GRATITUDE FLOWERS

GROWING
AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

​A "hundred day" practice for 2022

It started with a you tube video, 
a serendipitous finding of a bag of fabric circles left over from a Children's Day project,
​and a desire to shift out of a persistent low mood,
to adjust my perception
and my engagement with life.

I want to bloom where I am planted,
to blossom,
to flourish.

I start each day with these words,
"This is the day that lies ahead,
these are the hours,
this is my life."

These few words invite me
to be present,
to be mindful,
to be attentive,
to cherish,
to enjoy,
to be GRATEFUL.

I have set up a small workspace with
the bag of fabric circles,
a box of buttons,
needle and thread,
bamboo sticks
and a hot glue gun.

Each day I will spend time 
creating a flower with five petals,
imbuing it with something I am grateful for that day.

DAY ONE

I am grateful for ...
friendship.
Without the blessing of friendship,
​I would never have become the person I am.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said,
"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving
for my friends,
the old and the new."

DAY TWO

​

I am grateful for ...
found blessings.

A grouping of stones which speak of stability;
​wild flowers blossoming in an abandoned tyre;
a kingfisher sitting on the power lines.

John O'Donohue says,
"The more we recognise our found blessings,
the more they increase around us."

DAY THREE

I am grateful for ...
jigsaw puzzles.

I have borrowed a card table
and have started a 1000 piece jigsaw.
It is an old puzzle, so there is no guarantee
​all the pieces are still there!
But that doesn't bother me.
There is something meditative,
calming,
invitational
about the box of pieces.

I watched the movie "Puzzle".
They talked about creating order out of chaos,
how a completed puzzle reflects
​the good choices we make.

Affirming.
Encouraging.
​Nourishing.

DAY FOUR

I am grateful for ...
my walking stick,
a fallen branch found on a forest walk.
A gift from Tane, God of the forest.
Thank you.

It fits so beautifully in my hand,
worn soft now like seasoned leather.
The end is chewed and scuffed,
the result of encounters with inquisitive dogs
(and not so friendly canines!)
and mindful meanderings along pavements and trails.

I love the sound of it's 'clunk' on the path,
timed with every fourth footstep.
I love how it doodles my musings in the sand by the lake.

​A faithful companion.

DAY FIVE

I am grateful for ...
my daily Qi Gong practice.

It is an embodied holistic practice,
inviting mind, body and spirit to work in unison
for my health and well-being.

Although I sometimes begin reluctantly,
by the end of this routine I feel
calm,
at peace, 
hopeful,
vibrant.

​I am indeed blessed.​​

DAY SIX

"Trees bend with ripened fruit;
clouds hang down with gentle rain;
noble people bow graciously.
This is the way of generous things."
Bhartrhari

I am grateful for ...
fruit trees.
Plum. Lemon. Feijoa.

They generously give
oxygen to breathe;
fruit to savour;
nourishment for birds;
pollen for bees;
shade from the sun.

They  remind me daily
of stability;
and promise.

DAY SEVEN

I am grateful for ...
the ability to walk,
the freedom to walk.

Joyce Rupp titled her book on the Camino
"Walk in a Relaxed Manner".
That is how I like to walk.
Relaxed.
Mindful.
Attentive to my surroundings:
the variety of wildflowers,
the hum of approaching cars,
the lapping of lake waters,
the overhead screech of water birds,
the rustle of oak leaves,
the acrid smell of smoke from the mini steam train.

Attentive to my body:
the swing of my arms,
the firm fit of my feet in my shoes,
the shade given my face from the floppy hat I wear.

"Walking brings me back to myself."
Laurette Mortimer

DAY EIGHT

As I stitched a flower using remnants of fabric
from my mother (RIP),
I realised 
I am grateful for ...
memories.

Some happy.
Some tinged with grief and sadness.
Some held in photographs and treasures.
Some shared in family gatherings.

All these memories
make me who I am today.
And I am grateful for them.

DAY NINE

I am grateful for ...
chalk drawings on the pavement.

