A few weeks ago, while poking around for a photo of "gratitude" for a post on that topic, I came across a most remarkable blog--"365 Days of Gratitude". It was a photo-blog with a daily image reflecting something for which the photojournalist was grateful. I thought the idea was lovely. The anonymous blogger has evidently moved from her roots because the first shot on her blog is featured here, a shot of the prairie where she was raised. The label was, "Today I am grateful for my visit home." Looking at the photo, can't you sense how true that statement is? I didn't go through every shot, but the ones I did see were more reminders that our efforts to take count of, and feel gratitude for, our blessings really magnifies the end-count, and we'll come to see how truly blessed our seemingly mundane lives actually are.This blog reminded me of a Gratitude Book my daughter assembled for Thanksgiving 2007, with the intent of laying it out on the table where family members could jot down thoughts of gratefulness throughout the day. It was a wonderful, if under-utilized idea. I think we should give it another try.
There are lots of reasons why starting such a project like this is a beautiful idea. Thanksgiving, the day set aside for reflections of gratitude, is a mere three weeks away, and Christmas and New Years always seem to urge us to take stock, express love and gratitude, then set new goals.
Perhaps snapping a photo of something for which you are grateful would work for you, or perhaps the Gratitude Book is more doable. You can write a gratitude statement a day in your calendar blocks, or maintain a running list. Whatever works for you.
A creative woman used one of those table-top trees from which she dangled paper leaves with notes of gratitude written upon them. You can decorate a jar or a can and leave slips of paper upon which thankful notes can be recorded. I think the fridge would be a great place to post notes of gratitude. It sure would add positive value to those leftover-runs.
I'm sure you've got tons of ideas on how to take stock and record gratitude. Let's hear some. Leave a comment and I'll enter you in a drawing for a wonderful book titled, "Wednesday's Letters". Deadline for the drawing is Friday!
A few years ago Oprah showcased a book about Gratitude that urged the readers to make a journal, separately, and to daily record five things they were grateful for that day. (I've started that one a few times ... some how I get distracted but one day I did sit down and make a list of all the things I was grateful for and it was over a hundred items long).
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