YEAR IN REVIEW
No one needs to be reminded that 2020 was a tough year. But along with all the difficulties, there were moments of victory, completion, pleasure, and wonder. Recalling those instances was the purpose of breaking open the gratitude jar. Throughout the year, highlights, big and small, are recorded on colorful papers and placed in a container. Sometime around the calendar new year, my husband and I review those slips of paper. What good things did the year bring? Some examples-
Events BIG: We welcomed a new granddaughter into the world! I finished writing a new book entitled, Tallulah. A major construction project in the house was completed. Bought a new car.
Events SMALL: Sighted a new bird (Towhee). Learned all our neighbor’s names & grew closer as Covid drew nearer. International phone calls to friends. Built swing set for granddaughter. Babysitting grandbabies. Dinners with son and daughter-in-law. Orchids bloom. Raccoon with babies. Eight-foot snake on a trail walk.
We are unlikely to forget the big events that shape our lives, but the little things are often overshadowed. The gratitude jar always surprises us reminding us of the small contributions the routine of daily life, with all its struggles, contribute to our experience of life and our contentment in the world. If you’ve never kept a gratitude jar, I encourage you to try this practice for 2021. It’s worth the small investment in time and may change your perspective helping you to refocus as each new year arrives.
Happy 2021!
ellisnelson 