It ain't over till it's over......

November, that is.....

If you recall, my new thing in November was to greet each Monday with a note of thanksgiving. A simple thank you for an insignificant, almost invisible thing in my world that gave me a reason to stop and say "gee, I'm thankful for that". Little things that on the surface would not seem worthy of thanks or even a second thought. Things like chili beans, Monday diet declarations, sturdy lawn and leaf bags and lip gloss. Not exactly earth shattering things. But, things that somehow made my life easier, made me smile or brightened up my day just a little bit. The exercise was intended to make me stop (and you too!) and think about Mondays in a whole new way and force me into realizing that all things--big and small--can be and should be looked at with gratitude. With the hope that it would turn into a habit. The thought was that after spending a few weeks doing this--all of a sudden I'd look at everything with new eyes and give thanks for it and I'd no longer greet Monday with the same "oh shit" attitude that's become the norm. And, so, it was with great intent that I pushed myself to find the small things--the seemingly unworthy things--that impacted me and that I really, really should have been thankful for. Thus, the choices that I made and journey I took.
Today....on this final Monday and the final day of November....I am considering this a bonus Monday. Mostly because I declared that last week was the fourth and final Monday of November....I somehow didn't realize there was one more. Caught me quite by surprise. Which sort of made me say..."oh shit, it's not bad enough it's Monday now I gotta think of something small to be thankful for." And, I almost tried to pull the wool over everyone's eyes and ignore that this was a Monday in November and not even mention anything to do with thankfulness. Then, I realized...I clearly didn't learn anything these past few weeks. Red-faced, I knew what I had to do.
So, when I contemplated what my blog topic would be today....I realized that if I was following my own guidance (that I was giving thanks on Mondays in November) then I had to keep to the plan and find something to focus on with appreciation and give it it's due. Which, to be quite honest, was quite a conundrum. Why? Well, mostly because the past few weeks--as I inched my way towards Monday, seeking out an ordinary thing to be thankful for became purposeful---making it much easier to wake up on Monday and talk about what I decided to be thankful for. You didn't think I just came up with those things at the last minute, did you? And, because I thought my Monday thankfulness was over with--I didn't even think about it. And, if truth be told--the past week, my mind has been cluttered with gravy-making, getting the mashed potatoes just right and the non-stop dirty dishes that kept appearing in my sink. So, how could I even begin to wade through all of that to uncover something to be thankful for? Excuses. Excuses. Excuses.
I'm telling you---here I am--not even out of the month that's dedicated to giving thanks by a presidential declaration and after having spent the past 4 Mondays on a self-imposed thankful quest and I'm struggling with finding one small thing (not a big one!) to give thanks for?
Yeah, sort of.
Let's try this again. Perhaps if I put another spin on it.
You see....I have a lot to be thankful for. A lot, a lot, a lot. From family and friends and good health to chili beans and lip gloss and lawn and leaf bags. It's all worth of thanksgiving. In fact, even Mondays are worthy of thanksgiving. Even this dark and rainy Monday morning when I'm not feeling the least bit thankful for my alarm clock...I'm thankful that I'm alive and well and that I had the opportunity to get those dirty dishes that are in my sink dirty. And, I'm thankful that the water was hot in the shower and the furnace was running when I got up and that my slippers were right beside my bed when I put my feet down on the floor. And, I'm thankful for Mondays. Especially bonus Mondays. Like today. Because they make me realize that my journey never ends, that I am a work in progress and that I still have quite a ways to go.....
So, what am I really thankful for today?
What small, insignificant thing am I giving thanks for on this truly final Monday of November?
That I have to go to work and not stay home and do more dishes.