Gifts & Graces
You mustn’t wish for another life. You mustn’t want to be somebody else. What you must do is this: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks.” I am not all the way capable of so much, but those are the right instructions.
Wendell Berry
Here’s my random gratitude collection of mostly small but sometimes large things that helped make December better.
Holiday Celebrating. It felt like this year, I got an extra large dose of holiday celebration with people I care about. I tried my best to savor the moments and felt like they were all meaningful. So this gets counted as something I’m grateful for, even though, at times, I neglected my own Advent mindfulness advice and got too invested in the planning and then the execution of those plans.
The End of the Holidays. The flip side to those meaningful celebrations was that I was ready for the entertaining, the overindulging in food and drink, and the planning/hosting responsibilities to be done. I tried to keep some of my daily routines throughout December but only successfully maintained the exercise components. So now I’m grateful to return to my normal, beloved daily routines.
Reading. Another part of my regular routine is my time for reading. I had a goal to read 100 books this year, and as of December 31, I had finished 170 books! Reading is my main “fun” activity and escape from reality, but I was surprised I finished so many books in 2023.
Physical Therapy. After a few months of PT appointments for shoulder issues, I am finally starting to feel like my upper body is functioning normally again. I put off beginning PT, thinking that I could figure out some strengthening and stretching exercises on my own, but I finally concluded that I needed help. I am so grateful for the professional help from a very knowledgeable and personable expert!
A closing prayer
Dear God, please help me pay attention to the many gifts and graces 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.
Falling Up After 50 
170 books is incredible. You make the time to read when many (that would be me) only do so when on vacation. Congrats on such an enviable accomplishment. And I find it amusing…interesting…contradictory…that we crave the routine that we can’t wait to escape. As my vacation is winding down, and I truly do NOT want to go home, I do long for the daily routine of exercise and healthier food choices, waking up in my bed, and visiting The Farm. I know my life is going to be so hectic starting next week (I did buffer in a couple days at the end of the trip, mostly bc I don’t think I’ll get home when scheduled due to the airlines changing our flight times). As much as I don’t want that stress that I’ve been able to avoid, I do want aspects of my life back. An internal conflict that you described with your holiday experiences.
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I think I’m finally learning (in my heart, not just my head) that it’s all about finding balance in the flow of life. I think we’re meant to have the “normal” routines, and then find joy in breaking them with something new, and then returning back to those routines with a new appreciation for them (going home another way!)
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prayers from here for a safe (and as direct as possible) trip home for you and Pete!
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