The Gratitude Project: Day 27

Hello! Along with a new year, in my life, has come new responsibilities and opportunities, one of which is a new on-line course in which I have enrolled -- and which I would like to explore more in-depth today. And so, without much preamble, I'm going to get straight to the point of this entry: things number 79, 80 and 81 for which I am grateful.

1. Words of Encouragement -- I think I've always been grateful for kind or encouraging words, whether in recognition of a job well done or throughout the course of an everyday conversation. Just yesterday I received an unexpected message from an unexpected friend -- and how it made my day! Though a seemingly "little" thing, it brought great encouragement to read those kind words from a friend with whom I have an inexplicable deeper connection. And what a gift to encounter these friends from time to time in our lives, people with whom we share a similar set of fundamental values for who we are and who we hope to be. And so I thank you, dear friend, for the way in which you brightened an otherwise hum-drum day.

2. Authenticity -- Is there anything more refreshing than the company of a genuine, sincere, authentic person?

3. Memories -- That the human brain can store and recall events and emotions from years past is a wonder to me! As I look back through my own story I am grateful for the memories that accompany me in the present, and will be by my side in the future. Memories are a little bit like history, aren't they: we have the opportunity to take them for what they are, to study them, and to learn from them far into the future. The funny thing is that, once some time has passed, I have learned to appreciate even many of the unpleasant memories (though not all! This is an "imperfect saint" writing here!), for I have come through those situations and they, too, have changed me. In many cases, they have taught me the value of speaking up when something is not okay. They have taught me to be assertive (not aggressive), to be direct, and to be able to look at a situation for what it is and to remedy what is not working well -- without taking things personally. I have learned not to wait for "the right moment" to bring up a topic which desperately needs to be discussed, but which nobody wants to touch with a ten-foot pole; I have learned that it is okay to figure things out as you go along, rather than sticking exclusively to a pre-set plan; and I have learned that, oftentimes, life doesn't go according to my expectations -- but if I choose to work with it, it often turns out even better than I could ever have imagined!