Today, as I was caught up in the mundanity of putting the washing out I remembered that it had been world gratitude day on Monday (my mind wanders off to random places when I’m not putting it to work). I recalled that I’d written something about it. Well, I say written. More like half written. I’d got distracted (probably by a cup of tea and biscuit) and hadn’t finished it.
Anyway, I found it on my phone and saw that I’d said that gratitude is truly a superpower. It allows you to see the green on a blue, blue day. It means you can balance out any negative with a positive. It lets you see that there is always some good to be found, even if it’s just the smallest speck of light in the dark. And it lets you turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, just by dint of noticing.
I found myself agreeing with the Monday version of me (how much I’d changed since then). How the small things become so much more than ordinary just by us stopping to see them properly. How cool is that?
Like right there and then and being able to put out the washing because the sun is shining and it will dry the clothes naturally, leaving a lovely scent of fabric conditioner in its wake. Or like having soup and a cheese sandwich for lunch which was so nice and tasty in place of the regular salad. Or like passing a snoozing dog on the way back into the house and being able to stop for a cuddle because the lovely little boy lives with you.
Ordinary, everyday magic.
As I was noticing all this stuff, I was thinking wouldn’t it be great if there was a place where people could go to add their lovely small things that they’re grateful for, offering people a place and space to pause and notice and revel in the joy of the noticing.
And then I thought maybe if we had a collection of people’s good stuff – an online shared gratitude journal if you like – wouldn’t that be wonderful too. Because maybe, just maybe, such a collection would spread the happiness, and would maybe inspire others to find their own too.
Well, wouldn’t that be a space for just all round goodness. Needed, I think, too.
So that’s what we’ll do. Collect good things. Add yours to our wall of gratitude, our rolling collection of extraordinary ordinary. Write what you want. Send us a pic too if you like (you’ll have to do that via the form below or on email). And let’s celebrate the ordinary magic out loud.
What will you share?
