Memories

Gratitude Journal – Prompt #11

/ Luanne Shernisky / 2 Comments
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Photo credit: Pedro Lastra/StockSnap.io

What holiday are you grateful for?

30 Days of Gratitude

Day #11 of the 30 Days of Gratitude prompts asks us which holiday we appreciate the most. My answer is that I enjoy most of the ones we celebrate here in the United States.

Holidays usually mean time off from work and the fast-paced lives we lead. However, getting ready for the celebrations themselves is  a lot of work!

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorites. Who doesn’t enjoy a day filled with delicious foods, family, and playing board games or watching football?

I have fond memories of waking up to the sounds of pots and pans banging around in the kitchen. The unmistakable aroma of stuffed turkey wafted up the stairs, as I scrambled out of bed to watch the Macy’s parade on TV. I marveled at the size of the giant balloons and always wished I could be in New York City for the festivities.

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Against the cacophony of the hand mixer and other assorted sounds, I could hear my mom and grandma in the kitchen, sometimes in disagreement about how to prepare something. My dad would warn us not to get “underfoot.”

I helped set the table using the good china and fancy cutlery. A cloth table cover and napkins were used and some years I even made small place cards. We lit the candles with their autumn flower rings, enjoying the smell of cinnamon and apples. My mother served wine and even the children were given a small glass. I didn’t care much for the taste in those days, but certainly enjoy a good Cabernet today!

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We looked forward to the yummy desserts, as well. Apple pie was my favorite and I came to appreciate pumpkin pie with a “healthy” dollop of whipped cream. There were usually cookies, a nut roll, and other assorted goodies.

All of these memories come flooding back as the sights, sounds, and smells occur every year. Of course, the setting has changed and the people have grown up and grown old. Some are no longer with us. 

What remains the same is the emotions that all the familiar sights and sounds evoke. These feelings of anticipation, gratitude, and nostalgia are an important part of the magic that makes holidays so special!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gratitude Journal – Prompt #7

/ Luanne Shernisky / 3 Comments
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Photo credit: Michal Jarmouk/StockSnap.io

Day #7 – What memory are you grateful for?

30 Days of Gratitude

Today marks Day 7 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Prompts. Like the others, it’s impossible to narrow the choices down to only one. But, as I mentioned in an earlier post, “gratitude enlightenment” is about realizing the great number of choices we have. 

And I have many happy memories. Birthdays, holidays, school events, sleepovers, ice skating, sled riding…the list goes on and on. 

But, one of my many favorites is summer vacations at the beach. I was five years old when we took our initial trip to Florida. I remember my first glimpse of the ocean. There was water as far as the eye could see, all the way to the horizon and beyond. The sheer size of it amazed me. I loved how the waves never stopped rolling in. We spent hours riding them on our rafts, trying desperately not to capsize.

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We also enjoyed playing in the warm sand, building castles and searching for shells, delighted when we found small crabs and jelly fish. 

Bologna sandwiches somehow tasted better at the beach, despite the sand that always managed to find their way between the slices of bread. 

Sometimes I would lie on my towel, close my eyes and just listen. The hot, tropical sun warmed my bones as the sounds of the surf and seagulls lulled me to sleep.

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Of course, it wasn’t all magical. There were painful sunburns and bouts of car sickness and swimmer’s ear. There were fights with siblings and jellyfish stings. Occasionally, a wipeout while riding the waves caused brush burns, swallowed saltwater, and more than a few tears.

But, the memory is funny that way. It’s selective and we tend to remember the good stuff over the bad.

I believe this is one way that we unconsciously choose to be happy.

These wonderful memories were the beginning of my love for the beach. Returning year after year reinforced the feeling that I belonged there. They add to a wealth of other happy memories for which I’m truly grateful.

Spend some time today thinking about a favorite memory of your own. It may help to make a difficult day a little brighter or a good day even better!

Carpe diem!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kindness Challenge – Week #4

/ Luanne Shernisky / 11 Comments

Our challenges for the first three weeks have been:  self-kindness, find kindness, and generate kind energy towards others.

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Week #4 was to be kind by demonstrating some or all of the following:

  • Make eye contact and greet people around you
  • Hold the door for the person entering behind you
  • Compliment 5 people
  • Say “please” and “thank you” often
  • Address a stranger by their name (server, barista, cashier, janitor, etc.)
  • Take something special to your coworkers (bake a breakfast, offer snacks, etc.)
  • Leave a bowl of water out for stray animals
  • Make a few care bags for the homeless (mini toothpaste, toothbrush, hand wipes, lotion, tissues, chapstick, a bottle of water, soft snacks, etc.)
  • Be a listening ear for someone, listening in earnest and not just to reply
  • Mow a neighbor’s lawn
  • Give someone a handwritten note letting them know you appreciate them
  • Volunteer a couple of hours of your time to a cause you care about

I’m happy to say that I do some of these suggestions on an everyday basis. I always make eye contact, greet people, hold doors, say “please” and “thank you,” be a compassionate listener, and address strangers by their first name.

Unfortunately, I’m not employed yet, so I can’t take treats to work and with the concerns over a potential outbreak of the Zika virus here in Florida, standing water isn’t a good idea.

The rest of the ideas are good ones and I’m definitely going to  write some thank-you notes to a few select people that have supported me when I needed it most.

Some of my acts of kindness for the week consist of:

  • Turning the other cheek
  • Helping my son with some yard work
  • Making a small monetary donation to a local fundraiser
  • Giving someone the benefit of the doubt

It’s amazing how good it feels to do these acts of kindness, particularly the ones that require self-control over runaway emotions. I used to respond to other people’s inconsiderate behavior in a very negative way, but now I have a much greater level of self-awareness. I’m able to pause and think before I react, which is very empowering!

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When it comes to helping someone there’s an immediate feeling of goodness. Just knowing that our time in this life is limited makes those moments all the more special. I remember the kindnesses shown to me by people who have passed on, particularly my dad and grandma. The memory of their many acts of love inspires me to do the same. I want my family and friends to remember me with a warm heart and a smile. 

Kindness serves a wonderful purpose while we’re living and makes a great legacy after we’re gone. 

What kind of legacy will you leave?

Kindness Challenge – Week #4