During these crazy days we’re living in, the concept of finding joy has been something that floats around my head a lot. One easy way to find joy is to find things that you are grateful for. Yesterday, during my run (which I affectionately call that walk/jog/heavy breathing thing I do for a couple of miles), I made a point of noticing all of the things I am grateful for. Not things in my life, things right then and there that I was grateful for. Some of them were indeed things in my life, like when a song came on that brought back a great memory with my daughter, I noted that as something I was grateful for. My list also included the scent of Rosa Rugosa, the catbird that was following alongside me, the bunny that watched as I ran by, the fact that I can walk to the beach, the sun that warmed me (but not too much)… you get the idea. And I have to tell you, when you search for things to be grateful for, joy follows. I was smiling and at total peace when I returned home. A simple exercise. I totally recommend it. Take 10 minutes, or 20, and see how many things you can find during a walk in your neighborhood, or around your house, that you are grateful for.
If you know me at all, you know that I am grateful for finding seaglass, and it alone, even without any gratitude thrown in for good measure, brings me crazy amounts of joy. Recently, we were lucky enough to spend a few days visiting friends in Cape E, Maine, and of course spent a little time on the shore searching for, and finding seaglass. Because of the lovely calmness of the visit, I was able to just sit by the window and sort my finds. The zen of that is something I’d love to do every single day of my life. In that moment, I was grateful for that amazing table with all it’s marks and patina to use as a backdrop, the window light, the birds singing outdoors, the lupines blooming out the window, the finds I’d found, great friends to spend time with, nature being so amazing…
Please share where you find joy. And, also, where you find seaglass. lol.
