FEBRUARY 25, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON
I think of gratitude in relation to where I have been, all I have been able to experience, and where I am now. Joy and pain steer us into creating our own destinies. One of my gratitude prayers (saying thanks instead of requests currently) calls to mind how interesting it is to be living at this time. How intriguing to spend time with so many other people on our converging paths. How did we get here? How did they get there? Overthinking maybe, but the thoughts intrigue me in the special moments and in the too rough times that shape our lives.
Sharing roots intrigues me just like the friends and acquaintances we cross paths with for a lifetime or for certain seasons. My little brother surprised with an amazing gift yesterday and I imagine how fortunate we are to have family as friends. If I didn’t have my three brothers, I would be lost in this world.
I soon realized how the gift is something I would not get around to getting for myself. I have to preempt a different blog post to share my overwhelming reaction. While I like to think I have self-care in mind and do the things that mean taking care of myself overall (though I can do better) there are certain actions I will put off or never get around to doing, so when someone thinks of me and really gets me and thinks what will make me smile and bring some comfort… I just have to admit it brought some tears of joy.
I imagine most of us don’t always think of ourselves when caught up in the day-to-day grind. We may not even realize we are in a grind because life is okay. There are a lot of good moments and it is okay enough. He reminded me how nice it is to feel even nicer. When people look after you, the feeling is nice. When people see you and really see you, life is nice. This February has already been unforgettable. This birthday has been so peaceful, even a couple days before it gets here.