Yesterday I asked them to tell me something they had felt gratitude for in the past week. Sometimes during these discussions, the kids are resistant to answer. They don't like being put on the spot. But other times, they really open up, and they say some amazing things. Yesterday I got a few heartfelt answers, and some of them had to do with family. A set of sisters in the class each said they were thankful for the other (I don't know where this sisterly harmony comes from, but I could use a huge dose of it in my own family). One boy said that he was thankful for his parents because they had helped him with a problem during the week. Another boy said he was thankful for his grandparents because they are taking care of his temporal and spiritual needs right now.
(Whenever I get answers like this, I go tell their parents - or grandparents).
One of the reasons I asked this question is because I've been thinking a lot about gratitude for the past week (tis the season), and I've had many moments where I've felt thankful for something, and I've paused for a moment to acknowledge and wonder at it.
Here are some of the things I've felt gratitude for in the past week:
Friends
I am very blessed in friendship. When I am interacting with friends regularly (as opposed to times when I am in a funk and withdraw from my social life) my life feels so full. My friends bring so much laughter and joy to my days, and we have the best conversations. We talk about everything from symbolism in books to the difficulty of using the bathroom in one-piece pajamas.
I have friends for all occasions - friends to eat with, friends to exercise with, friends to see movies with, and friends to share my most embarrassing things with.
This is a hard one to put into words. One of my greatest fears is that I or someone I love will get an injury or illness someday that will change my/their personality.
We've been working our way through the new season of Stranger Things, and in episode three, it makes mention of Phineas Gage. In school I had to study behavior and the brain, and the Phineas Gage story came up pretty much any time we learned about the frontal lobe. The short story is that Phineas Gage had a tamping iron go through his head and come out the other side. Miraculously, he lived, but the rod damaged his frontal lobe and completely changed his personality.
Phineas Gage and the tamping iron
that went through his head (EEEEEK!)
Two women in my book group are experiencing this fear - one with her child and one with her husband. They have had some medical issues that have affected their personalities - not nearly to the extent of Phineas Gage, but it's still devastating. I don't know what I would do if Scotty wasn't Scotty or Nicky wasn't Nicky.
This week I've felt so grateful that I am me and they are them, and my heart weeps for those who aren't themselves and for their loved ones who miss th
Respect of Religion
Belonging to a church isn't always viewed positively by society. In the past few years, my own church has been subject to some very intense scrutiny and criticism (it always has - and so has every other religion, but it's getting worse). Despite the criticism, I stand firm in my faith. I have plenty of questions, but I work very hard to not let my questions become stumbling blocks on a path that I ultimately believe is right.
I have a deep gratitude for those who do not share my religion but who still have a respect for it. I am grateful for those who disagree with what I believe but do not use my beliefs as a reason to hate me.
Music
I love music, and I enjoy music of all kinds. I love listening to it, singing it, dancing to it, and even playing it (I play the piano just enough to hash out about five songs from the HYMNS book, and I always have "Oh Susanna" to fall back on on the harmonica).
I think I could've been "good" at music if I'd nurtured it from a young age. Two of my biggest regrets from my youth are 1) not taking piano lessons and 2) not participating in the school choir. I know it's never too late, but it's harder to learn it now because of time, other priorities, and "mom brain."
Luckily, music can be enjoyed by all - regardless of skills and abilities. I can turn up the blue tooth and dance in my kitchen all I want, I can sing in the ward choir (and ask the choir director what the "thingies" mean in the sheet music), I can play "Choose the Right" over and over on the piano, and I can yell out with excitement, "KEY CHANGE!" during my favorite MoTab pieces (sometimes I conduct - Mack Wilberg would not be impressed, but it's all good cuz Mack Wilberg has yet to show up to any of my kitchen concerts).
YouTube
YouTube makes my life better. It really does. In fact, while writing this post, Zoe decided she needed to do the limbo with two of Scotty's ties. After she passed under the ties a few times, I asked, "Should we turn on some limbo music?" and thanks to YouTube, we had a good old limbo session complete with "Limbo Rock."
YouTube gives my life a soundtrack - I can always find just what I need. It helps me teach my children - I can always find a video for Family Home Evening or for math problems or for how to make our own crayons (which I really don't want to do - ever! But Daisy keeps asking and asking...) YouTube helps me keep my kids busy. Lately I've been turning on children's meditation exercises for the older two, and they love it!
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A few months ago I bought a sign to hang on my wall that says "We are blessed." It sat in my basement for a long time, but on Friday I finally hung it up next to our new family photo. It's the perfect reminder for me of how much we have to be grateful for. Life is hard, but it's more manageable when I can see the blessings in it.
I really love this post. I also love that you ask your Sunday school class a specific question each week. I think I'm going to try that in my primary class.
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