Gratitude post

~ MaryG

My husband has been suffering from a mysterious set of symptoms since late last month. I’m not going to go into details, but it’s been hard having him feel so unwell again, after a full year of him feeling awful with his two total knee replacements. Hopefully the doctors will help him figure it out soon.

In the meantime, I’m trying to enjoy my own life and stay upbeat, so I’m going to do one of those annoying gratitude posts.

  1. Friends. I’ve got a couple of good girlfriends with whom I can be totally honest. There’s pretty much nothing I can’t tell them. They’ve both known me forever.
  2. Book group. I’ve got an additional group of four wonderful women that I’ve known since the 1990s that are very dear to me. We gather once a month on Zoom to discuss a book, but it’s so much more than that.
  3. Money. I am financially secure. I know I’m lucky to not have to worry about how I’m going to pay for medical bills, car repairs, and other unexpected things.
  4. My own health. I just passed my annual physical and blood tests with flying colors! My only physical problems at the moment are tinnitus and mild hearing loss in the right ear (thanks to COVID, I believe) and heel pain in my left foot (plantar fasciitis).
  5. My kids. Both are independent and doing well as adults living on their own out in this crazy world.
  6. My granddaughter. I get to play with the most adorable toddler on a regular basis. So uplifting!
  7. My church. It’s a real community for me. Even though my husband doesn’t attend, I know those people would be there for us if we needed them. They care.

I spontaneously ordered two copies of this book for my kids last night, after I saw the author on The Daily Show. She sounded extremely sensible and was giving the exact same advice I would give. They might not read it, but hey, it’s the thought that counts. At one point, one of my kids told me that one thing lacking in their high school was a basic financial literacy class.

The decisions and habits people develop around money in their 20s and 30s can make such a difference later in life.

Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it does make a lot of things easier.

We had a crazy haze all day yesterday due to wildfires in Minnesota and Ontario. Finally, around 8pm, we saw a bit of the sky and lots of orange.

21 thoughts on “Gratitude post”

  1. Sorry to hear your husband is feeling unwell and hope whatever it is passes quickly. That poor man has been through enough this year.
    I share many of your things to be thankful for.
    Seems we’re both blessed.
    😊

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I hope all goes well with your husband. Hopefully they will know what it is.

    A good list. Have fun with your granddaughter. I bet you are both tired out after having fun. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Gratitude is smart at anytime! I’m finding out how hard it is to be patient with the unknown when it comes to health issues! Hope everything works out for your hb!

    Liked by 1 person

  5. I hope your husband soon discovers what is ailing him!

    Thank you for your lovely post. I think sometimes life is so overwhelming we forget to stop and appreciate what we have and what makes us happy.

    Through your blog I’ve now found C.J.’s blog and have started reading it from the beginning. Her post “ 100 things I love” has inspired me to jot down my own “ loves” and I intend to write a post once I reach 100 😊

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  6. Sorry I think I have my blogs mixed up there! It’s Kari’s blog “ A Grace Full Life that I’ve started reading. She started her blog way back in 2010 so I have a lot to read but I’m enjoying it 😊

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  8. Gratitude is never annoying, sweet friend. I’m so sorry about your husband’s symptoms. It’s scary when we don’t know what’s going on inside our bodies, isn’t it? I’m sending virtual love to both of you, and I hope you have answers and a solution sooner rather than later.

    I love all of your gratitudes, Mary. I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal for over five years now, and it’s helped me get through some pretty gnarly stuff. 🤣💜

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    1. Thanks so much for your good wishes Kari. I should probably keep a private gratitude journal too. (I sometimes feel like it seems like bragging when they’re public. But it helped me to not wallow too hard in his misery.) The worst is when your children are sick, right? I vacillate between sympathetic and annoyed with him.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I understand not wanting to share gratitude in public.

        The absolute worst. I understand the vacillating too. This year was a real test for me with Mike healing from his heart surgery. Maybe that’s just part of life…one big journey with seasons that challenge us and change us. 💜

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