Thank

" Thank you " is one of the phrases I hear you saying most often and I admit, there was a time when I wondered - was it really necessary? After all, inside the family we all know we love each other, are for each other, right? Naah. Thing is, it is wonderful to hear the words. It is so charming when you say "thanks" for every little thing. I am glad.

I remember when you were little, your Grandma taught you the golden phrases - " May I" "please" "I am sorry" and " Thank you " and encouraged you to use them as often as possible. When we had visitors, they were amused by your constant "courtesy" and some of them even commented in a rather nasty way. Well, we ignored them. Better to be over-courteous than not at all, eh?

I am really pleased you turned out this way. I confess, my heart sings when I know I am the recipient of your kindness.

You know I am grateful for you - every moment since you entered our lives has been memorable. Tough times seemed a little less tough. We are convinced the sun shines brighter when you smile - and you did a lot of that.

As you practice courtesy by never forgetting to thank someone, remember to practice consciously. You know your Grandma constantly told you that the more grateful you are, the happier you will be.

Take a good look at all that you have. Start with the air you breathe - no tax on that yet! Appreciate the light that lets you see, the home that is yours, the food you eat and the water you drink. The music you listen to, the books you enjoy. When you step out, notice the little things, the various shades of green on the trees, the blue sky, the stars, the summer showers. Enjoy the people you meet. Do you realize that most of these are things we take for granted? This moment, send a prayer of gratitude for everything you are blessed with!

The most important time to practice gratitude is when you are sad or disappointed over something that didn't go as you expected. That's the time to count your blessings. When you do that, your world looks a little brighter. Being grateful brings you more that you've ever wish for! One of my favorite ways to instantly feel happier is to take one minute to list ten things I am grateful for - I am always amazed at how that list grows!

Today, I am grateful for - in random order:

For the great company you've been the past few weeks
Recovering from the stomach 'flu - thank you for being so kind to me during that week
The hailstorm - what fun it was to catch those pellets of ice, even as we feared our window glass breaking! Also - the lashing rains did such a good job of cleaning our balcony wall of pigeon poop. Strangely, draining out the balcony was also fun.
My first post at SheKnows.com about Summer Rituals.
The opportunity to give away so many bags of clothes, books and other things in my quest for clearing clutter - still have a way to go, but I am enjoying the journey. I am so glad you are so enthusiastic about it, too.
Our upcoming trip. It will be so wonderful to get away together even if it is a super-short trip.
One particular email I was eagerly looking forward to
Being able to stay on schedule with work in spite of hitches
The luxury of working from home, enjoying what I do - my heart goes out to those who have to commute and spend most of the day away from home, and sometimes their children
The visit to your school, it was so lovely
Reasonably steady sugar levels

I have learned to be grateful as I wake up every morning in a comfortable home with a loving family. Never hesitate to treat yourself to an extra round of gratitude whenever you feel like it!. Before you go to bed each night, remember to add gratitude to your prayers!

As a Swedish proverb goes,

Stay blessed!

A to Z Challenge 2015: Theme " Letters to my Son"
T for Thank
T forTake time to... at Life Hacks for Diabetics
T for ...yep! at Life Hacks for Happiness