Gratitude in the Everyday, Part V

25 – When I look around my home, I’m grateful for the fact that I really enjoy living with my mom.

Since I was seventeen, aside from the year I lived on campus during my freshman year of college, my mom and I have lived together, just the two of us. It’s been so nice and I have really enjoyed living with her. I am grateful that we get along, enjoy each others’ company, and that she’s never pressured me to move out. It’s been such a wonderful experience living with my mom and I am just so grateful and blessed to have such a close relationship with her.

26 – When I look around at the world, I’m grateful for freedom.

We honestly have no idea how good we have it. I am free to read whatever I want, have a career, do things on my own without a male counterpart, worship where I want and how I want, criticize public officials, and write on a public blog. I have a roof over my head, electricity, running water, a comfy bed, and food in my home. I go to sleep with a full belly every night and I have enough money in my bank account to get me to my next paycheck. Freedom. We have so much of it, and I think it’s so easy to get bogged down in what we don’t have, or what we want, or what we think we need, and we forget that we live in a world some people cannot even imagine. We are living the dream. We really and truly are.

27 – I love that I have the ability to daydream about my next cruise!

My mom and I have already discussed our next cruise. This will be the sixth one for both of us. And after having a balcony room during my girls’ cruise this month, we’re even contemplating reserving a balcony room. We’ve already settled on the cruise we want to do (a 7-day cruise out of Miami that leaves in May) and just thinking about is filling me with such joy and glee. I can’t wait!

28 – I love it when I see animals anywhere!

Goodness, I don’t think I could be more of an animal lover. I definitely love animals more than I love people. (Usually, I get more choked up about news stories involving animals than I do about news stories about people.) They are just so innocent and sweet (well, most of them) and fun to be around.

29 – The nicest thing I have felt on my skin today was a pair of jeans!

On Monday, my company announced we were free to dress casually on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Typically, we adhere to a business professional dress code Monday – Thursday and then a casual dress code on Fridays, so we were all stoked we could dress down and wear jeans this week. I’ll admit, I felt a bit funny walking out of the house on a Tuesday in a pair of jeans, as if I was being naughty or disobedient (almost 26 years old and I’m still completely terrified of authority!). It is really the little things, sometimes, isn’t it?

30 – I’m grateful that I’m learning to enjoy the present moment.

I was looking through my worksheets from the Holiday Council 2012 and noted one of my goals for 2013 was to enjoy what’s happening in the present and stop worrying so much about what’s to come in the future. To stop worrying about being a certain weight or meeting someone special or having the perfect career. To enjoy what is in front of me and have hope for what is to come (but not dwell on it!). And I believe I am learning to do that. I feel more centered and present and here. I’m not looking forward or backward, I’m just feeling peace and contentment for what lies in this moment. It’s precious, this life we’re living. We don’t get a second chance at it. So we might as well enjoy the ride.

And that concludes my “Gratitude in the Everyday” posts! It’s been fun reflecting on my life and completing these prompts over the past few weeks and I want to wish a very, very Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers. The next few days are going to be a whirlwind for me, with a race to run, food to eat, and a birthday to celebrate! I’ll be back on Monday with a full recap on all the festivities. Have a good one, friends!