grateful

In January 2011 I was inspired by a blog on Hope for Women magazine site – someone wrote a blog about being grateful and then a challenge to keep a journal of “gratefulnesses” throughout the year. I keep a journal so I jumped right in and accepted the challenge. Being a lover of paper and notebooks, I found just the right organic-looking pad and then titled it, My Grateful Journal. The first several pages have simple one-two-three word entries and then as I really got into it, the entries got pregnant and one entry would take up four and five lines. I numbered each one and dated each page.

In the Spring our book club chose Ann Voskamp’s best-seller, One Thousand Gifts, as our summertime read. Then, I understood the whole dynamic of Eucharisteo – The Giving of Thanks. I read and re-read the chapters and by then, I was sold on the listing of one thousand gratefulnesses! Voskamp’s book is now on my bookshelf but the message burns in my heart – there is always something, someone, somewhere, some whatever, to be thankful for.

I do believe I will make 1,000 entries by the last strike of 2011’s clock – this morning I listed my 825th entry in my 5×7 journal made from recycled paper – whoever knew that a falling red maple leaf could bring such a smile of gratitude to one’s face?

I realize it now.

This weekend, my daughter reminded me, “True eucharisteo always precedes a miracle.”

’tis the season to be thankful – maybe even a miracle!