They are a tangible reminder
to play;
to allow myself to draw outside the lines;
to use my imagination;
to rejoice in colour;
to express myself joyfully;
that nothing is permanent;
not to take myself too seriously;
​to pause.

Now where is that stick of chalk?​

DAY TEN

I am grateful for ...
the sunrise.

Mary Oliver writes in "Why I wake early"
"Hello sun in my face
Hello you who spread the morning across the fields 
and into the face of tulips and nodding morning glories ..."

There is something about standing with the rising sun,
​feeling the earth beneath my feet bow in gratitude.

Everything I am,
everything I eat and use and wear and see
​is dependent on the sun rising.

DAY ELEVEN

I am grateful for ...
silence.

The moment between breaths.
The pause between words.
The absence of thoughts.
The stillness of late evening.
The voiceless radiance of moonbeams.

A time to recollect.
A time to reconsider.
A time to reframe.
​
​An invitation.
​

DAY TWELVE

"The doors to the world of the wild Self
are few but precious.
If you have a deep scar,
that is a door,
if you have an old, old story,
that is a door.
If you love the sky and water so much
you almost cannot bear it,
that is a door.
If you yearn for a deeper life,
a full life,
a sane life,
that is a door."
Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

I am grateful for ...
​doors.

DAY THIRTEEN

I am grateful for ...
shadows.

They remind me that the sun is shining.
They accompany me on my solitary walks.
They let me know the time of day.
They invite me to sit in their coolness.
They dance unashamedly in the wind.
They inspire great philosophers.
They entertain.
They remind me of the impermanence of all things.

DAY FOURTEEN

I am grateful for ...
change.

I was very surprised,
stunned even,
when I realised I was  grateful for change.
My default setting whenever change is in the wind,
is to withdraw,
maybe sulk a little,
definitely challenge change's demands.

But as I spent time reflecting,
I came to see that change
is a part of my every day.
Night changes into day.
Caterpillar changes into chrysalis into butterfly.
Bud changes into blossom into fruit.
Clouds change the skyline minute by minute.

Every single breath I take changes my body.
​I am grateful for change.

DAY FIFTEEN

I am grateful for ...
disappointment.

"Why?", I ask myself.
It is an invitation to consider
my motivations,
my relationships,
my need for affirmation,
my attachments.

Disappointment isn't good or bad.
It is simply an emotion which provides information,
​if I have the willingness to receive it
as a welcome guest
​and listen.

DAY SIXTEEN

I am grateful for ...
windows.

​Apertures to engage,
to focus
the attention.

Frames to direct the eye.
to emphasise detail,
to capture the heart.

Latches to allow
air to flow freely,
cats to escape,
to hint at freedom.

Clear panes of glass
to invite meditation,
to refract the sunbeams,
​to ground me in this space.

DAY SEVENTEEN

I am grateful for ...
​nests.

Nests built with loving intention.
Those built with materials at hand.
Nests where the young are nourished and nurtured
and ... let go.

Nests are created seasonally,
for a specific reason,
and then abandoned.

Nests remind me 
to live gently with the seasons,
to live with purpose but not attachment,
​to let go.

DAY EIGHTEEN

I am grateful for ...
crossword puzzles
(that I fill out using PEN!)

I like that the crossings-out show my fallibility!
I like seeing the process that I use to arrive at a solution.
I like the way ink flows on the newsprint.
I love the "Aha!" moment when an answer reveals itself.

Fallibility.
Process.
Flow.
​Revelation.

​So much to be grateful for!

DAY NINETEEN

I am grateful for ...
water.

Living water
that sustains,
nourishes,
irrigates,
cleanses,
baptises.

Living water that
flows,
seeps,
gurgles,
trickles,
splashes,
floods.

DAY TWENTY

I am grateful for ...
strength.

Strength to persist
when I just want to surrender.
Strength to change
when I crave the status quo.
Strength to smile
when the skies are grey.
Strength to plant
​when so much is dying.

DAY TWENTY ONE

I am grateful for ...
firewood.

