In Gratitude

Today is the last day for April's Artfully Wild Blog Along with Effy Wild. For each blog posted in the facebook group, we read and commented upon 3 other blogs. What a treat! I rarely limited it to 3 comments a day. To have the blogs all laid out was a lovely treat--pick and choose. Time consuming but an amazing experience. I will miss my daily dose of blogging and blog reading. My second time doing this and making it all the way through so very pleased about that. Thank you all for reading and commenting. I'm sorry I didn't reply to your comments. In time I might but the way weebly has it set up for me, it becomes quite ridiculously time-consuming and I often just ran out of time but I appreciated every single comment and read. Thank you! And thank you for sharing your blogs and yourselves and your lives so readily. Your blogs and comments often made it into the pages of my gratitude journal during April.

Gratitude book/ gold gilt cover fading/ heart and pages full/ Day 90 of #100daysofsybhaiku & day 120 of #365daysofsybwriting on instagram

I know gratitude journals aren't for everyone but I love them. They give me focus and a full heart at the end of the day. I've kept them for years...well over a decade...now and have evolved them to include: 5 things I'm grateful for that day; 3 things from the day (FTD) which make that day particularly unique (not always positive things); one word (starred) to help sum up the whole day, the overriiding thing I'm grateful for that day. This all works for me although it may sound tedious. But the deeper delving stops it all from trite and the same old same old.

My gratitude journals are always beautiful books that generally have been gifted to me although some I have bought myself and I always use the same lovely book mark that my cherished childhood friend Maggie sent me. We call each other Souley. 

The other day, my dear friend Teresa from intown, snail mailed me a friendship card and a note. She'll often do this throughout the year even during those times when we can get together. A terrific day brightener and instant mood lifter. Of course gratitude for Teresa, her friendship, presence in my life and the lovely card itself all made it into my gratitude journal for that day. I wanted to share the card's face with you in gratitude to you for reading and for journeying with me. I've felt your presence, love, support and validation and I hope you've felt mine in return. 

May your heart be filled with love and gratitude.

---