A month ago, I was feeling low. Most everything sucked -- work, writing, petty colleagues and acquaintances, whiny, needy others. I wallowed in an existential pity-party, well-deserved I thought; I'd had a rotten two years. Then, I felt guilty because my life was pretty damn good. But I couldn't see the goodness, and that bothered me.
I read once in some self-help book or another that if you want to feel better, laugh. Happy people laugh a lot (though I'm not sure what comes first -- the laughter or the happiness). I figured -- maybe if I one thing to be grateful for every day, maybe my glass would feel less empty.
What a hard exercise! But, in the end, practicing gratitude on a daily basis has made me thankful for the richness of my life. I hope all of you who played along found benefit as well -- I profited from your honest, generous expressions of thanks.
But enough mushiness already -- on to the important stuff -- the WINNERS!
We're all winners, and my two charities -- hospice and the local crisis center -- raked up good. Between new followers and expressed gratitudes, we raised $133, which I'll round to make an even $150. THANK YOU everyone for taking time to drop a comment.
And what great gratitudes you left for me to ponder -- flip-out footrests in new love seats, tea in the morning, breathing, kids who let you write, colleagues, friends, and family, decent shower pressure, the wonderful cyber community of writers, and woodpeckers with attitude. It was difficult to choose only three winners, but here they are...
The Most Heartfelt Gratitude: Written by a writer with a romantic and compassionate soul ==> LAURITA MILLER
Day 1: I am grateful for those people who take just one quick moment to point out the good in someone else. That one moment can make a world of difference.
--A random act of kindness can make a broken day better.
Day 9:
This morning I'm grateful for coffee
It's all that keeps me awake
I drink cup after cup
as soon as I'm up
It's all for my sanity's sake
---Without coffee, I'm an unhinged woman with a throbbing head.
The Quirkiest Gratitude: Should come to no surprise to those who know her ==> CATHY OLLIFFE
Day 9: I am grateful that it's Sunday morning and I don't even have to have a bath today if I don't want to.
---Yes ma'am, love those mornings when PJs rule. This made me grin.
Lady Luck winner: Also no surprise, as this woman left more gratitudes than any other individual ==> UMBRELLALADY
Day 17: I am grateful for technology as well, except when it rings in the middle of the store.
---Or when it chirps in the middle of my husband's sermon!
On Day 23: I am grateful for all the wonderful crabapples that make such great juice.
---I asked for the 'how-to' and you delivered on your blog -- thank you!
CONGRATULATIONS to all three winners!!!! Please, shoot me an email with your snail mail addie and your favorite color, number, and word, I'll gather up your goodies and ship them to you.
And it occurs to me now as I consider shipping those goodie baskets -- every single one of you lives in Canada! How cool is that?
Peace, Linda
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We should all take a page from you dear Linda and look each and every day for the wondrous things in our lives, always ying with the yang, thanks for helping see that there truly are many, many things to be grateful for - we just need to take the time to stop and see them..
ReplyDeleteHA! I'm in my pajamas as I'm writing this! Only they're new pajamas, which my baby bought for me yesterday, and for which I'm extremely grateful for (they're too big and they're too long and they're pale pink with kittens and birdies on them... in a word, they're Perfect)
ReplyDeleteLike this contest, really - Perfect. What a great idea! And congratulations to you for finding an idea that raises a bit of coin for a worthy cause, that makes other people smile and appreciate their lives on a daily basis, and that, hopefully, brings you out of your own funk.
I hope you're feeling better, Linda; and if you are, I am most grateful for that.
Oh.. sending email now... can hardly wait to see 'stuff'... all Canadians, eh? We're kind of a grateful lot, always saying thank you and sorry and excuse me and all that rot.
Anyway, thanks for everything. You must now excuse me, I have an e-mail to send. Sorry I couldn't stay longer - later gator...
Funny, I'm in my PJs too. :)
ReplyDeleteI have to thank you, Linda. This idea not only raised money to give to charity, but it also gave the people following along pause for thought. Since you've started these 30 days, I've found myself conciously taking note of the things I am grateful for. That, my friend, is a wonderful gift.
I must thank you,Linda, for letting me pause a moment and remember that life is so good when we just enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed that I won something - I normally only win things from CBC!! Thank you,again.
I am pleased you raised so much for your charities - I know that it is always appreciated. I hope you are feeling more yourself and can enjoy the pleasure of what you have accomplished because it is such a generous thing that you have done for both your charities and us.
Congrats to the winners! And congrats to you too, Linda, for enriching your life with this practice of gratitude. Visiting this blog for the past few weeks has reminded me that I need to be grateful too.
ReplyDeleteJai
I was just reading about this at Laurita's, this is great news.
ReplyDeleteand, AND I'm so glad to hear the appreciation is raining back down on you.
Hey all, catching up -- crazy busy weekend, and then, at work, my computer does not boot up! I think the stars are conspiring to make me retire early? or drink before 5?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, my three lovelies, congratulations! I have your emails addies and have some assembling and all to do. I'll have fun!
Still trying to keep the grateful spirit. This morning kind of tried me. Though I am getting a new computer :^) Peace...
Grateful Kate-full here, absolutely glad that a Linda and the lilt of her goodness exists in this here writers'world within we dance and splash and flash and conspire and desire and watch our words go so much the higher. Kinda like what you just did here ... with great others - for so many others.
ReplyDeleteHow you. How true. Congrats with all the grats for the Canadian Cuties that touched the heart'spots the sweetest. Goodness is e'er its own reward ... so very glad YOU all are!
~ Humbly,
~ Absolutely*Kate
Oh, I'm so sorry I missed this original posting Linda, but glad I finally got around to finding it.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right - it can be difficult to find things we are grateful for when we're in the midst of self-pity (been quite deep in it myself lately) but if we think hard enough, we'll see it.
I must say, I agree with Cathy 100%. Saturday and Sunday mornings are dedicated to reading blogs and the newspaper in my PJs and more often than not I don't change out of them until at least noon. There have even been the times I didn't change out of them all day. :)
I feel I must announce a gratefulness now because it's pouring the rain here and I'm sitting here worried about having to shop-vac the water out of my office. So, I am grateful for...SEC football, which I'll be watching later today, whether I'm shop-vaccing water or not!