That Gratitude Thing

The three things I'm grateful for over five days (or is that five things I'm grateful for over three days?) has been doing the rounds on facebook for a while now. It's well known that the act of writing things of gratitude down helps us to actually be more thankful and gracious. More so than ever as we live in such abundance our default is to take so much for granted and complain about many things.

Here's what I complain about (usually just in mumblings and rants to myself) but that I'm still incredibly grateful for.

Clothes:

Every morning I dread it. That never-ending question- what will I wear today? I dread it. And it's worse because you know you need to lose a few (at least) kilos and all the clothes are uncomfortably tight but you refuse to go up a size.

I'm really grateful that I have this problem. I don't belong in a time or to a culture or religion that leaves me with no choices or insists I wear a difficult item of apparel. I can wear trousers freely, makeup, get my hair done, choose any colour and am pretty free to wear what I like.

Food:

Every evening I dread it. What to cook tonight. I hate it and after over thirty years of cooking for a family I think I've finally run out of ideas.

The cookery books sit unused, the pantry is bare and Jamie Oliver is telling me I can whip up a superb looking and highly nutritious meal in fifteen minutes. I'm supposed to have a global kitchen with voatsiperiferp pepper and chipotle morita paste on hand and know what they are for.

I'm really grateful I have these options should I wish to avail myself of them. We are very lucky. I am grateful I can still make the occasional Shepherd's Pie using Gravox and Worcestershire sauce as the most exotic ingredients and my husband really likes it!

Shopping:

Which brings me to my next topic. Supermarkets. Hate, hate hate, supermarket shopping.
I am not a list maker and I go in there dazed, confused waiting for inspiration for the domestic needs to hit me, which it never does.

I'm grateful that I can though. I'm grateful that my life is so much easier than my grandmothers before me. I don't have to churn my butter and if a wild fancy takes me I can make my own tomato sauce, but if I don't I know I can always pop down to Coles and buy some.

Exercise.

You are supposed to do an exercise you enjoy and that is sustainable for you. I hate gyms, I hate tv exercise. 

I love walking, so that's all good. But most days it's a bit of a chore. I know I (and the dog) MUST do it. There's a bit of a moan under the breath and out I go.

I'm grateful I can. I know there will probably come a time in my life when I am no longer able to keep up the border collie speed needed for our dog. Once I'm out there, it clears my heads and gives me thinking time. I'm so grateful I have the physical ability and freedom to do this.

Ageing and negative attitudes.

I love the BBC show "Grumpy Old Women" and I agree with everything they say!

There's plenty to be grumpy about as one ages, and I do my fair share of grumping. Weight gain, failing eyesight, aches and pains, menopausal symptoms, what's happening to my skin and hair...... oh I'd better stop. It is very easy to be negative.

I'm grateful that I'm getting there though. Those of us who have made it this far are the lucky ones. I might make 101 years like my grandmother, I might not make another week. I'm so grateful for what I've had to date. I've seen my children's children. We have a life of abundance and privilege. So many have none of it. My hair is greying and difficult to manage and my skin is wrinkling and sagging. I'm grateful for this, it means I've lived a life and am now "past my physical peak" haha. I'm struggling to lose weight and I can't understand the lives of teenagers today. I'm grateful. This is what's meant to happen. I can commiserate with all my friends of the same age and they all understand. I'm grateful. I'm turning into my grandmother and I'm grateful.