On Gratitude
I’m in the beautiful, delicious throes of the final few pages of a really, really good book right now. I wanted to tell you all about it in today’s email, but my gut is telling me I need to share something else instead.
I need to tell you how grateful I am for you.
I need you to know how much it means to me that you’ve subscribed to this email group and stuck around to read my words each Friday morning (especially if you’re someone who’s been reading these messages for years). It means so much to me.
Because you matter to me.
I care how you’re doing, how things are going in your world, what’s going on and how you’re feeling about it all.
I’m not a bot pumping out canned messages trying to sell you something you don’t need ~ I’m a 43-year-old human who loves to read and write about building a life a person can love, especially on Friday mornings. Especially with you.
It means the world to me that you find enough value here to spend your time reading my words. Because it matters what we choose to fill our minds and lives with, and I feel honored that you’ve chosen my words to be a part of your life. Because a person is only a writer if she’s lucky enough to have readers.
I feel incredibly lucky to have you here.
Thank you.
Really, thank you so much for being here.
⊹⊹⊹
I’m rushing out the door this morning to pick up my college student for Thanksgiving break. I have a whole day planned with him in the big city, and my happiness meter is past max that I get to bring him home to stay for a whole week. It never escapes me how lucky I am, how many people only dream of being able to do those types of things, how long I dreamed of it.
My fridge and pantry are stuffed with all the foods and ingredients for our little family’s Thanksgiving feast. I hope yours is stuffed to overflowing and you have plans to spend time with at least a few people you love, too.
But just in case this year has been a tough one for you, just in case the upcoming Thanksgiving week stirs up more complicated feelings than cozy, excited ones, I wanted to share one little thing that’s become a happiness hack of sorts for me over the past couple of years, especially in dark moments.
A shortcut to getting your grateful on. . .
A pencil.
A scrap of paper.
Five minutes spent making a list of tiny beautiful moments.
Once a day (or more on the hard days).
It’s been life-changing for me.
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Here’s my tiny beautiful moments list for today⤵
Remembering the way Baby Eloise reached for me and giggled and giggled at the tiny felt ghosts and chicken I gave her
The steam from our coffee cups side by side, the sun streaming in, as we sit together at the walnut table he made with his hands
Our lunchtime walks together down the big hill and back, snow crunching underneath our boots, wind making our eyes water
The way the clouds on top of the mountains looked like a watercolor painting early this morning as the sun came up over the opposite ridge ~ pinks, purples, and blues all around
All of a sudden, I feel like the luckiest woman alive.
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I hope this week is chock-full of tiny beautiful moments for you, friend. I hope beauty surprises you in ways you can’t even begin to imagine just yet. And should you want to share, I’m just an email away. Always.
Thank you so much for being here ~ and Happy Thanksgiving.
💛
Celeste
did AI write this? nope, this lady did ⤴ always💛