The importance of gratitude

26 November 2016

These are tumultuous times for many people in the U.S. I think that no matter what is going on around us, we benefit from focusing on the things that we can be grateful for. My brother, Larry, is visiting me from Brisbane, Australia, and he and I were discussing how science shows that a gratitude practice leads to a longer life. Here’s an article that details some of the benefits of gratitude.

Toward that end, I thought I’d continue my tradition of writing a Thanksgiving post about the things that I am grateful for:

I get to hang out with my brother for a few weeks. Since Larry and I live thousands of miles apart, it’s a real treat to spend so much time with him.

I’m an early riser. Our fabulous friend, Jim, is also visiting us so there are four adults, instead of the usual two, in our house. Each morning, I’m the first one up, which gives me time to do my daily genealogy research and try to get a little work done. I’m truly grateful that I’m wired to get up early—I get so much done first thing in the morning.

Our father’s good health. Our father, Gene, is 86 years old. He has been treated for bladder cancer and is nowcancer free. He takes daily walks and leads an independent life. I’m so grateful he’s doing so well.

Bix! We brought our standard poodle puppy, Bix, home on December 13, 2015. He just turned one and he is an absolute delight. He’s almost past his naughty stage and basically spends his time making us laugh (and making us throw a toy for him to retrieve). Thanks to Bix, I have new friends and I’m exercising more. (That nine-month period without a dog in 2015 was quite sedentary.) He’s a very good boy.

Pet health insurance. Bix is a healthy dog, but we’ve had some vet visits and anomalies (like when he had to have eight baby teeth pulled because they didn’t fall out on their own). I’m so grateful that we signed up for amazing pet insurance through Nationwide. We have the Whole Pet with Wellness plan, which reimburses us for 90 percent of our expenses (after the $100 annual deductible was met). We pay about $60 a month for the premium but it has paid off in spades. It is so wonderful that money doesn’t play into our veterinary decisions.

Our house renovations. We’ve seen some big changes in our 108-year-old house in the past year. Our unfinished basement went from something out of Silence of the Lambs to a pleasant, open and water tight space. I no longer dread doing the laundry down there. And Bix enjoys having an indoor playground. We also have a wonderful new kitchen that is a joy to spend time in. Both those projects were dirty, disruptive and expensive. But they were certainly worth the expense and aggravation!

My wonderful business and amazing team members. For the last few years, my client work has been primarily leading teams of organizers. We help our clients make swift and transformative changes. My team members are amazing organizers and amazing individuals and I am indeed very grateful for them.

Friends of many decades standing. I am so lucky to have Thanksgiving dinner every year with the most amazing friends. I’ve watched their kids grow up and we’re now welcoming a new generation. I also am grateful for my buddies from college, whom I see at least once a year, and friends from high school whom I see when I visit family in Walla Walla. Perhaps one of the greatest things about growing older is my ever expanding pool of friends.

Hamilton. For the last month, I’ve been listening to the soundtrack of the Broadway musical Hamilton non-stop. I’ve read about Hamilton. I’m sort of living and breathing it and, for some reason, it’s incredibly life enhancing. I hope before next year’s Thanksgiving post I will have seen it in person!

There is always so much in life to be grateful for, if we’re looking for it. Sometimes I have to remind myself to step back and take stock of those things. For the rest of the year, I’m going to redouble my efforts to write a daily gratitude list. I know it will help me meet whatever challenges might be ahead.

Tagged with: gratitude, thanksgiving