30 Days of Gratitude - A bucket full! (24th-28th)

Just so you know, I am not intentionally avoiding posting every day. I've been away for 3 days in beautiful San Francisco. I have, however, been thankful and aware of things to be grateful for so many things this month, and in the last 5 days, especially.

Walking non-stop, in San Fran, made me grateful for my health - some people do not have the luxury of choosing to walk, instead of taking a cab. Walking also called me to be "present". Aside from having to be aware and not get hit by a car, or pay attention to a map so as not to get lost, it also called me to look at my surroundings and take them in. One of the nice things about when I go on holidays is that "unplugging" from email, my voicemail, my pager and social media, actually heightens my senses. Things look beautiful, food tastes amazing, music sounds clearer. It's really a wonderful way to feel alive again. So, I guess one of my main gratitudes is the ability to HOLIDAY.

Coming home to a clean desk and no smoldering fires to put out is also something I am grateful for. Arriving home at 1:30 am and having to be pulled-together to meet a new client first thing on a Monday is so much easier when there is no chaos to clean up after a holiday. I am grateful to my HUSBAND/business partner who made my little mini-break possible.

One of my friends, even knowing that I was away, made sure to text me while I was away to let me know they were thinking of me. I remember smiling while walking through arrivals in Vancouver, while reading their text. In friendship, as in all relationships, it truly is the LITTLE THINGS.

Above all, I am most grateful for having the time to spend with my BEST FRIEND. With the difference in our lifestyles and our different geographical locations, spending uninterrupted time with my best friend is rare and cherished. Being able to go away with her and shop, eat, laugh, talk, cry and reconnect is one of the highlights of my year so far. She is one of the best human beings I know. I'm very privileged to have her in my life.

Gratitude.....

30 Days of Gratitude - Days 21-23

I have a potpourri of gratitudes this week;

CAT NAPS - The other day I lay down for 20 minutes. My male cat, Adonis came and joined me. He has this thing about laying beside me and snuggling in. I wrap my arm around him and he relaxes his head and falls asleep on my arm. The trouble with this is that when I'm ready to get up, he most certainly is not. So, the other day, he "forced" me to nap for 80 minutes instead. I needed that.

It's always comforting to fall asleep to a purring cat.

A related gratitude is VEGGING OUT - Lately, work has been testing me. I come home burnt out and feeling aggravated. The thought of scanning and uploading another document, or answering another "small" request implodes my brain. So, this week, I have been giving myself permission to just chill out in the evenings. I feel much better for it. It doesn't hurt that I have discovered a TV show that I love ( Flipping Out) thus making it very easy to have a mindless TV marathon and giving my brain a break.

One more thing;

I am very grateful for my friend, RICHARD. He is one of my friends from Vancouver. Although he is 15 years younger than me, I feel that in many ways, he is much older than that. I am always in awe with his ambition and determination. We have differing opinions about which hockey team is better ( Flames or Canucks ) but we don't let that rivalry get between us.

Richard has taken the initiative to organize a project called "Five Hole for Food", an effort to raise money, collect food and raise awareness for food banks across Canada. He is taking one of his favorite things; hockey, and employing that passion to make a difference. He stayed at our house on his way to Toronto ( via car ) and will be making his way back across Canada, stopping in major cities to host a street hockey game and food collection event.

I think that even though I am a lot older than Richard, I am learning more from him than he is learning from me.

That excites me.

You can see what Richard is doing at Five Hole For Food


Gratitude.....

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 13

Today I am grateful for CHEAP AIRFARE.

My friend Jess is moving back to Vancouver to continue her residency there. She is a friend that I met while representing her when she relocated to Calgary. She is yet another friend made through work, that I am sending off to Vancouver.

My best friend lived in Calgary when I met her through her husband. He and I met through work. They moved back to Vancouver about 5 years ago.

I met my friend Gwen in Calgary, and helped her with her relocation to Vancouver. Our friendship was too short here in Calgary, but we've maintained and strenghtened our relationship even though she lives in Vancouver.

The most important person in my life; my Mom, has plans to move to Vancouver permanently within the next 2 years.

I think the universe is telling me something ;

Either;

People move to Vancouver to get away from me

OR

I need to spend more time there. :)

I have several friends I care about in the Vancouver area. I'm thrilled to know that I am only a few hundred dollars and and hour flight away. I can really see them any time I want.

Cheap airfare works for other cities too! Last fall I visited friends in Chicago, New York and Raliegh, NC for $900 Canadian ( 3 out of 4 of those flights were direct too!)

Yay for CHEAP AIRFARE!

Gratitude...