Grateful in the New Year

Like many, I was under the weather for much of this winter break.  Plans that were made were broken and time that was supposed to have been spent with family was spent in bed or on the couch.  As I write this, my illness has passed, and I am looking forward to celebrating the New Year with hours of football, family, and food.  But for a couple of days, things were scrambled.

 

It could have been easy to have been bothered by this, and in the moment, a number of people were inconvenienced by the fact that I needed to lay low.  However, when I look at it more closely, I am struck by how lucky I am.  I am so lucky that on most days, little keeps me from doing just about anything I choose. Because I am so fortunate to be unencumbered by limitations, even a slight restriction is noticeable.

 

As I head into the new year, I feel like my recent illness has helped me to reconsider my notion of gratitude.  I don’t always consider myself “grateful” for simply doing what is on my schedule.  But gratitude knows no scale.  In 2024, I hope to explore the notion of “gratitude” in greater depth.

 

Thank you all for another amazing year and best wishes on a happy and healthy New Year!