How you doing today? Are you panicking about the coronavirus? Or are you taking it all in stride? I sort of go back and forth between the two reactions. Mostly I’m just trying to stay grounded and present because that is a great antidote to anxiety.
Gratitude is also an excellent way to be calm and stay focused so today I’m sharing three things I’m grateful for right now.
- I’m grateful for signs of spring. I saw a red-winged blackbird last week, the many daffodil bulbs we planted last spring are coming up, I have crocus in bloom, and the smell of spring is in the air. I’m still waiting on spring peepers but I know I’ll hear them any night now.
- I’m also grateful for the little bit of snow we got on Friday night. It was pretty as it came down and made the house feel so cozy. Plus – and this is a funny story – Dale and I went out in the snow around 11:30pm! I had just gone to bed and he came in and said something about how nice the snow looked and then suggested we go outside. I looked at him and said he was nuts and he said, “if I said this to you twenty years ago you would have jumped right up and said let’s go. Let’s not act old, let’s be silly.” So, challenge accepted and out we went. In our pajamas, I might add, but we walked across the deck and stood under our pergola with the twinkle lights on. It was romantic and lovely and a great reminder to be spontaneous now and again.
- Finally, I’m grateful for my gratitude journal. I started it last August and have written 5 things I’m grateful for every morning without fail. It’s a good reminder to think about gratitude throughout the day and it’s also great to go back and read the things I have written. Some are simple, like taking a drive with Dale, some are huge, like having all 4 kids together for the first time in 8 years, and they are all important and when look at together they reflect a lot of good things in my life.
I wish I could say I was grateful to have blog comments showing up in my inbox again but it’s not fixed yet. I have spent more than a few hours trying to fix it, first by myself, and then on the phone with GoDaddy. Yesterday I broke down and paid $50 to have GoDaddy figure it out. There’s a 72 hour window on that so let’s hope they can get things working again in the next day or so. In the meantime, I’m reading and loving your comments even if I can’t respond via email.
If you wrote a post for today please include your link below and thanks for playing along!
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Dale wins the Inspirer of the Week Award! I love that story, Carole. Absolutely love it. A celebration of LIFE and being IN IT. Thanks for telling it! (And good luck with GoDaddy. I feel you there.)
My coronavirus reaction is much the same as yours, alternating between feeling prepared and then scared as the seriousness is shown once again. I hope that you can soon write in your gratitude journal that comments are fixed, and Dale thinks up some more silly things for the two of you.
ah I love that story about being spontaneous! and the power of gratitude (top of the list for me today is that we delivered HEAVY boxes of pantry items to our senior ladies yesterday and they all seem to be doing OK.) stay well my friend!
Staying “young” even when we’re old is . . . well . . . the way to stay young! 🙂 I’m so glad you and Dale took the time to find joy and delight in the snow. XO
(As for the coronavirus? Not panicking, but taking it all seriously!
I need to sit down and do a gratitude list because the virus has completely disrupted our lives out her in the Seattle area. My heart is so heavy with the closures and cancellation and so many people who are not able to work or kids who need those school lunches. Yes, I do need a gratitude list. Thanks for the reminder.
Great story about being spontaneous! (I am a frequent head out at night and appreciate the moon, the snow, the storm, the whatever person!)
And, I am taking COVID-19 very seriously, not panicking, and hoping everyone I know stays well!
I love the way you described you and Dale standing under the pergola with the snow falling under the twinkle lights!
I believe gratitude is the antidote to (some) depression, so I do what I can to stay in mine.
Currently, as an immune-compromised citizen, I’m corona-stressed. I feel like everyone either a) believes coronavirus is a political hoax or b) is waiting until AFTER this virus hits their town before they take action. All the studies show that preemptive action Is the key.
I’m grateful for good health today.
I have kept a gratitude journal for a few years and it always helps to get your thoughts in the right direction, isn’t it? I can TOTALLY hear Dale’s voice in my head telling you to come outside..LOL. That’ awesome!
Not panicking but wondering where the heck all this is going to end up. And Dale…he is the man. (But we knew that!!!) xo
I use Feedly to view your blog. I used to see your photos there. It recently changed that photos do not show anymore. I have to click to your website to view photos. Just letting you know in case you weren’t aware since you are having other blog issues.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that your comment issue gets resolved!
I keep going back and forth on panicking versus not re: COVID-19. I’m not too concerned about myself, but I have loved ones who are more vulnerable, and frankly the country’s response to this crisis doesn’t inspire confidence. What seems to be making me most anxious is the not knowing and the having to plan for all contingencies. What I am extremely grateful for, however, is that both my husband and I can work from home if we need to, and he will be home for the foreseeable future because all his conferences have been canceled.
I love your moment of spontaneity! We’ve all had so many reminders in the past year or so that we need to live in the moment and make the most of it, haven’t we?
How great is it to have someone in your life who keeps you spontaneous!? Fabulous story, and I am glad you rose to the challenge. Little pleasures are often more important that big ones. I am not in a panic about coronavirus. My husband is very high risk, so we are stocked up and cloistered until whenever. I am very grateful that we are able to do this. I am watching my back yard cherry trees beginning to explode, the camellias are blooming, and my allergies are going nuts. Great to see, not so great to deal with, but I am grateful the winter is waning. I need to practice more gratitude, so thanks for the reminder. Use that time that you previously used to find more joy!
LOVE your snow story (yay for Dale!!) and I bet it was just so pretty with the twinkle lights and snow coming down. I’m trying to stay calm but informed. Our work breakfast (catered) tomorrow has been cancelled and I bet our St. Patty’s Day luncheon on Tuesday (also catered) will be cancelled. I’m hearing so many tales of the impact of this horrid virus (my work is centered around the health care community).
I am grateful that I gave enough yarn to knit things even if we get quarantined!
HAVE enough yarn, ha ha
Were we to have snow a step out on the deck would be just perfect. We all need to look for the little joys in life and I thank you for the inspiration to appreciate them [joys] especially in these trying, scary times.
Onward.
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Sorry you’re having blogging technical issues. So frustrating!
We just had our trip to Portugal canceled due to the coronavirus. It was supposed to be in 2 weeks. Sigh! Oh, well. We will reschedule for September. That way we can still look forward it for another 6 months!
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I also wish everyone ELSE would calm down and not panic buy everything that we ALL need. You and Dale have the best attitude towards joy and love. Thank you for inspiring!
Yay for Dale (and you ) for not forgetting how to play! We sometimes have that feeling that we are sitting out moments that we used to plunge into and we don’t want to do that!
I hope the comments problem gets sorted. Xo
Yes, let’s be silly. Now if he starts talking about skinny dippin’ might need to his the pause button for just a sec. The whole virus thing is a bit surreal. I’m grateful that I can work from home and still get out into the fresh air. I am also concerned about how all this plays out. Keep in the faith here nonetheless.