Attitude of Gratitude: May Journal

Hello there. I don’t know about you but time is really whizzing by. Tomorrow we will enter June and be half way through the year.  It’s insane – I know.

May has been a challenging month for me on the work front. But hey, I got through it and let me tell you when life gives you lemons, get the vodka or tequila out.  Challenges and obstacles gives you an opportunity to take stock of your life and to get a new perspective on things.

Reflecting back on the past four weeks, so much has happened. Looking back at the month that was, collating what happened, all I can say is;  I need to count my blessings.  I can tell you now not every day is a good day but there is something to be grateful for in every day.

So with that in mind, here is my May gratitude list.

Birthday celebration

In May my mother celebrated her birthday. I am so grateful that my mother was blessed with another year to her life. Being in her 70s, my mom still has a sound mind to teach, reason and communicate. Thankful that she is still physically active and independent. I’m appreciative of her ongoing love, guidance, support and encouragement that she gives to us. A mother who gives selflessly to her children, grandchildren and the community at large. I have so much love for the woman, I call mom.

Mother’s Day

My mother’s day was special as it is every year. It’s not about the gifts I received but the fact that I was blessed to be a mother of two beautiful daughters who I love dearly and who loves me in return. Without them, there wouldn’t have been a mother’s day celebration for me. I’m grateful for the appreciation they showed to me on this day. But I’m mostly grateful for them following through on my request and giving back to a special mother in need.

Quality time

In general life is a rush but spending quality time with my husband and children is very important to me. I’m grateful that I have a job that does not require me to work shifts or on weekends. This enables me to have free time to spend with my family.  I’m thankful for dinner time when the whole family just leave everything and enjoy a meal by the table. Grateful for moments we have together even if it is just to sit and watch a movie at home.

In-laws

I’m grateful for my mother and father-in-law and the good relationship I have with them. I appreciate everything they do for my family. They certainly make our lives so much easier by picking our girls up from school.  This gives me peace of mind that they are safe and saves us from paying after care fees.

A thank you note

Receiving a thank you note these days is like pulling hen’s teeth. Sometimes we do things in passing not realising that it has an impact on others. Helping out a friend in need was done with good intentions without expecting anything in return. To receive a little thank you note of appreciation made my day. I’m grateful that I could make a difference in someone else’s life.

The joy of blogging

I’m blogging for a year now and I must say it has afforded me so many opportunities to meet people, share ideas, attend events, receive freebies and do collaborations. My blog was listed as one of the top parenting and lifestyle blogs on the Cape Town Insider website.  Besides the preceding, blogging has given me a platform to express my thoughts, opinions and ideas. What gives me the biggest satisfaction is seeing engagement. The fact that people from across the world read my blog posts, find it interesting and leave their comments.

Cape Town Moms Who Blog

I had the opportunity to attend another Cape Town Moms Who Blog Meet up on 12 May at Groot Constantia Wine Estate.  A great afternoon whereby I could connect with fellow bloggers, share ideas and learn from each other.

Breakfast Date with the Mr

My husband and I didn’t have a date night in a while. So when he was off from school on Ascension Day, he came up with the great idea of a breakfast date. This was an ideal opportunity as the school our daughters attend, did not close for the day. Meaning we had some alone time.  I gladly accepted the invitation – I mean who says no to good food, strong coffee and great company.  We laughed so much and drank way too much coffee. Not realising that we were actually sitting in the coffee shop for 3 hours.  I’m grateful that after all these years, we still have so much to say to each other and that we can laugh at each other’s quirkiness.

Life, don’t take it for granted

Monday was a bit of a dark day for me. My cousin was hijacked and tied up along with her landlord. I cannot even fathom the ordeal they went through. Thankfully the perpetrators left them unharmed but tremendously traumatized.  I pray that God will give them the strength to get through this trying time. Often we take life for granted and it takes a traumatic experience like this to give us a wake up call.

Rain

Rain, glorious rain that is what I am grateful for.  I was soaked this morning just running from the car to the entrance door of our office building. But seeing the rain pouring down was such a blessing. With every drop that falls there is hope that our water crisis will be alleviated.

Little comforts

With winter approaching, the temperature has dropped and it is freezing at night.  I am grateful that my family and I have roof over our head and warm beds to sleep in.  That we have a warm plate of food to eat and warm clothes to wear. My heart goes out to those who are sleeping on the streets and it just makes me realise how much I have to be thankful for.

That’s my May gratitude journal. Looking forward to the new month and jotting my entries in my journal.