A Year of Gratitude – April 9, 2024

I found my gratitude on the kitchen table this morning. A Mason jar full of tulips had opened up overnight. What had been tight buds yesterday had opened up into glorious, colorful blooms. What a delightful discovery to begin the day.

My day wasn’t nearly as lovely as these tulips. It was filled with must do and have to tasks. There were more than enough reasons to declare it a bad day by many measures. I know that isn’t productive, it doesn’t change any of the negatives from the day. It simply gives them oxygen, gives them the power to be all that is remembered about this day.

It took effort, but I chose not to. Instead, I’ll remember this day for these gorgeous tulips, for the sunshine that streamed in through the kitchen window to illuminate the space beneath them. I’ll hold tight to the moment this afternoon over a cookie break in the farmhouse kitchen when the family members gathered around me worked overtime to put a smile on my face, to help reorient my day.

They did and I am grateful for it. The moment happened not far from the tulips. It was a place where beauty, joy, laughter, and love came together. We drank coffee, nibbled on cookies, and started the day anew. It made all the difference.

Perhaps these tulips had bloomed overnight by chance. Perhaps they were there to remind me to look for beauty, to recognizing the beauty that is around me in the people who add so much goodness to my life.  Like these tulips, they are colorful and beautiful and something I am so grateful that I was able to experience.

This post is part of our A Year of Gratitude Series. You can find the introduction, inspiration, and entire year’s gratitude’s posts here.