Kristy at Midwestern Heart in Dixie reminded me yesterday that gratitude is an active and proactive happiness practice–even more necessary than usual right now. Here are some things I’m grateful for today:
- My morning begins with coffee, a good book, and a living blanket of lap cats. This morning felt extra special because the entire sibling group joined me. Smudge, Toast, and Chipotle are morning staples; Panda rarely joins us. He may be the least interesting cat in the world, but it’s still sweet to see all the sibs piled together.
- Although he is affectionate and charming with everyone, my favorite cat definitely loves me best.
- We have plenty of food in the pantry, and when I went grocery shopping last week, the shelves were mostly well stocked.
- My mother is staying isolated and safe, and I only had to yell at her once.
- The snow has melted, and there is none in the forecast for this week, so we can go hiking in Wind Cave National Park, which is maybe my favorite place on earth and only a few miles from my house. How wonderful to live only a few miles from your favorite place on earth!
- My daily yoga practice gives me something to look forward to each afternoon, even if it can be challenging to practice yoga with six cats who are also trying to practice yoga.
- We still have avocados. So healthy, so delicious on and in everything–toast, guacamole, smoothies, even pasta sauce.
- Even though I don’t like reading ebooks, I still have what seems to be an endless supply available through the library. There will be no reading droughts, no matter how long quarantine lasts.
- I tend to take my health for granted, but I am very grateful to be healthy and well.
- It’s still March, and I still have 10 days of slices to read, enjoy, and comment on.
What are you grateful for today?
I live in gratitude for many of the same reasons. I have my pets close by, my parents and mother-in-law are staying isolated, and I’ve been able to do a daily walk. I just got a yoga app that I will try this morning. Keep on keeping on.
That’s all we can do! Let me know how your yoga app goes. Down Dog is good and free until April 1, I believe, though I generally prefer Yoga with Adriene on YouTube.
Down Dog is free until July 1 to teachers. I’ve only done one day but I liked it.
Love your living lap blanket. I am grateful for the daffodils blooming in our yard. I am grateful for being able to get outside and do some yard work yesterday because the sun was shining and the temp was high.
Daffodils! How delightful! I just saw some green peeking up in the yard today–first daffodil sighting. It will still take some time for them to shoot up and bloom, but something to look forward to!
Grateful to be slicing daily with this community, for sunshine, and blooms, and walks, and for your cat pics !
I’m very grateful to be slicing with this community too!
Thank you for the reminder of this vital habit of gratitude that I have neglected lately. I love your blanket of cats and the yoga poses.
I have neglected it too. I needed Kristy’s reminder yesterday!
Awww I love all the kitty pictures! The one with the paw on your arm is precious and a highlight of my morning!
Some Chipotle toes! I just couldn’t resist the sweetness of that little foot!
Gratitude is such a beautiful practice! I am envious that your mother knows to stay isolated and can relate to the yelling part – only I can’t admit to an “only once” encounter! Though I prefer dogs to cats, we share a love of daily yoga practice, avocado supply, preference for page-turning books, and being outdoors. Enjoy your day!
So many parents are struggling with quarantine! Fun to see these overlaps in shared gratitudes!
Grateful to be a part of this community. This line made me laugh “My mother is staying isolated and safe, and I only had to yell at her once.” Happy hiking (so jealous of your open space) and slicing (mmmm, avocados).
I am realizing from seeing friends online stuck in tiny apartments that I should be grateful for all the space we have. And I read today that there is a huge avocado supply available right now because cruise ships aren’t using them up! I’m ready for my local stores to be inundated!
This is a lovely post. I love that you have all four siblings in your lap. They are such beautiful cats and so affectionate to you and toward each other. And Chipotle is just the best!!
They are very sweet together. Panda has spent the rest of the day avoiding me but this photo is proof that he can sometimes snuggle!
What a lovely long list of gratitude. I am grateful for the blue sky, bright sunshine and spring flowers. I am grateful for slow Saturday morning. I am grateful that my loved ones are healthy.
Oh yes, slow Saturday mornings are a gift!
I love your gratitude list – and you know I especially love the cat pictures. And now I want to visit the Wind Cave! I’m struggling to write today; maybe it’s time for gratitudes? We shall see…
Some days the writing just doesn’t come. I have been trying to come up with a topic the night before to help myself a bit. Gratitudes always make a good topic!
Gratefulness– so, so, so important in this crazy time. I would like to live close to Wind Cave National Park! And I love that the cats are doing yoga with you! They have baby goat yoga, maybe you could start a new trend!
My son is obsessed with goat yoga and so eager to try it! I have promised that post-quarantine we will take ourselves down to Longmont for a baby goat yoga class.
I think I am grateful for that photo of your cat helping you with the yoga!
Sometimes he will do downward dog exactly while I am doing downward dog! Such a little charmer!
I am grateful to read these things. I love this line, “My morning begins with coffee, a good book, and a living blanket of lap cats.”
Such a good way for a morning to begin!
I had to laugh at the “yelling of the mother” because we did too this week. She went after air freshener! Of all things. Counting our blessings is a super self-care practice!
Air freshener, oh my goodness! Our parents are keeping us all busy trying to protect them!
Love how cats need to be in the middle of our lives.
It’s one of my favorite things about having six. They’re always present and nearby!
That view! Gorgeous! The paw on your arm made my heart melt. So many things to be thankful for. 🙂
Thanks again for the inspiration!
The cats! I love seeing your family of felines. I’m glad you only had to yell at your mom once. That line made me laugh. I hear a lot of that going on these days – kids admonishing their elders. “Wash your hands and stay inside!”
Seriously! What weird lives we are all living right now.
Love this post, Dr. E! I can hear your voice as I read it. I miss you!!
Oh, it’s so good to see you! I miss you too! Please send me an email to check in! (Don’t know if I have your current email address.)