Days Fifteen & Sixteen: 30 Days of Gratitude

I apologize for my absence yesterday, but I think that spending time with three of my college roommates is one of the best reasons possible to miss a day of blogging.  Plus, spending time with them this weekend gave me plenty more to be grateful for, so, please, indulge me why I catch up with you all.

As I look back on yesterday, here are three things that left me feeling immensely grateful:

1. Having no schedule to follow all day.  Usually, from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to bed, I am on some sort of schedule, as work deadlines loom, my children’s school and extracurricular activities move ahead at lightning speeds, household tasks and errands vie for my attention, etc.  So, to be able to wake up in the company of my three college roommates and to have an entire day to look forward to, to do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted, was something each one of us gave thanks for throughout our day together.  It was a little slice of heaven on earth!
2. Talking, laughing, talking some more, and laughing some more.  Anyone who knows me knows that I can talk up a storm and laugh a lot, but being able to do both with my three special friends left me a bit hoarse and smiling ear to ear.  We talked and laughed about everything and nothing at all, and interspersed with both the chatter and the chuckles were some poignant discussions and tears.  Whether we are laughing or crying, we are there for one another, and we are comfortable with both.  That’s what friends are and what they do.
3. Sharing meals with my friends.  There is something about sharing good food with even better friends that makes mealtime one of the best times of the day.  We definitely have come a long way, a very long way, from our staples of macaroni and cheese, ramen noodles, and tuna, and being able to be together to break bread and toast one another was nourishment for the body and soul.

Although I am feeling a bit blue at the moment, as my roommates departed a little while ago, I also am left feeling so very thankful for so very much.  Here’s what is on today’s gratitude list:

1. “St. Vincent”.  This afternoon, we went to see the film, “St. Vincent”, and while it wasn’t my roommates’ cup of tea, I absolutely loved it!  I won’t say too much about the actual film, as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who plans on seeing it, and I really hope that you see it, as it is worth it.  I am thankful for stories about perfectly flawed individuals whose beauty is not obvious at first, but when it is discovered by others, it transforms everyone. 
2. Cold, rainy evenings.  I find it fitting that a fun weekend is ending under the cloak of darkness and with the sound of rain, as both provide some quiet solitude that I find myself craving.  I miss my friends already, but I am content with a night to myself.  I have learned to relish my own company.
3. Having friends to miss.  I always cry when my college friends and I part ways, but along with the sadness, there is happiness and gratitude for having such wonderful people in my life to miss and who miss me, too. 

So, that’s a recap of the last two days, and we are now more than half way through these 30 days of gratitude.  The first sixteen days have been sweet indeed, and I am ready for the next two weeks and hope you are, as well.

Just one thing each day . . .