I am grateful for the merchant who
felled the trees and transported it to me.
I am grateful for the sun which nourished the trees.
I am grateful for the forest which provided
a place for the trees to grow.
I am grateful for the rain 
which watered the trees.
​
I am grateful to Tane, God of the Forests,
who has gifted me this firewood.

DAY TWENTY TWO

I am grateful for ...
a lawn covered with dandelions!

Following the light throughout the day.
Bending, swaying in the breeze.
Attracting the pollinators.
Gently closing in the dwindling light.
A joyful colour!

And when the lawnmower razes them to the ground,
they simply start again!

Joy
Strength
Resilience
Rest

DAY TWENTY THREE

I am grateful for ...
food to eat.

Healthy food to nourish my body, mind and spirit.
Mindful eating
Appreciation of ingredients
Supported by recipe writers

Food that is grown in my garden.
Food that has travelled many miles.

Awareness of those who do not have sufficient food.
​

DAY TWENTY FOUR

I am grateful for ...
gentle rain after a long dry spell.

The refreshing coolness in the air.
The scent of wet earth.
The slosh of tyres on a wet road.
The glistening of water on leaves.
The caressing of raindrops on my cheek.
The pleasure of paddling in puddles.
The croaking of frogs aroused in the pond across the road.
The gentle light of sun's rays through grey clouds.
The rousing "Hallelujah" from farmers and horticulturalists.

​I am grateful for rain.

DAY TWENTY FIVE

I am grateful for ...
curiousity.

Curiousity that draws me to read the next chapter in a book.
Curiousity that invites me to pause
and watch a colourful butterfly ready itself for flight.
Curiousity that encourages me
to engage in conversation with strangers.
Curiousity that tempts me to walk a different path to the lake.
Curiousity that asks so many questions
​that drives me to seek answers.
Curiousity that says,
​"You are alive!"

DAY TWENTY SIX

I am grateful for ...
distant mountains.

They remind me that I am a part of
something much, much bigger.
They appear timeless:
forged millennia ago.
They invite me to scale the mountains within,
to keep all things in perspective.
They reflect the changing seasons,
the variations in light and dark,
​just as I do.

DAY TWENTY SEVEN

I am grateful for ...
sharing.

Those who open their hearts
and share poetry.

Those who draw from their fount of experience
and share their wisdom.

Those who share their joy
and inspire others.

Those who share their time with others
and enable them to live well.

Those who share a smile
​and uplift another.

DAY TWENTY EIGHT

I am grateful for ...
fairy tales.

They transport me to a place
where dreams come true;
where good triumphs over evil;
where love reigns supreme;
where sacrifice is redemptive;
where anything is possible;
where hope flourishes;
where time doesn't exist.

Fairy tales remind me
​of the best in human beings.

DAY TWENTY NINE

I am grateful for ...
feathers.

Light
Unique
Exquisitely designed
So many uses
Beautiful
Enable flight
Inspire art
Adaptable
​Ticklish!!!

DAY THIRTY

I am grateful for ...
sunflowers.

The seeds become food for birds.
The bees pollinate.
They always elicit a smile.
Their mandala is intricate,
a work of art.
They follow the sun,
​open, receptive.

DAY THIRTY ONE

I am grateful for ...
tender loving care.

From health professionals
From friends
From Gratitude Buddies
From adult children
​From my sister

DAY THIRTY TWO

I am grateful for ...
'Aha!' moments.

When everything suddenly makes sense!
When a line of poetry bypasses the head,
and speaks directly to the heart.
When an item of exquisite beauty
demands that I PAUSE.

I am grateful for daily revelations
​that inspire and empower me.
​
​

DAY THIRTY THREE

I am grateful for ...
brothers.

They remind me I am loved and cherished.
They remind me I am part of something bigger.
​They remind me of strength and courage.

They let me know,
they are beside me
​every inch of the way.

DAY THIRTY FOUR

I am grateful for ...
sisters.

