It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve written more than one post in a week (which is my self-enforced bare minimum). What excuses can I use – too tired, lazy, uninspired? Doesn’t really matter, I suppose. These last few days, however, I’ve been getting that familiar feeling of desperately needing to write something. Not of anything in particular, but just something. It’s kind of like how I get restless if I haven’t gone for a run for a long time (a couple of weeks is a long time) but sometimes I just really want to run somewhere, even if I just went for a run two days ago.
Maybe I should do an end-of-year reflective sort of post now, since this post is evidently going to turn out to be just random, disjointed thoughts, anyway…
Wait, I have a better idea! I have, for a long time, considered it a shame that we don’t have a Thanksgiving-type holiday here. I don’t know a whole lot about Thanksgiving, but from what I gather (from TV shows, movies, etc and even from WordPress posts by people in places where Thanksgiving is celebrated), there’s a lot of gratitude involved and a lot of blessing counting. I know we’re well past Thanksgiving now, and almost at Christmas (well, not really – there’s still ten more days), but warm & fuzzy sentiments seem to get closer to the surface as the year wraps up, and I’m supposing that now’s a good a time as any for a gratitude post!
I may or may not have attempted to do this sort of post before (I honestly don’t remember, but it sounds like something I would’ve attempted to do) and, if so, I probably chickened out and didn’t publish it because, you know, as sentimental as I am, I’m not great with this mushy, pour-your-heart-out stuff. Not that it’s going to turn out like that, but we’ll see…
Let’s start out with something I find easy to write about: books. I am grateful that my eyesight is still good and that I have access to so much good literature. My most favourite book that I’ve read this year is probably ‘The World According to Garp’ (John Irving), followed closely by ‘Burial Rites’ (Hannah Kent). There have also been many other great reads that will probably stay with me for a long time. (Check out the ‘Books’ category in the filing cabinet on the side if you’re interested.)
I am grateful for my fitness and health, not only because it means that I can run and cycle and (since my trip to Queenstown this year) can go snowboarding, but also because it means I can help my parents with yard work and other chores, and because I’ve never had to take a sick day (since high school…?). Fitness is something that I’ve come to value a lot in recent years, and that’s what drives me to look after myself.
I am grateful that I have a stable job that I like, at a place that I like, with people that are amazing. (After much deliberation, I’m not going to elaborate on this one because I don’t think that I’ll be able to bring myself to publish the post if I do.)
I am grateful for the friends I met during school or work who I’ve stayed in touch with, even if it’s just randomly here and there. Even those who I hardly see any more, or not nearly as often as I might like – it is still exactly like that line from that song: “my universe will never be the same; I’m glad you came” (“Glad you came” by The Wanted) (Again, I can’t bring myself to elaborate on this because I will flake out and delete this post. Also, any attempt at sufficiently elaborating will most likely make this post ten times longer than it already is.)
And, of course, I’m grateful for my family because even though we don’t follow the lovey-dovey model of perfect (or nauseating) families, they are, after all, family.
Oh gosh, I think I’m all cheesed out now. Time to go for a run!
pistachio conspiracy #63 