My dog is happier than she’s ever been! Her people are here…all…the…time. She gets multiple walks a day, fed on time, and hugs on demand. If you’ve never experienced a dog that hugs, come by after all this is over -Bella is a hugger! She literally leans her whole 95 pound body into yours until you sit down, lean in, and she puts her head on your shoulder. It’s pretty wonderful. Grateful for that. Today’s writing will be all about the gratitude because it’s the one thing that always brings me back from the edge. It brings me back from the potential of a funk or of spiraling into some crap in my own head. This Covid -19 situation certainly can get into your head…make you question all kinds of things, and spiral between feeling wonderful and grounded to “omg how long is this going to last?” and “how can I stay isolated for weeks on end?”. The reality. Everything is ok in this moment. Gratitude brings you right back to that. So today, I’m just going to write a gratitude list.
Grateful for my runs with my dear friend Audrey every morning. (we do run several feet apart and yell at each other as we talk…it’s kind of comical). Audrey is an amazing human - a sharp mind and a never ending surprise to me. She has a beautiful depth combined with an amazing kindness, and I learn something new from her every single time we are together. We go back and forth between talking about Covid and recipes and books and movies and pop culture and kids and our neighborhood and trees and birds and whatever pops into our minds. I love it when she talks about her work or tells a story - first, because it’s interesting and also because she is forcing me to run faster than I’m comfortable with , and I can’t actually speak because I’m gasping for air. So grateful for her and her company.
Grateful for my partner Robb. We genuinely just love being together; he really is my favorite person, and we have an understanding that if either of us needs space we just say the word and go to opposite ends of the house. No judgement. No hurt feelings. Pretty awesome. We have had a great time cooking together this week, having wine on the front porch during our designated “transition time”, and watching movies we have always wanted to watch together - currently on The Godfather. In case you are wondering, “transition time” is a designated time for an hour between working from home and transitioning to life after work. When you work from home it’s easy to just. keep. working. Suddenly you’re starving, you look up and it’s 8 pm and you have been working for twelve hours. Not sustainable. So, we implemented “transition time” - it holds us accountable to putting away work and allows us some time together to just talk and have a glass of wine on the porch. I highly recommend it for those of you who have just started working from home. Taking regular walking breaks throughout the day is also important! (hence, Bella’s happiness…)
So many things to be grateful for - not the least of which is health in general. We always take our health for granted, until we get sick. As we look at the situation with COVID around the world, and now unfolding in the United States, I am saddened and overwhelmed by the potential for mass infection. I am grateful that most people I know are taking the “stay home” direction seriously, and I’m grateful that we have the opportunity to “flatten the curve” by taking appropriate actions as a nation. The ball seems to be rolling in that direction….even more speed is needed.
Grateful for my kids - none of them are with me right now, but I’ve been mastering snapchat with Wilson and spoke to both Emily and Zach today. I love the humans that they are; Emily is busy convincing people to have a blood drive in the midst of this chaos , and Zach is planting a garden. Wilson doing his online school every day and seems to be learning well this way. I’m so proud of how engaged he is….secretly afraid he may want to “home school” forever.
While virtual interaction isn’t the same as in person, it can be fun! I was so grateful for my wonderful friend Kristin’s FaceTime call early this morning during coffee time. Something about her beautiful smiling face and positive attitude just made my day.
What are you grateful for today? Make a list of the big things and the little things…there are so many, it’s hard to find a stopping point!
a few more:
birdsong in the back yard (sounds like a jungle out there!)
a great run this morning
calls from friends
figuring things out at work
meditation
great books to read
great movies to watch
cooking at home
delicious vegetables
a mastermind session with some awesome people
Atlanta in the spring! (everything blooming….)