Blood sisters
who love me to pieces.
Found sisters who surround me with love.
The wisdom only sisters can share.
The power of the sisterhood
​to change the world.
​

DAY THIRTY FIVE

I am grateful for ...
touch.

A 40 second bear hug that fills me with oxytocin.
A gentle handshake that acknowledges my existence.
A doctor's gentle diagnostic touch.

The warm touch of sunlight caressing my cheek.
The cool touch of a refreshing breeze.

The welcoming touch of crisp clean sheets.
​the comforting touch of my pillow.

DAY THIRTY SIX

I am grateful for ...
computers.

That let me hear from distant people.
That enable me to meditate by Zoom.
That allow me to share in the joys of others.

That keep me informed at the touch of a button.
That enable me to bank online.
That help me to stay connected.

​That can be quiet when asked!​

DAY THIRTY SEVEN

I am grateful for ...
a community orchard.

Such a gift to our community.
Fruit to nourish the body.
Greenery to soothe the anxious soul.

A thoughtful use of otherwise vacant land.
A sharing of horticultural skills and knowledge
​with unknown recipients.

DAY THIRTY EIGHT

I am grateful for ...
dark grey rainclouds.

Hovering.
Expectant.
Heavy.

A splendid back drop for trees
and power lines and factory buildings.

I love the rising anticipation
​of release from the humidity.

DAY THIRTY NINE

I am grateful for ...
my cell phone.

I feel connected, yet independent.
I am able to seek what I need.
I can receive encouragement.

I can take photos,
share poetry
​and blessings.

DAY FORTY

I am grateful for ...
the present moment.

I read somewhere that 
"time is not a line.
It is a series of now-points."

I find that very reassuring.
It grounds me in the reality of today.

DAY FORTY ONE

I am grateful for ...
raindrops.

On the window pane.
Dripping off the edge of my umbrella.
Splashing on my tongue.

​Such a beautiful shape.

DAY FORTY TWO

I am grateful for ...
chicken bone broth.

 It reuses the bones from a roast,
making value for money.
It's an easily digestible form of nutrients and minerals.
It tastes good when nothing else does!
It is versatile:
​I use it for soup, stock, on it own.

DAY FORTY THREE

I am grateful for ...
wild flowers.

Abundant on my walks around a pond.
Growing in an old tyre under my window.
Cheekily poking up in cracks in the pavement.

Yarrow and clover.
Dandelions and daisies.
Morning glory and pansies.
Buttercups and thistle.

Dancing in the breeze.
Sparkling in the sunlight.
Coy amongst the grasses.
​Opportunistic in the wastelands.

DAY FORTY FOUR

I am grateful for ...
freshly caught fish.

A true gift of the heart.
Each tasty morsel reminds me of patience,
of skill and knowledge,
of technique and contemplation,
of joy.

Poet Brian Potiki wrote,
​
"each morning as
i quietly dress
to go fishing
she calls from her bed
going fishing?
i reply
yes
and leave humming"

DAY FORTY FIVE

I am grateful for ...
hard working tradespeople.

Those who work with machines and tools,
with skill and knowledge,
with pride and diligence,
to help me live well in my space.

DAY FORTY SIX

I am grateful for ...
water birds.

Mallards and black swans.
Scaup and geese.
Red-beaked gulls and black-backed gulls.

All co-existing on the lake.
Each group watchful of it's members
and for a threat.
All nurturing their young.

​What a witness.

DAY FORTY SEVEN

I showed a bouquet of gratitude flowers
to a visitor.
She immediately said,
"I am grateful to be alive!
I am grateful to be alive!
I am grateful to be alive!
I am grateful to be alive!"

She's right!

​I am grateful to be alive.

DAY FORTY EIGHT

I am grateful for ...
green.

There seem to be infinite shades of green.
They never clash with each other.

Green is the colour of growth and renewal;
of freshness and fertility;
of harmony and safety;
of prosperity and progress.

DAY FORTY NINE

It is 6am.
The fire siren is sounding.
I live in a small community
that has a volunteer fire brigade.

Family men and women
who surrender their time and energy;
who share their knowledge and skills
so I can live well in this space.

