What language are you speaking?

Hi, my name is Mary, and I’m a social media addict.

Not as much as was this time last year, but still an addict all the same.

I tell you this, because a lot of Facebook status updates this month are stemming from “days of thankfulness,” as in, “Day 1: I’m thankful for _____.” Lo and behold, I found myself annoyed by this!!I *Gasp*

What’s that about? What kind of heartless, mean, bleh moron am I?!

I refused to participate.

W.o.w.

I’ve wondered about this a bunch over the last several days. Really. What IS that about. Well, I’ve had some health stuff come up that I’m having to face; stuff that I’m finding out is rather common but still a big deal, and the anxiety of what to expect at different doctors’ offices and physical therapists offices and can I work out/can I not work out/can I practice yoga/can I play with my kids/will someone please just tell me how I can heal myself please?! has kind of taken over my thinking, which in turn, has pushed up impatience with others, shortness in speech, and a withdrawing phenomenon in me.

Whew. Okay.

Freak-o-rama. And icky. Really not liking it. I need an ol’ redirect back into perspective, reality, and balance, or else I’m gonna seriously impair my relationships, especially those dearest to me, and I will forever have to change my name to “Crap”.

Little things have seeped in at odd times to make me have that heartfelt grin, though. Like how much Hank loves to hear the coffee pot start grinding coffee and brewing automatically in the mornings, when he’s the only one awake yet, and he didn’t have to do a thing because I had remembered how much that small little gesture means to him and prepped it the night before.

How much more settled for bed our 6yo is when we spend a bunch of time in the evening together, helping him as he needs it with his homework and reading. Basically for him, it’s just being there. No computers out and no phones, just chatting with him here and there about whatever comes up, and then refocusing and refining what he’s doing and talking about tips and tricks along the way.

Laying down with the 2yo for his nap, and actually staying there the whole time so that he doesn’t wake up alone. It’s a luxury for both of us, and it hasn’t happened a lot lately (much to my dismay – ha – I’ve been missing my power naps!). He was a crazy maniac of joy this afternoon when he woke up and saw that I was still there; so much so that he planted a huge kiss on me followed by, “I yuv you! I mithed you tho much!”

And for me? It’s finding notes that Hank has put in our son’s lunchbox when I clean it out at the end of the day. He’s done it every day, without fail, since he started Kindergarten last year. Or when our 2yo brings me the shiny rocks he finds because they’re sparkly and pretty, or when he grabs the most expensive bouquet of fresh flowers at the market and throws them in our basket because Daddy has taught them both about how much I love fresh flowers. To the small fry, he’s “bought” them for me. And then the ‘Fish. He comes in and rattles off a list of things that he knows his teacher needs at school because we decided that he should be a spy and notice stuff like that so we pick up cute paperclips or extra rubberbands or box of kleenex or two, just because.

So take that, Facebook Bandwagon. I am thankful. And I’m not even pissed off about it. Thanks for cracking my hard head every now and again.

This week’s challenge, directly from this article reposted by my yoga teacher and friend, De.

1) Keep a daily journal of three things you are thankful for. This works well first thing in the morning, or just before you go to bed.

2) Make it a practice to tell a spouse, partner or friend something you appreciate about them every day.

3) Look in the mirror when you are brushing your teeth, and think about something you have done well recently or something you like about yourself.

And a bonus.

If you’re coming to my yoga class today, I have a special journal for you to start your challenge. Let’s start speaking a language of gratitude together!

Picture taken during a journaling session at De West’s Pre/Postnatal Workshop  |  May 2011

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