Gratitude

The universe has a funny way of doing a lot of things and this past Tuesday was no exception.

I woke up very early Tuesday morning, in a bit of distress truthfully. The kind of distress that occurs only after awakening from a bad, bad dream. In my case, a bad dream, a nightmare really, in which I was not dead, but very close to it. The kind of dream where waking up provides a wave of relief like no other, and yet still feels so real it shakes you to your core. I was shaken, but awake, alive and went on with my day - grateful that my dream was not my reality.


I spent the good part of Tuesday morning talking about death and dying. Not necessarily a light or desirable topic to talk about, but nonetheless a part of nursing, and even more so a part of life. I am lucky that my specialty of nursing does not concern itself often with death & dying, but for so many nurses, it is part of their day to day lives. I commend them and admire them for how they handle such a difficult process with so much grace and so much strength. It's hard to shake the topic of death and dying, and even after the conversations have ended the topic still lingers on in your head. I continued on with the rest of my day with a tiny voice in the back of my head reminding me that our days here are numbered and there is no guarantee of how long we will get to grace this earth.

I spent Tuesday evening watching a movie that served as a reminder of what is important in this world - that love, kindness, and the beauty within us always win. A movie who's story can teach us all an important lesson - that being kind is what matters most, and that everyone is fighting their own battle - some battles much more significant than our own.

And as I drove home on Tuesday night, I saw a shooting star. Ask me the last time I saw a shooting star and I couldn't tell you. But Tuesday night was the night. The sky and more specifically the stars have always served as a reminder of how small we are and how small this world of ours is. A reminder that although our lives feel grand and long, and our problems often feel mighty, in the grand scheme of things they are not. Our lives here, no matter how long that might be, are fleeting and should be lived to the fullest.

I'm sure at this point you are wondering how these events relate, and how my Tuesday has anything to do with Gratitude - as the name of this post so clearly states - or Thanksgiving, so let me explain..

Very simply put, I am grateful for this life. To wake up every single day and have the opportunity to live - to be whoever and do whatever my heart desires. As I was so clearly reminded on Tuesday, this life is a gift and the amount of time we get an even bigger gift. No amount of time is guaranteed and there are so many people who's lives are tragically cut short. Waking up every morning to face another day is something we so often take for granted, and yet it is the very basis of our existence. It should be at the very top of our list of things to be grateful for.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and head into the holiday season, it is my hopes that you too are reminded of all there is to be grateful for. Let my past Tuesday serve as a reminder to never take a day for granted, to take each and every day and live it with kindness and love. Be grateful for the days you are given, but also don't forget to be grateful for the things that fill those days - family, friends, a job, a roof over your head, new experiences, the good days, and even the bad.

I hope you all have the most wonderful Thanksgiving, surrounded by the ones you love. If you get a second to pause amidst the food, family, and football I hope you reflect on all the things you are grateful for. Wishing you all the best day and holiday season to come.

All my love, Gretchen.

xo. G