Gratitude: Being Thankful for the Simple Things

I recently came across a “30 days of gratitude” chart on Pinterest. The chart outlines 30 things we are likely to take for granted every day. It’s not that we mean to. The fact is, life takes over sometimes and while we are busy trying to squeeze it all in, we forget to take the time to “smell the roses,” as they say.

After seeing that 30 days of gratitude pin, I was inspired. I created a gratitude Pinterest board and started to pin other inspirational content that reminds me to be grateful for what life has provided. So far, two quotes have jumped out at me:

• Gratitude turns what we have into enough.
• Start each day with a grateful heart.

A few weeks after finding those pins, it was August 14th, my wedding anniversary – 18 years this year. My husband, Derek, and I had reservations at a dinner theater to see Singing in the Rain the day before. We’ve seen many shows at this theater and always have a nice time. This show was no exception. In fact, we had a lovely day.

On Sunday morning, the day of our actual anniversary, we exchanged thoughtful cards and decided to go out for breakfast. It hadn’t occurred to us to make any celebratory plans for the day. Instead, we spent the entire day running errands, mowing the lawn, and cleaning the house. Before we knew it, the day was over. We made a quick dinner, took the dog for ice cream, came home and fell asleep in front of the TV. Not too exciting.

But you know what? The next morning when I work up early for work and had my coffee like I always do. And in the quietness of that half hour, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I have been married to my best friend for 18 years. We’ve been together for 22 years, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Maybe I’ll get to that 30 days of gratitude pin at some point. But I realized that I do take the time to acknowledge and enjoy the simple moments in life. Even a day filled with errands and chores is appreciated, because it means I have what I need – a home and a family I love.