I am grateful for ...
​the siren.

DAY FIFTY

"The act of meditation is being spacious."
Sogyal Rinpoche

I am grateful for ...
meditation.

It does indeed create spaciousness;
serenity;
calmness;
compassion for self;
a blossoming.​

It is an invitation to be fully present
to every moment.

DAY FIFTY ONE

Maya Angelou wrote,
"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly,
but rarely acknowledge
the changes it has gone through
to get there."

I am grateful for ...
the butterfly.

Absolutely content to be in the present moment,
being fully engaged in whatever stage it is at:
egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly.

I have a lot to learn!

DAY FIFTY TWO

I am grateful for ...
hobbies.

Leisure activities promote
physical and mental well-being.
In my home,
I relax with books, poetry,
needlework, gardens,
model trains, knitting,
doll-making and walking.

How do you relax?

DAY FIFTY THREE

Mary Oliver wrote
"Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful
than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats towards the horizon
and into the clouds or the hills
or the rumpled sea, and is gone - ..."

I am grateful for ...
​the sunset.

DAY FIFTY FOUR

I am grateful for ...
books,
and those who pen them,
gifted, brave  each individual.

My beloved friends
whom I have never met.
who lift me up.
Who challenge me.
​Who provide succour and solace.

DAY FIFTY FIVE

I am grateful for ...
indoor plants.

They remind me 
that we all need care and attention;
oxygen, sunlight and water;
nourishment
and a welcoming environment.

They remind me to stay true
to myself,
​and to be my best self,
​whatever happens.

DAY FIFTY SIX

I am grateful for ...
the gift of sleep.

Isn't it amazing how we can lay down our head,
close our eyes,
and our body relaxes,
refreshes,
renews
and we don't have to DO anything
except lie there
and be receptive to
​this incredible gift of sleep?

DAY FIFTY SEVEN

As I loaded soiled laundry into the white box
which beeps and hums,
I realised I am grateful for ...
my washing machine.

I think about millions of people world wide
who wash and scrub by hand
in rivers and lakes and oceans,
in roiling hot laundries,
and freeze dry in the tundra.

I am blessed to fill it up,
turn on the water taps and power,
​and let it do its magic!

DAY FIFTY EIGHT

Snip! Snip! Snip!
I am grateful for my scissors.

Not just one pair
but several to fulfil many purposes.
Kitchen snips.
Paper cutting scissors.
Those with extra sharp points to clip curves.
Dressmaking shears.
Pinking shears to give a wonderful zig-zag effect.

​I am blessed!

DAY FIFTY NINE

I am grateful for ...
breakfast.

A nourishing meal,
accompanied by the morning newspaper
​and crossword.
​

DAY SIXTY

I am grateful for ...
the gift of hearing.

With this gift, I can hear
the distant peal of church bells,
the haunting whistle of the miniature steam train,
the wind rattling at the window panes,
the hum of traffic travelling past my home,
​the buzz of the weed-eater trimming the edges,
the sizzle of oil in the frying pan.

I am indeed blessed.​

DAY SIXTY ONE

I am grateful for ...
volunteers.

They are the backbone of our communities,
our country.
They have a role in every activity:
conservation, child care,
fire fighting, coastguard,
knitting for the impoverished and the frail,
donating to, and running opportunity shops,
mowing lawns
caring for rescued animals.

I am grateful for their efforts 
​to enable me to live well in my space.

DAY SIXTY TWO

I am grateful for ...
eggs.

A tasty meal in a convenient shell.
Exquisite in shape,
from tiny blue eggs to huge kiwi eggs.
They can be painted for easter,
​or ornately decorated for the insanely rich!

DAY SIXTY THREE

I am grateful for ...
textiles and fibre.

They are an intrinsic part of being human:
from swaddling cloths at birth
to burial shroud at death.
On our bodies,
in our homes,
in our vehicles.
Underground, overhead
all around.
​Enabling us to live well in our space.

DAY SIXTY FOUR

I am grateful for ...
new experiences.

