June 9, 2024

I am thankful for…

1. Time spent working in the garden. It’s always hard work and definitely hurts the next day, but the feelings/flavors I get from planting, nurturing, then eating my own food, are worth it.

2. Swimming. I’m lucky enough to not really remember learning to swim. I really don’t remember ever wearing floaties or swim supports. Growing up, one of my aunts that lived near me had a pool. We were there sometimes 2 or 3 times a week. As I aged, we moved near a park district with a pool. Until I was 12, my sisters and I went with my mom regularly; after, they went with me as the supervisor. A few years later, as a day camp counselor at that park district, I got to swim basically every day of the summer (as long as I was watching and playing with kids, it was my job to swim).

3. Going to bed early. With the exception of being sick, it’s not something I’m great at doing without lots of physical exercise and an early dinner. Regardless, it’s nice to catch an earlier wave and catch up on some missed sleep. And when it’s summer, it’s nice to have at least one night when I set with the sun.

If you’re new here

I decided to challenge myself to publish my personal writing more, starting January 2024. From pausing to deliberately reflect to getting more disciplined about creating for myself, I jumped into this goal. For a little more on this journey, check out my first public Gratitude Journal entry.