Yesterday I found a wonderful site called The Gratitude Challenge, a project in which several bloggers have been asked to find joy in the little things life has to offer and blog about them for three weeks. So often we overlook our blessings, opting instead to focus on what we have lost or what has been taken from us, not realizing there are gifts to be found in every day.
I am not a natural optimist so taking this challenge is something that will no doubt do me some good. Of course I’d have to find the site just as the project is coming to a close, but I figured there’s no reason why I can’t start my own gratitude challenge and keep it going over the next three weeks. I can also think of no better day than September 11th to start it.
Given that today is Patriot Day, one might expect me to write about how I’m grateful for my freedom. I am free to have my own political and religious views without fear of persecution. I am free to walk down the street without fear of violence against me or my family. I am free to vote and voice my opinions and yes, I am grateful for all these things.
But what is most important to me today is that I am just grateful to be here. Today I am grateful for my life and what that life means to the people I love. I revel in the knowledge that my presence on this earth means my daughter gets a hug and a kiss before school each day. I am grateful be be one of the people she looks to for security. I am grateful to be there for my husband and for the voice that allows me to reciprocate when he says, “I love you.”
There are good things and bad things about my life, but the really great thing is that on this day I have a life. Today I am living and for that I am grateful
My goal for this challenge is to blog about the bright side of life over the next three weeks. For those of you who don’t have a calendar handy, this means I’ll be writing one Gratitude Challenge post a day until October 2nd. Not as challenging as NaBloPoMo, but challenging enough when I think about how many times I let negativity get in the way of enjoying a pretty good life.
So what are you grateful for today?
