I watch it every day.

We have a gratefulness practice in our house with the kids.  At dinner time every night we go around the table and say 3 things we are grateful for that day.  Some days we encourage someone having a hard day by saying, “Dig deep”.  But even then, we are all able to come up with 3 things.  Even if those 3 things are:

1. I am alive

2. This day is almost over

3. I never have to go through this day again

Usually though, it is very fun and meaningful.  Even Zeke is able to come up with good stuff.  (That is an entirely different post for another day)

It’s funny about this Brother Steindl-Rast.  Richard and I were led to him from different places at the same time.  I love it when that happens.  He is a Benedictine Monk who has spent his life focusing on teaching gratitude as a “practice”.  We don’t just feel gratitude or receive gratitude.  We have to work for it.  We have to work AT it.

My 3 things tonight were:

1. my swim

2. time one on one with Hannah

3. my family

Not bad.

Then as I was putting the kids to bed, I thought a little more and decided I wanted to change my 3 things for today.  Dinner is over, and pretty much everyone is asleep (except Noah who is burning the midnight oil and too busy for this sort of introspection at the moment). So here I am.  And here they are:

1. I am thankful that hotdogs and baked beans are good enough

2. I am thankful that I am truly loved by some really exceptional people.

3. I am thankful that I have the luxury to “be there” for my family for whatever they need, whenever they need it.

This is significant because I have fought hard to get to this point.  To feel like I am “enough” and what I accomplish in a day is “enough”.    I am not saying I am here to stay.  Remember it is a practice.  But I got here today.  It was a good day.

(I will write about NOT running the marathon another day…let’s not ruin the moment)