Gratitude: A Million Little Things

In the midst of a difficult time, it's especially important to remember what we have to be grateful for. This post from 2012 '30 gratitudes'  is a welcome reminder of an important practice.On January 1, 2012, I took a small cotton candy pink notebook that Saanya had bought for me, “Keep Calm and Have a Cupcake” emblazoned in white on its cover, and wrote a gratitude for that day. I asked the kids to do the same. Nothing too deep or too long, just a few words of thanks at that moment. Saanya simply wrote, “It was a good day.” Zayd said, “very joyful and playful puppy.” My thought, “devoured Babushka’s jam tarts!” In the midst of a trying time, I wanted us to find a ray of hope. There always is.We continued to write, each day. The entries are a chronicle of the million little things that make our days and our lives complete, but that we often don’t take the time to notice. Here are some of our simple gratitudes:Saanya: Reading a really good book (Jan 14); Downton Abbey marathon (Feb 14); cuddle session with Luna (Apr 30)Zayd: Didn’t have to do homework (Jan 5); Having dumplings (Jan 30); doughy chocolate chip cookies (April 7)Salma: Here’s to green juice (Jan 28); Oh, the cherry blossoms! (March 20); Zumba’d with abandon (April 10)