Tag: #gratitude

 Gratitude for the People Who Held Space for Me – Day 9 -2025

 Reflection

As I have mentioned in previous posts, this has been a very challenging year for me for several reasons. Most challenges were work-related. There were times when I was simply exhausted. Thankfully, I am still standing. I can still smile and laugh. I can still be kind even though quite a few people have not been kind to me this year. That’s on them though.

I can do all this because God always goes before me, and I have amazing friends and family who always make space for me when I need it. I am so grateful that they let me talk through my experiences for hours on end sometimes. It really helped me get some perspective, and their advice was pure gold. Thank you God for your guidance. Thank you to my friends and family for letting me talk your ear off some nights. Thank you for distracting me from my problems but sharing your stories with me.

It’s been a tough year, but I have made it, and I did it with amazing people holding my hand.

To my friends and family

Thank you for being my confidant, always listening without judgment. Your support and encouragement have helped me to overcome some of the toughest challenges I have faced. I am so grateful for your presence in my life. Thank you for being there for me, for your unwavering support, and for being the kind of person who makes the world a better place. I am blessed to call you my friends and family.

Today’s Quote

 At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.


–Albert Schweitzer

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Thanks for popping by!

“Parenting teenagers is an exercise in letting go, while holding on with all your heart.” – Michelle Cruz-Rosado

Day 21.  Letting go with faith was definitely today’s theme. Thank you, God, that my son and his friend had an amazing day today, and thank you for keeping them safe as well. 

Two Things I Am Grateful For

  1. I am grateful that my son could add another new experience to his bucket list this year.  He had spoken about wanting to attend a Sharks rugby match over the last few months.  He called it out as a goal for next year.  He must have wanted it quite badly because God decided to move the timeline up.  I am also really happy that he was able to experience it with one of his best friends.  Of course, letting him attend without me took a bit of faith on my part.  A lot of alcohol flows at these events, so my only prayer was that they didn’t encounter any drunk people who were also looking for trouble.  Thankfully, God heard that prayer, too. 
  2. My son has been blessed with many firsts this year.  His firsts included a cruise, a trip overseas watching his favourite soccer team play at their home stadium, and even seeing amazing exhibits at the museum in London.  He saw some of the exhibits in his textbooks and was thrilled to see them in real life. He used to enjoy visiting the Pietermaritzburg Museum as a pre-schooler, so I was thrilled to know that he hadn’t lost his love of museums.  I am grateful to everyone, and especially God, for making all of my son’s new experiences possible this year.  He has really been blessed. 
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One Moment of Joy

Just having my son home again has been a real joy.  I have barely seen him today but it doesn’t matter.  What matters is that he is sleeping in his own bed tonight.  Tomorrow, he is off again, so once again, I have to loosen the reins and have faith that he will be ok and enjoy his time away.  When he was younger, I used to worry that he would enjoy his time away from me so much that he wouldn’t want to come back home.  How much more self-absorbed and insecure could I be!🫣 I know better now.  I know now that while he might not miss me when he goes away because he is enjoying the moment, he will always love me as much as he always has, and he will always be grateful to be home when he returns.  I guess I am also just preparing myself for the day he goes to university.  I only have two more years with him at home.  

Well, that’s it from me today.  Thanks for popping by.

Bye for now.

A Month of Gratitude 2024: Day 2

Hello there! Another Monday done and dusted. Only four more in the year to go. That means there is still time to knock any outstanding 2024 goals out of the park or you have to reflect on what was and plan for what will be in 2025. So what put a smile on my face today?

Two Things I Am Grateful For and One Source of Joy

  1. Today, I am grateful for the teams I work with. No matter what the day brings, there is always time and space for a joke or a bit of silliness. A number of my colleagues have moved to the UK over the past year or two, and one of the most difficult adjustments they have faced has been the lack of connection with people at work. Some people don’t even know the name of the person sitting opposite them. So yes, I am very grateful for the teams I work with. They know my name and a little something about me and vice versa.
  2. I love starting the work week at home. We work hybrid, so I work from home two days a week. It means that as an introvert, I can enjoy the people I work with and have pockets of alone time to regenerate my energy throughout the day.
  3. One source of joy today was enjoying a cup of coffee in my little garden in the middle of the day. Although it was overcast, it didn’t stop the birds and insects from doing their thing. I love those moments. There is a whole world going on in my garden, and I am in awe of it.

On that note, I will leave you with a short quote from Karl Barth about the connection between gratitude and joy. They are inseparable.

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Thanks for popping by. Let me know what made your day today in the comments or drop me a link to your gratitude post.

Bye for now!🌼