Gratitude is a powerful drug. I won’t go so far as to incriminate myself or to make any assumptions about your familiarity by hazarding
comparisons (though I daresay I could for some
of you!). Suffice it to say I am feeling
“high” on gratitude lately, whether it’s just an “upper” or a hallucinogenic
matters little to me!
(BELOW: Reese in the puddles, makes me giggle every time-- she is just so happy with life!)
There are a number of factors contributing to this feeling,
of course…
My family is
pretty awesome. Reese is a rock
star in her own right; watching her learn to swim and to sing in Mandarin, to
name just a couple things, is more rewarding than I can say. Pete is still the man of my DREAMS and I get
to come home from work each day to see both of them. My parents and mother-in-law visit regularly
and my siblings “get” me. Plus, I have a
healthy baby on his way and I’m told that loving your second as much as your
first is not as hard as it sounds. :)
(ABOVE: a day at the skate park where Pete teaches Reese to ride and she learns confidence;
BELOW: having cocktails at the Waldorf Astoria-- well, just 1, given the price, but our date was LOVELY)
I’m fortunate
enough to have astounding friends all around the world.
For the first time in my life, I am beginning
to feel that I am using technology the way I want to in order to stay in
touch. This means more texting and
emailing, more Skype conversations, and less useless “liking” on Facebook. Do I still have a ways to go? Absolutely!
But, I’m getting better and I feel more involved in the lives of the
people that matter most to me and as if I am connecting with them more
genuinely… even if I’m only 50% of the way there.
Plus, the generosity we’ve experienced from people gifting us with
clothes, furniture, and more for our baby has been positively overwhelming.
It’s been a good
month! In the last 30 days, I’ve had hilarious
picnics with my kid, romantic dates with my hubby, decadent (Mother’s Day)
brunch with friends, read some captivating stories and even (wait for it) got a
pedicure & massage. The weather is
looking more summer-ish week by week (so we get to play outside!) and summer vacation is just around the
corner. [Holy cow! Just as I was finishing that last sentence a
student brought me CAKE from a local bakery!
Seriously?]
(ABOVE: blueberry cheesecake on the left & chocolate mousse on the right!)
I am content at
work. I like my students &
colleagues. My supervisors credit the
value I bring to the school and appreciate my contributions. I am challenged and (occasionally)
rewarded. I have opportunities for
collaboration with peers and I am making connections between my past education
and my current experience. It’s not all
roses, but it ain’t half bad and I’m excited about what lies ahead (including a
possible attendance at a conference in Amsterdam in November).
Around me, I’m sad to say, it often feels like the world is
crumbling! Family, friends, and
colleagues are enduring serious crises daily.
Conversations and the realities of grief, infertility, suicide,
bankruptcy, and kidnappings are very real RIGHT NOW for people that I
love. The
news is only worse, of course. Hundreds
of innocent girls are taken from their parents in Nigeria, hundreds more are
dead in a mine blast in Turkey, and wars are waged daily & globally. Exploring the rationale behind these
headlines (modernity vs religion & tradition in education, or worker’s
safety vs economic demand for natural resources) can be daunting at best and
depressing or deadly at worst.
So, today, while the sun is out and before the feeling slips
away quickly… before the cynicism and fear of loss creep back in my mind, and before I remind myself of the things that aren't going my way, I am
just going to be grateful for what I have. I’m NOT forgetting all the rest, I’m just
going to let myself take this “drug” today. Whether I deserve it or not,
whether it will last another hour or another year, and whether it’s “fair” or
just stupid luck, I’m gonna go with it right now. I hope you can get high too!
(ABOVE: how could you not be happy with THIS in your life?!)
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