Gratitude

Day to day life is hectic. It is easy to get distracted, to have attention pulled in multiple directions, to lose focus and lose our way. So many things feel urgent, feel so damn important and so permanent. Every so often, especially this time of year, it is helpful to slow down, to feel the pulse and rhythms of the Earth, and to feel grateful for all that we have.

If we're lucky, our basic needs are met. A shelter to lay our head down at night, some food, a fire to cook it and keep warm, some clothes to help when it's cold out and a few people to share it all with (we are social animals, after all).

The rest is just gravy.

As humans, we also need purpose and meaning to satisfy us, but first and foremost, the basics have to be there. I have to remind myself of that more than I would like, when I get wrapped up in wanting more, whether those wants are achievements, political changes or material things. A firm foundation in gratitude for simple needs being met leads me to be more compassionate and understanding, to feel calm and content in challenging times.

In a week or so, I'll get back to purpose and meaning in my life, tackling the bigger issues outside my walls. Today, I'll focus on the small stuff that is so big in life, and be grateful.