I am often a reluctant participant but 
the benefits far outweigh my inertia!

My horizons are broadened.
I understand some things more clearly.
I marvel at the creativity of others.
I receive the open-hearted generosity of others.

​I am renewed ... with a grateful heart.

DAY SIXTY FIVE

I have just travelled 2000kms
over New Zealand roads.

I am grateful for  ...
road rules.

Designed to keep us safe,
to help us arrive at our destination,
to reduce stress and anxiety,
​to warn drivers of dangers.

DAY SIXTY SIX

I visited a small village market,
filled with local produce and handmade wares,
sold by the grower and the maker.

I am grateful for ...
artisans and craftspeople.

They demonstrate pride and joy in their craft.
They share ideas and tutorials on-line.
They encourage creativity and community.

DAY SIXTY SEVEN

It is International Women's Day.

A day to empower women;
to acknowledge the contribution of women;
to embrace a feminine world view;
to offer heartfelt thanks to women
who enable us to live well.

I am grateful for ...
women.

DAY SIXTY EIGHT

I am grateful for ...
willingness.

All those who are willing 
to help,
to support,
to give up their time,
to visit,
to share,
to work on my behalf,
to ring,
to cook for me,
to shop for me,
​to care:)
​

DAY SIXTY NINE

I am grateful for ...
medications.

To ease,
to offer relief,
​to enable me to live well.

DAY SEVENTY

I am grateful for ...
​doll makers.

My passion is to create dolls - textile sculptures.
They speak where I do not have the words.
I am in awe of doll makers around the world
who express what it means to be human.

These makers push boundaries,
heal woundedness,
enshrine spiritualities,
do not fear change,
​explore modalities ...

They epitomise what it is to be an artist.

DAY SEVENTY ONE

I am grateful for ...
moments of delight!

When a piwakawaka dances and chirps for me.
When good news lifts the spirit.
When the quardle aardle oodle of the magpie
brings back happy memories.
When the gift of homemade soup
nourishes the body
and delights the soul.
When I am focused on stitching.

DAY SEVENTY TWO

I am grateful for ...
smiles :)

The smile I draw in the condensation on the car window.
The smile of the check-out operator.
The smile of a stranger walking by.
My own smile I catch a glimpse of in the mirror :)​

DAY SEVENTY THREE

I am grateful for ...
the unexpected!

A mini road trip to find a geo-cache.
Passing a Warrant of Fitness for my car!
A drop-in visit from a friend.

Each event encourages me to live fully in this moment
and not to be anxious about what I had thought I might do.

DAY SEVENTY FOUR

I am grateful for ...
fear.
Yes! Fear.

Fear of the unknown.
Fear of the known.
Fear - inducing anxiety.

It reminds me to stay grounded,
present to my emotions,
to talk with myself,
to challenge myself,
​to sort out what I actually have control over.

​And only then can I be more fully myself.

DAY SEVENTY FIVE

John O'Donohue writes,
"In the name of the air,
The breeze
And the wind,
May our souls 
Stay in rhythm
With eternal
Breath."

I am grateful for ...
air.
​Every breath is a new beginning.

DAY SEVENTY SIX

I am grateful for ...
now.

This present moment.
And the next one. 
And the one after that.

I read somewhere that "Time is not a line.
It is a series of now points."
​I agree.

DAY SEVENTY SEVEN

I am grateful for ...
footprints.

Human prints.
Shoe and boot prints.
Animal tracks.
Bird prints.
Vehicle tracks.

Each show me someone or something
has been here before me
​creating a path for my footfall.

DAY SEVENTY EIGHT

I am grateful for ...
footpaths, sidewalks, pavements.

They provide a safe passage for my daily walks.
​
Traveler, your footprints
are the only road, nothing else.
Traveler, there is no road;
you make your own path as you walk.
As you walk, you make your own road,
and when you look back
you see the path
you will never travel again.
Traveler, there is no road;
only a ship's wake on the sea.
Antonio Machado

DAY SEVENTY NINE

I am grateful for ...
my local convenience store.

