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Excerpts From My Gratitude Mala

A Gratitude Mala is a commitment to finding something each day, for 108 days in a row to be grateful for and writing about it, drawing, painting, or even making music.  I’ve shared below some of the entries I made to my journal during my gratitude malas, so that you’ll see that it doesn’t have to be complicated or hard. Once you get started, it’s easy and I hope this inspires you to express what you’re grateful for too.

September 28, 2021

Gratitude Mala
Day 100

This little fluffy muffin makes my heart happy. Such a beauty day to get out for a walk and I loved that she looked so much like her shadow in this photo. (don’t we all though?)
But I also enjoy playing with the colour in my photos, so was kind of excited that I could make her shadow be a rainbow.
If only we could all embrace our shadows . . .I bet they’d become rainbows too.

 

July 10, 2021

Gratitude Mala
Day 18

I’ve not been terribly bothered with my gardens this year and while they’re a bit jungle-like this year, they’re also thriving and beautiful. I’m truly grateful that this wild garden is happy and beautiful 
What’s your favourite thing in your garden this time of year?

August 12, 2021

Gratitude Mala
Day 51

Simple pleasures today.
A lovely visit and scrumptious dinner with my Mom, a nice easy read and a quiet peaceful place to enjoy it. My little blue jay friend was back for a visit as well and wow . . .my little pup did SO well leaving this visitor alone – until she didn’t!!

 

July 25, 2021

Gratitude Mala
Day 33

This FB memory popped up today. Not the photo, but my words on the photo. This memory flooded back vividly and I was able to quickly find the photo from my travels and copied my words onto the photo.
No filters, no colour adjustments, just Mother Nature’s raw beauty. I’ve been so fortunate in so many ways. This memory filled my heart with gratitude.

August 3, 2021

Gratitude Mala
Day 42

Chatting after class tonight I said aloud what I feel almost every time I land in my backyard. I live in a really lovely spot and am ALWAYS grateful that I have such wonderful neighbours.
Whether I’m working, teaching, sitting with a coffee & a book, or throwing the ball for my fluffy puppy, it’s peaceful in my environment.
My neighbours are kind, friendly, considerate, pretty quiet, always quick to lend a hand or offer a hello and my neighbourhood is peaceful and quiet. Of course there are days I hear kids squealing with joy or bawling their sad little eyes out, or tunes on a radio nearby but I can usually rock on to the tunes I hear and those experiences are in perfect balance with the silence surrounding bird song, or the sound of a breeze in the trees. I live right in town and those quiet nature moments are frequent. . . .the norm actually.
This is a wonderful blessing that I am grateful for more often than I realize and chatting tonight made this gratitude post easy-peasy.
What do you love about where you live?
 
Gratitude Mala Day 72
Oh man . . .I’ve got a big smile on my face right now. I’m feeling super grateful for inspiration tonight.
Inspiration that cultivates a childlike sense of wonder that can be reclaimed when we allow ourselves to let go “what’s expected” and sink into a little lighthearted imagination.
So, I mentioned a couple of days ago that I spent time with my niece (& the whole fam jam) on the weekend. I also mentioned how magical it was in my great niece’s room when I turned out the lights. . . .and the stars came out!!!
So what’s a rational 58 year old woman to do?
Go get some glow in the dark stars of course. 
I just spent the past hour making a quick, sad attempt to create the zodiac and a couple of my fav constellations on my bedroom ceiling!
YES . . yes, I did that!
And you know what????
When I turned out the lights and the stars came out in my room I had just the hugest smile on my face.
I sometimes listen to meditations when falling asleep I have a constellation yoga nidra that I listen to sometimes as well as a Qi Gong healing meditation that incorporates planets and the stars. I imagine them in my minds eye when doing these meditations and I have a feeling that I’ll be completely transported when I do this tonight.
Say what you will, but I came to wondering why is it we only encourage our kids to use their imaginations?
When did we decide this stuff is just for kids?
Practice imagining magical wonderful experiences and your worries (which is also your imagination at work) will dissolve into light, hope and possibilities. 
~ sigh ~
Wishing you a truly inspired magical evening friends

September 1, 2021

Gratitude Mala
Day 72

September 28, 2021

Gratitude Mala
Day 85

Farmers 

I’m truly thankful for local families who farm the land growing the food that we eat. Besides death, there are no guarantees in life – and in farming that is especially true.  No guarantees. I was particularly struggling earlier this year with new accounting software and my boss said to me one day, “Mandy, every day has it’s problems. We just move from solving one problem to the next, it’s ok, its just the way it is”.  That pep talk worked actually.  As many of you know we had quite the storm blow through Sunday evening. Hydro was out until late Monday night so today was my first day back after the storm.  Problem solving indeed!

The dedication, commitment and “steady as we go” attitude that I see on the farm is inspiring and wondrous.
The next time you eat a strawberry, raspberry or any other delicious Ontario grown produce, trust me when I tell you that you’re nourishing yourself with the goodness of love and pride, hopes and dreams, heart and soul.
Whenever possible, wherever you are . . .buy local and thank a farmer.