New Traditions

It was so nice to FaceTime Tyler at U.V.M. today.  

I am happy that the coach found a field to hold practice for the football team. 

I love the new book that Sue gave me.

I force myself to write three things that I appreciate into my journal each night before going to bed.  These small moments of gratitude do not flow easily, but it is a habit that I need for my mental health.  I focus on shifting my mind from daily stresses so these times do not overwhelm me.  

Not very original, but one of our Thanksgiving traditions is to go around the table and share what we are thankful for.  When our boys were small, this was a challenge for them.  Trying to think of something to share was difficult, as  was the pressure to speak at the crowded adult table.  On a trip with my college friends, we discussed how to teach our children gratitude for the privileged life they led.  Together, we created the “Thankful Bowl” and designed the following activity for our families:  

We kept pieces of colored construction paper on the table with a few pens.  As we sat down to dinner, we helped the boys to write out one thing that they were grateful for that day.  Their thoughts ranged from being thankful for a new Lego tower to having food on our table.  The slips of paper were added to a glass bowl, and the colors of the paper made for a simple centerpiece.  Part of the joy came from capturing a glimpse into their little minds, as well as watching them write or draw their ideas.  We shared a few of these thoughtful notes on Thanksgiving Day, taking the pressure off of them to have to think on the spot.  I saved many of them in an album, and today they are a sweet reminder of simpler times. Tomorrow, we will read them as an COVID-friendly Thanksgiving activity.

It is harder to find joy in 2020, but if we search, we might be able to find one moment each day that made us smile. And one day, we will all appreciate these times as faint memories.