It is a Four Square store.
Always a smile, a welcome.
Always helpful, courteous.

Hospitality.
Welcome. 
Friendliness.
​The important things.

DAY EIGHTY

I am grateful for ...
rain.

To quench to parched earth.
To water the dahlias
​and silverbeet and spinach and tomatoes.

DAY EIGHTY ONE

I am grateful for ...
the pause.

The pause between each breath.
The pause in conversation.
​The pause between rain showers.
​The sacred pause.

DAY EIGHTY TWO

I am grateful for ...
a cup of tea.

Green White. Black. Roobois.
​Hot. Warm. Ice cold.
Refreshing.
Hospitable.
​A conversation.​

DAY EIGHTY THREE

I am grateful for ...
books.

Solace.
Adventure.
Advice.
Knowledge.
​Fun.

DAY EIGHTY FOUR

I am grateful for ...
encouragement.

Encouragement has the ability 
to uplift,
to stimulate,
to mobilise,
to soothe,
to save.

​Thank goodness for encouragement.

DAY EIGHTY FIVE

I am grateful for ...
sunshine.

To put a smile on my face,
a skip in my step,
warmth in my body,
poetry in my mind,
kindness everywhere.

DAY EIGHTY SIX

I am grateful for ...
fern fronds.

Promise.
New life.
​Unfurling.
​Growth.

A metaphor for change.

DAY EIGHTY SEVEN

I am grateful for ...
yarn.

To warm me.
To create with.
​To comfort and nurture. 

DAY EIGHTY EIGHT

I am grateful for ...
a shared meal.

There is something about sharing a meal with another person.
Breaking bread together.
Companionship.
Nourishment.
​A sense of belonging.
​Love shared.

DAY EIGHTY NINE

I am grateful for ...
sharing.

A shared confidence.
A shared walk.
A shared love.
A shared journey.

DAY NINETY

I am grateful for ...
music.

"Music is the language of the spirit.
It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife."
Kahlil Gibran​

DAY NINETY ONE

I am grateful for ...
​prayer. 

Prayer I receive.
Prayer that takes me out of myself.
Prayer that connects me to something bigger.
Prayer that expands my worldview.
Prayer that uplifts, consoles.
​Prayer that is love.

DAY NINETY TWO

I am grateful for ...
the warm earth.

Sun-kissed earth,
warm beneath my bare feet.
Autumnal earth,
reminding me of the summer.
​

DAY NINETY THREE

There is something about gardening
which brings out a heart filled with gratitude.

Is it being close to the earth?
Is it the exercise?
Maybe the fresh air.
Or the sense of being part of something bigger,
sustainable, life-giving, life-enhancing?

Whatever the reason,
I am grateful for ...
​gardening.

DAY NINETY FOUR

I am grateful for ...
visitors.

Expected.
Surprise.
Tradespeople.
Delivery.

​They offer connection.

DAY NINETY FIVE

Some days are uncomfortable.
Physical.
Mental.
Spiritual.
Emotional.

I am grateful for this discomfort
as it reminds me to be aware of and grateful for
​all the times I am comfortable.

DAY NINETY SIX

I am grateful for ...
generosity.

Of people.
​Of space and place.
Of time.
​Of public service.

DAY NINETY SEVEN

I am grateful for ...
choice.

I am grateful I can choose
what to eat;
what to wear;
what to do;
​what to say and pray.

DAY NINETY EIGHT

I am grateful for ...
public parks and reserves.

Where anyone can enjoy being in nature,
experience the change in seasons,
be immersed in the flora of a particular area.

Where people can walk, picnic, relax.
​

DAY NINETY NINE

I am grateful for ...
resilience.

To carry on.
To persist against the odds.
​To pick up when down.

DAY ONE HUNDRED

I am grateful for ...
endings and beginnings.

This is the final day of my hundred day challenge.
An ending.
And just as every breath is a new beginning
so tomorrow will be a new beginning
​without gratitude flowers.

I hope within I have grown
an attitude of gratitude.