Gifts & Graces: March 2022

Here’s my random gratitude collection of mostly small but sometimes large things that helped make February better.

New pajamas. As much as I want to have an evening wind-down routine, I struggle to find something that works. I often end up mindlessly watching Netflix for a few hours. But I realize that there are a few things that I typically do in the evening that could be considered part of an evening routine. I make a cup of tea. I light a candle. And my latest addition is getting into comfy pajamas a few hours before I go to bed. It feels like a treat to get out of the clothes I’ve worn all day and change into pretty, cozy clothes to go to sleep. It’s a cue to my body and mind that it’s time to let go of the day and wind down.

Ashes. Ash Wednesday reminded me that soon enough, I will be ashes and dust. All the things on my to-do list and the many daily anxieties like getting to the vet appointment on time, cleaning out the fridge, and remembering to buy more stamps will all fade. I’ll never leave a personal legacy that the world will remember, but I can hope that I left my corner of the world a slightly better place for the people in my life. And it takes lots of dust-to-dust reminders for me to consistently remember to put those to-dos at the top of my list every single day.

My Christmas wreath. I still have my Christmas wreath hanging on the back door, and it makes me happy every time I come home and see it. I’m amazed the greenery is still looking good, which is why I’ve left the thing up for so long. But I have to admit that an evergreen wreath in April is pushing things even for my non-conformist home decorating style, so I plan to take it down by the time this post gets published.

Taylor Swift is a time machine. Although Taylor isn’t my usual choice of music, I’ve been listening to Red – Taylor’s Version a lot lately. And by the time the first song is half over, I feel 23 years old again. I feel the heartbreak of a relationship ending and the loneliness of wondering if I’ll ever find the love of my life. I feel the energy of a new career and the ambitious dreams of running my own company. I feel the endless possibilities for my life, with so much time ahead. Now I can’t help feeling wistful, knowing that time of my life is past and my future years are limited, but Taylor’s music reminds me of who I once was and how those years made me into who I am now.

A closing prayer

Dear God, please help me pay attention to the many gifts and graces that you bring to my life. Let me gratefully acknowledge the people and things that fill my days with joys that range from small comforts to immense love. And thank you, God, for being with me each day. I am humbled and inspired by how Your Spirit works through the actions of so many people. Amen.