It’s Been A Tough Year, But I’m Still Grateful For So Many Things
Looking back at the challenges and the joys
The Roman statesman, Cicero, said that gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all the others. It’s not always easy to access that feeling when life is a bit bumpy, and this year has been both a very good one and a very bumpy one too. I don’t want to ignore the hard stuff and pretend it never happened. Finding gratitude in the midst of all of that is a much more powerful practice than simply naming all of the things that went well. This inventory of the year is really mostly for me, but sharing it is also a way for me to own it more fully.
In no particular order:
My Mom’s health is continuing to deteriorate and she’s still resisting going into any kind of care facility. She’s been to the emergency room 5 times in the past 6 months, and the stress of this on me, her last living relative, has been overwhelming at times, particularly since I live a thousand miles away from her.
I’m grateful for all of her friends and neighbors who continually step up and help to take care of her. Their love and support makes us both feel like we have a much bigger family than we do, and I know that she’s being looked after, even when I can’t be there to do it. They are also starting to encourage Mom to be…
