Maybe it’s because I’m getting older. Of course I’m thankful for family, friends, and the usual blessings I take for granted. Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something even deeper that my sub-conscience was truly grateful for.
I spent several nights trying to figure out what that missing piece of gratitude might be towards. My job? Yes, but no. My dog? Yes, but the feeling of remembering something but not quite remembering it pressed on. My school? Again, close but not quite. Finally it hit me. Throughout the year there was one thing that kept me moving forward: the promise that tomorrow might be better. So this thanksgiving I am mindful to show gratitude for the blessing of tomorrow.
If you’re a pessimist like me you might be thinking, Is that it? Everyone’s grateful for tomorrow. It means you aren’t dead yet. But my pessimistic pal, let’s think of tomorrow as more than just not-dead-yet.
How can I explain?
Tomorrow is another 24 hours, another 1,440 minutes to do something with. This year I’ve spent a record amount of those minutes making mistakes and an equal amount saying sorry… Thankfully, I don’t think this year was a record-breaking amount but still, it felt like nearly every day I messed up and had to apologize to someone for something.
Like my dog when she gets into the trash, I spent quite a bit of this year with my tail tucked, pride deflated, acknowledging I was wrong.
(Yep, that’s my spoiled, adorable Kasey being released from the animal hospital after getting into the bathroom trash…They had to induce vomitting and she was grateful to get out of there.)
I’m grateful that no matter what happens today—painful forgiveness, slow-mending wounds, frustration, hospital bills—tomorrow can bring healing and recovery.
Does that make sense? I feel like I’m rambling…
This year I struggled with my classes, my job, relationships, writing, health, faith, grief, finances, loss…basically you name it and I had to face it in one of the 11 months in 2018, and the year is not over yet!
I feel like I aged 100 years in this one. But…I’m trying to remember to be grateful for the challenges in every day. And that tomorrow is another chance to try again.
What about you?
Is there something that sat on your mind as you read this? Anything you want to let someone know you’re grateful for? I’m listening.
Karianne is the founder of Windmill Ways. She plays the cello professionally and currently works as an Art Director for a charity. Because she loves animated shows and movies, she studies 3D animation and graduated with a BFA with the unfortunate class of 2020. Her dream vacation would be just staying home, but "home" being a glamorous cabin somewhere in the mountains surrounded by forest.
Favorite band: Lord Huron
Favorite book: This Present Darkness
Favorite quote: "Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail." Proverbs 19:20-21 (NLT)
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1 Comment
As always, you show great vulnerability in your writing, and this one in particular is so relevant to so many people because they can RELATE. Relate to making mistakes. Relate to failure. Relate to stress and feeling incompetent. Relate to issues with their relationships. Relate to the fact that life is messy. And to constantly picking yourself up and putting yourself out there is your success – one day at a time success. Optimism is a choice, and sometimes a hard one within hard circumstances. I commend you for your courage and your strength while you put one foot in front of the other, and keep on keeping on. Nice work!