Savoring the gifts of joy -Week three

"It's not JOY that makes us grateful, it is GRATITUDE that makes us joyful."

Week three (July 10 - July 16)

My life is far from perfect; many bumps along this road have steered me off course. Some arrived from the choices I have made and others from events beyond my control, all of them lessons to demonstrate the capacity of gratitude.

Losing Ryan so young illustrated concerns many will never witness. The power of loss and the remnants of joy gather into a scar that never fades. Details magnified in his absence validated the influence of the small moments he shared, the joy in his laughter or the songs he contrived, forever engraved in our hearts. 

His tiny hand drawn notes scattered amongst his things fold into the memories of our lives, evidence of the pure joy he portrayed. That joy glistening within the years held in giggles and stories and that precious time we spent together. 

Distracted by routine, tender moments are often overlooked until the pain of loss distorts your view, rearranging what was once rated important into tiny rows of regret. Regret that changes you, loosening your grip on perfection and demanding you to consciously live without the worry of what others think. 

Joy arrives in gentle bursts and I savor its arrival with the perfectly imperfect sky, clouds forming their own stories in the heavens and the rows of flowers growing in the field all working together to distribute wonder. Joy is everywhere, within our hearts and families, friendships that rejuvenate our spirits and spouses who support all our crazy dreams, joy arrives to illuminate the darkness.

For many years I practiced a wavering test in gratitude, cursing the sadness instead of noticing the light. Therefore to discover a grateful heart I must practice, recalling the moments in each day that feed my soul with joy, reminding me of the good and  heal me from the pain of the past, recollecting the wonder still swimming within my heart. 

From the list...

Week three: family

• My safe place
• Where memories grow
• lifts me up
• there through the good and bad
• accepts you as you are   

If you are just beginning your journey with gratitude, you can start here where I began my 52 weeks at my 52nd birthday. 

• Week one is here
• Week two is here

Others on the journey are HERE