Feeling Grateful
2018 has been a roller coaster of emotions—some highs and a lot of lows. The anger I’ve felt over our administration’s handling of immigrants, children, our allies, the truth…it’s nearly consumed me this year. The nonstop lying, flouting of the laws, the blatant disregard for human rights, the attack on our free press, and the sheer gluttony of Trump has weighed heavily on most Americans.
We have watched the GOP devolve into Trumpism, our eyes drawn to the carnival-like atmosphere at the White House, the pull to observe the drama too strong to deny. As the nightmare played out on our screens across the country, the numbness crept inside us, slowly anesthetizing us to each new horrific headline.
The world has watched along with us. Watched as our once proud nation began to spiral into chaos and human rights atrocities happened on our own land. As the administration systematically tore down equal rights for the LGBTQ community. As children were literally put in cages. They watched to see how we would react.
And react we did. With demonstrations and marches, via social media and petitions, through boots on the ground campaigns in an effort to get the voters out, and through our free press. We’ve had to fight through the numbness and fog that had begun to invade us. Because the world is watching and some may have forgotten what the United States stands for, but most of us haven’t.
It takes strength to persevere when every day brings a new horror. Which brings me to why I’m writing this: gratefulness.
It’s easy to become so wrapped up in what’s going on and so focused on the light at the end of the tunnel, we forget to be present in our everyday life and be grateful for the gifts we’ve been given. If we don’t treasure the good we have, it can slip through our fingers and we’ve already lost the battle.
So as the year comes to a close, I’m reminding myself of all that I have to be grateful for. I’ll even share a few here!
First of all, this year I’m grateful for reconnecting with three of my very favorite people on the planet. I hadn’t seen them in years and I catch myself smiling now whenever I think about them.
Secondly, I’m grateful for having the privilege of writing my love stories. I never thought I would be a published author and sometimes the awe of it all still sneaks up on me!
The more I look at my life, the more grateful I become. I plan on making this a daily ritual. By understanding the gifts we have, we become even more motivated to keep up the fight for what is right.
What are you grateful for?
