how kathy does it...

i. love. kathy. but i'm pretty sure i'm not alone. i've never met someone who doesn't love kathy. if you know her, you love her. if you don't,  you will. kathy is genuinely interested about others. she listens. she remembers. and it makes you feel good. so good, in fact, that i'd like to put her in my pocket and take her to new hampshire with  me. i'll find a way.

here's how kathy does it...

Tonight, while out running, I was encumbered by negative self-talk.  My thoughts were centered on my frustration with my breathing, my body, my iPod, myself.  I was seriously considering turning back for home when I saw a grandmother walking arm in arm with her daughter who was also arm in arm with her daughter.  It was so sweet to see 3 generations of women supporting each other and it made me smile.  I immediately noticed a spring in my step as my thoughts shifted to recognizing goodness.  I felt grateful for that beautiful moment and my focus changed because of my gratitude.  The run never got easier.  I wondered whether I was up for it, but I kept going and finding so many reasons to be grateful along the way.  This change in focus made me feel unstoppable and it is the reason my family started our nightly tradition years ago.

Right before we say goodnight and tuck our kids into bed, we go around and each person shares their favorite part of the day and tells something they are grateful for. Sometimes we are grateful for the sun and the stars, sometimes for brothers or sisters, sometimes for parents and grandparents, sometimes for good food, our home, our friends.  And sometimes we are grateful for a cozy blanket or the snail habitat we made in the backyard.  No matter the declaration, the blessings are all important and worthy of our appreciation. It’s a simple celebration.  It is beautiful.  It is the way that I get from one day to the next with hope.  

Over the last few years I have felt the weight of the challenges that life brings to everyone.  I have found myself bound by negative self-talk.  I have felt overwhelmed with the decisions and challenges that have become a part of our lives.  I have wondered if I am up to the task of parenting.  I have wondered if I resemble the person I have always wanted to be.  I have found myself looking forward to a different time rather than feeling content.   

For me, the best antidote for self-pity and frustration is to find something to be grateful for.  The moment I do, I get proper perspective and I feel God’s love.  I recognize that all of life, including the most challenging trials are a gift.  A wise woman, Melody Beattie declared:

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." 

Our nightly expression of gratitude is as pivotal for me as the grateful moment I experienced on my run. It is glorious because we go to sleep with the lovely memories of the day.  We create more space in our our hearts and minds for the happy moments, the lessons learned and we celebrate life.  Even when our trials seem numerous, our triumphs feel more profound.   It makes me smile and when I smile, I feel unstoppable.