An attitude of gratitude

As we go through our life’s journey, we lose many things, have to adapt to new, not always welcome circumstances. We age, we lose family members and friends, our kids and grandkids have their own lives. So where does that leave us? In a good place or bad, depending on our attitude. We can feel depressed, hopeless, abandoned OR we can practice gratitude, because we all have things for which we can be grateful.

I sit on my verandah of an early evening, enjoying my cup of tea or a glass of rum or scotch. As the sun slowly sinks, I admire the sepia color of the hills and villages. I watch fishing boats,
pleasure craft, ferries come and go, by now recognizing many by name.
I watch the white cranes head south for the night, the many birds taking a last drink or bath in our birdbath. Later, the swifts come and entertain us with their incredible acrobatic flying.
As the sun goes down, I watch the sky show of cloud formations and light play, never the same any two days. Then the streetlights come on, one village at a time, the bakery truck, honks for customers as it winds its way through the villages.

Through all this, I have such a sense of peace, a sense of gratitude to be living on this beautiful island with its lovely people, my beautiful home, my family, my friends, near and far.
I’m grateful that I have the means and physical ability to travel. My bucket list is getting shorter, but there are still some exciting trips to anticipate.

Do I have my aches and pains, my losses? Of course. But as one of my friends says, “I’m grateful  for what I have and grateful for what I don’t have.”