Tag: gratitude

“His dream had never left; it was he who had quit on it.” Michael Ivanov (The Mount of Olives) 

This afternoon, I watched a programme on Netflix that featured amazing visuals of some of the cities I have always wanted to visit in Europe. It made me sit up and question why I haven’t fulfilled this dream yet and what I am going to do now to make it happen. For some reason, I felt like I had woken up from a coma. I don’t know what the answer is, but I do know what I want. Clarity is liberating.

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I am also grateful today for the rest I have had ove the past two days in particular.  I feel more enegised and my head feels a little clearer.  I have also been trying to eat healthier these past two days, so that might also be playing a role. 

I tried a recipe from a new keto book that I bought recently.  It was just bangers and cauli mash with an onion gravy.  It tasted good and it was definitely the onion gravy that made the dish.  I had a good laugh, though, when I compared my finished dish to the picture in the book.  God bless food photographers for making food look so good that it motivates us to cook.  My food looked so bland and boring compared to the book’s pic.  Thank goodness for the tasty onion gravy because, visually, my dish did not appeal at all. 🤪

My food vs the book. They must have used a colourant to get it looking that good.

That’s my story for today.  I hope you enjoyed yours.

Bye for now.

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” —Aesop

Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope that you all had a good day today whether you chose to share it with loved ones or celebrated the birth of Christ on your own.  

I spent time with my different loved ones as the day progressed and returned home alone to enjoy my own company for the rest of the evening (every extreme introvert’s dream 😁). The highlight of my day was spending time with some of my nephews.  We hadn’t seen them in about three or four years and were only with them for a few hours.  It was so great to hug them hello, hear their voices, and just be in their presence.  They have grown so much, but they are still the same people, and that was great to see.  I am so grateful that we got to spend some time with them.  Those few hours were enough.  

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I am also grateful that we were all able to travel safely.  I am incredibly grateful to my brother-in-law, who went out of his way to ensure that my dad still got to spend the day with us despite his car breaking down pretty far out of town.  He made it possible for my father to spend time with his grandchildren, which is what he was looking forward to most. When they were younger,  my dad would take them for walks and play with them.  Now that they are older, he is content to just be in their presence. I don’t think he has much of a choice, though, as they tend to be glued to their screens. 

All in all, it was a good day.  I feel very blessed to have shared another Christmas with my loved ones.  

How was your day?  How do you celebrate Christmas?  Let me know in the comments.

Bye for now

When Life Happens, We Create New Traditions

Day 24 and another Christmas Eve rolls around.  As a kid, this was the most magical night of the year.  It’s 22:50 as I write this.  We would have all been in church now, and we would have opened our gifts as soon as we got home.  But she is not here anymore, and those traditions are now relegated to the happy memory box.   

We do have a new tradition, though.  Being with family is still the most important part of our Christmas.  We gather at my sister’s house.   Her husband does most of the cooking.  He makes a mean curry, and his gammon is delicious!  My contribution this year is the beef tongue, which no one will eat as it is too salty, and the dessert. The day is filled with love and laughter, and that is all we can ask for, so this is what I am most grateful for today.  I am really looking forward to tomorrow.  

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Having to change our traditions after losing a loved one is a reminder that we have a presence and we take up space.  I used to think that it was so sad how we just go on with our lives after someone’s death.  We don’t really, though.  We have to find ways to live without that person.  The person and their role in your life can never be replaced.  The thought of it makes me realise how valuable and unique we are, and that is definitely something to be grateful for.  

I am going to keep it short and sweet tonight.  Thanks for popping by.  

Let me know in the comments what your special Christmas memories or traditions are and why.  

Have a wonderful Christmas! Bye for now