A Year of Gratitude – May 12, 2024

I found my gratitude while gathered around our family table today. The conversation was lively, the food was tasty, and I had a moment to just take a deep breath and enjoy it all as it took shape around me.

As I sat there, I found myself thinking about how lucky I was to be in that moment. It’s rare to be able to gather with the people you love most, to share a meal with them, and to just enjoy their company. I know that I am blessed to be able to do that more than most. It’s not a rarity for me. Yet I took particular notice of it today.

I looked around our family table and made a note of each person seated there. I tried to commit the moment to memory, as if I was taking a photo to keep with me forever. I know that I can’t hold on to time in that way, but I wanted to hold on to the moment for as long as I could.

I was thankful for that moment and for the people who helped create it. Mother’s Day was the reason we were gathered for the meal, but it wasn’t the only thread holding us together. Instead, we are held together by love and the care we have for each other. That’s such a warm feeling to be surrounded by.

For every soul gathered at our table, there was a willingness to help each other, to support each other, and to love each other. On my best days, they are ready to celebrate along with me. In my most difficult moments, they always find a way to support me. I return the favor when the opportunity exists and the cycle stays unbroken.

I know that Mother’s Day is typically centered around giving Mom a day off from her normal duties. That’s not the kind of day I want. Instead, I’d rather take a day to appreciate how much I love being a mom and a daughter and how lucky I feel to be both. I did that today and it was just the sort of Mother’s Day I wanted.

If you celebrated Mother’s Day today, I hope that you had the sort of day you hoped for. If today was a difficult day for you, I understand and I hope that today will pass gently and that tomorrow will be a kinder to you.

For all of you who wanted to see the cakes I made yesterday for our Mother’s Day celebration, one of them was this Twinkie cake. It has a homemade marshmallow filling that is so delicious!

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.