book, which is a major endorsement if you think about it.  Big Magic was comprehensible and lyrical, down-to-earth, yet other-worldly. It moved my soul and ignited a passion and love for the written word. Its was powerful and yet simple and mundane. It encourages exploring a creative outlet for no reason than because we are meant to be creating. It inspires people to do what they may have been too scared to do or too conditioned that it didn’t matter. She did all of that with her words.

I started thinking about language and what an incredible construct it is. I don’t know if we ever take the time to thing about the wonder of it, of being able to communicate though speech and written word. To be able to learn other languages and other forms of communication. 

My youngest is nineteenth moths old and watching him learn to speak and communicate is fascinating. He points vigorously at things, and we get to play the guessing game of which item on the table he’s pointing at. He calls me mama and his dad “Daaaaa”! He uses sign language for eat, water, and more. He says ‘danks’ when we give him something.  His emerging repertoire for language grows exponentially; each day new words, sounds, and signs pop up. Although there are still miscommunications and we’re still guessing sometimes,  it’s wonderful to understand better what he needs.  He’s exploring and connecting with his world in an entire new way.  Language is such a part of our daily lives that we don’t even think about it until we need to talk or communicate with someone who doesn’t speak our language. How wonderfully beautiful language is and yet we so often forget the miracle it is.

I am filled with amazement for this ability and though mastery of the English language feels halting at times, I am grateful for my own grasp of it and my ability to speak loving words to my children and family. It’s a gift to share my experiences through language and lighten someone’s day with my words. I’m grateful this miracle that I usually don’t give two thoughts about most days. 

I began wondering about other things that we take for granted. The air we breathe, the water running through our homes, the electricity that brightens our homes. Vehicles that take us miles in simple minutes. Modern appliances like washing machines, microwaves, and dishwashers that make household tasks more convenient. Sometimes we lose sight of that. We live in a time of miracles that surround us every day. Relishing in the wonder all around us for a few minutes can lighten our loads and remind us that we are blessed. 

Yes, we have hardships and modern technologies can be as trying as they are helpful, but do we ever stop to think about how wonderful it is to live in the year 2024? I can call my mom who lives four hundred miles away. We can video chat with family and friends. My kids can see their cousins that live on the other side of the country. It’s a marvel. And if we take a moment to delight in the wonder and amazement of it rather than the annoyance that the battery’s already at fifty percent it will improve our mood and our day significantly. We all have problems and will continue to have problems and some of those problems are modern inventions, but we all have tiny miracles surrounding us each day.

I’m grateful to be alive today. I’m grateful to have been born and into a family that cared and loved me. My life is far from perfect and I’ve wallowed in self pity and bathed in my woes often enough. But sometimes all it takes is a child pointing out in wonder the flower in the crack of the sidewalk, or mooing to the cows on the side of the road. If we look to the things children enjoy as a guide and relish the little things they notice. Take a moment to smell the earth after a rain. Get out of your head and into our body may help you appreciate the world around you more. 

My body isn’t perfect. I have an autoimmune disease that causes some challenges and pain. But I still get to go to the gym and lift weights to strengthen my muscles,  bones, and joints. I can still walk and smile and laugh and cry. I am so grateful for my body, for sheltering, nourishing, and carrying my for four children. They would not be here without my body. It allows me to experience the world around me and deserves all my love and appreciation. 

I don’t always follow this advice. I feel down and anxious about things both little and big. I feel overwhelmed with all the things I should be doing and shrink away from my growing to do list. I get upset when I don’t accomplish what I set out to do and feel frustrated with my ineptitude. I find though, if we allow it, gratitude can be a great way to grow beyond the anxiety and melancholy. Being grateful for simple and specific things: a breath, a bed, our hands, a cup of tea, the shade of a tree, any thing that brings a smile or a moment of peace can shift our day. It’s not always immediate or a dramatic shift, but just like a photographer can choose where to point his lense and alter the story, we, too, have the power to shift our viewpoint and focus on something that brings hope and light rather than doom and gloom. Whether its marveling at the wonder of language or appreciating the taste of a strawberry, looking for the things that bring joy. 

I’m grateful for uplifting books like Big Magic that remind me of these things. I’m grateful for writing and the creative outlet it allows me. The commitment to this practice encourages me to grow while exploring my thoughts and feelings in a constructive way. I hope we can all find a way to express our innate sense of creativity and take a few minutes to explore what brings us joy and express gratitude of those things.