Gratitude Journal 7.24 II

I’m grateful for…

7/15: plopping down on the bed after a redeye flight where catching even a wink of sleep was a struggle and the post-nap phone call with my dad who asked every single discernible question about my flight, convinced he experienced it himself.

7/16: the opportunity to change scenery, to move in with a lifelong friend; the opportunity to escape, and find relief in the possibility of something new.

7/17: a pair of jeans that can last you a couple of days. You wear them day after day after day and they somehow get more comfortable as the days wear on [pun intended].

7/18: a sudden and irresistible urge to write about a topic I’ve avoided for some time. These bursts of intuitive writing are special because they’re inconsistent and because they encourage me to sit on an outdoor patio for four hours listening to Maggie Rogers. I’m also grateful for this ladybug who kept me company.

7/19: soaking instead of drowning in the sun during one of the hottest and most humid summers I’ve experienced.

7/20: the realization mid work-day that I only had two more hours instead of four. I went home, sat by the pool, and cracked open a new book: if glorious were a sentence.

7/21: the crispy taste of Coca-Cola. I never liked it as a kid, but it helps me over the mid-afternoon slump where I’m dangerously close to shutting my eyes and sleeping the rest of the day away.

7/22: the moment or two every train ride when they turn off the air. It is a moment suspended—everything completely silent. Drop all the pins. We’d hear ‘em. All of us early Monday morning employees sharing silence on our way into a decidedly noisy city.

7/23: Ryan Reynolds’ self-referential humor which has me laughing out loud during Deadpool 2. Him and Hugh Jackman on screen together will likely have the same effect.

7/24: Diane, my employer. An eighty-six-year-old woman with a penchant for book reviews and Instagram reels, she is a wonder to observe.

7/25: a fresh haircut! Something about a salon really lifts my spirits. Hairdressers are sorcerers with magical tools I wish I knew how to wield.

7/26: the countenance of an old teacher, whose generosity over a coffee date really made my day.

7/27: Riley’s birthday! He is a special mutt whose energy and spirit haven’t dimmed in the twelve years we’ve known him. He’s looking at me like he knows it, too.

7/28: my father’s ingenuity that linked hoards of family and friends to celebrate at the Jersey Shore. I was asked for my autograph which was an unexpected joy.

7/29: fine imported hand-rolled cigars and what’s in front of them.

Until next time,

Kiera