It is now the end of the Easter season and there seems a certain symmetry to ending this daily record. I am not intending to stop being grateful for the many good things, big and small, which are part of my life. I hope the discipline of consciously being thankful is sufficiently embedded, to be able to set the notebook aside, at least for a time, without losing the spirit of thankfulness it has reminded me to cultivate.
It may not be of interest to anyone else, but just in case the notebook gets lost (which it easily might!) I thought I'd transfer the record here. I've removed all the waffly explanations, all the repetition and the names of individuals, but other than that, this is what I have been grateful for during the Lent and Easter Season 2020:
Sunshine through the windows at morning prayer,
good news about school places,
sharing poetry,
random messages from friends,
the Birch drop-in,
coffee shops,
walks in the sunshine,
good conversations,
a grant from the national lottery,
lunch with friends,
a concert,
a lie-in,
discovering new little bits of green in walking / cycling distance,
childish enthusiasm,
junior church,
dinner with friends,
primary school visits,
positive feedback,
doing something creative,
a tidy room and a jobs list in order,
long overdue catch-ups,
celebrating birthdays,
being invited to read a book on the recommendation of someone else,
being trusted by a friend,
messages about new projects starting,
a nap,
watching children I care about grow up,
the amazing, inspiring women I am privileged to know,
time shared with friends,
making plans with others,
the reassurance of knowing views are shared,
affirmation from friends,
impromptu dinner invites,
fresh clean sheets,
the Stories of Hope and Home group: individually and collectively,
being thanked,
homemade cookies,
reusable sanitary towels,
story-sharing and singing with little people,
the bus driver waiting as I ran to the bus-stop,
loving and being loved,
hospitality offered and received,
being able to support, advise and mentor,
wasting time together with important people in my life,
live-streaming prayers and knowing others are praying with us,
pub trips,
planning for what remains possible in uncertain times,
zoom,
getting my bike out for the first time in forever,
friendship,
phone calls just because,
so many education related things,
blue skies, fresh air, sunshine
being the right kind of tired,
seeing people again after a long interval,
family in all its many forms,
random banter and nonsense,
BVSC payroll services,
living in a big building,
impromptu contact,
modern technology,
sleeping until the alarm,
face-to-face encounters,
canals and towpaths,
signs of spring,
mains electricity,
school stories,
poetry,
empty roads,
the privileges of wealth,
Godchildren,
roast dinner,
bike-rides and growing cycling confidence,
lovely but predictably bonkers mums and tots online,
Northern Leg of Student Cross: those who walk, those who welcome,
painting,
finding pussy willow,
a sense of purpose,
prioritising getting outside,
group chats and individual chats,
leaving the city centre,
time offline,
safe spaces for tears,
traidcraft,
footwashing,
beautiful songs,
feeling supported by colleagues,
a sense of faith and a community with whom to share it,
being busy,
ice-cream on the roof,
buds and spring flowers,
watching the sunrise,
the virtual pilgrimage,
sunlight reflected in water,
pretty pink blossom,
online sessions for school kids,
a tablecloth with 585 names stitched into it,
good mental and physical health,
a comfortable home,
good food,
the satisfaction of a deep clean,
not-pub quizzes,
google maps,
thoughtful gifts,
planting things and the possibility of new growth,
memories of Christmas day,
a new laptop,
thousands of daisies,
chance encounters,
the market cheese stall,
lengthening days and light evenings,
leaf tea,
sunflowers growing,
the NHS,
the completed We Tell Stories performance project,
chocolate brownies,
singing and laughter,
painkillers,
the centenary square fountains,
time and space to myself,
sunshine after rain,
watching the seasons change,
goslings and ducklings,
the sense of satisfaction of ticking a long-overdue job off a jobs list,
finding ways to feel connected to others,
Taize,
featuring in the Imix positive stories blog,
relaxing and having fun,
chalk-art on the roof,
reduced price stickers,
City Academy Birmingham,
good books and the time to read them,
chocolate cornflake cakes,
seeing progress in English and watching confidence grow,
jacket potatoes, grated cheese and baked beans, memories of swimming lessons as a child,
a spectacular moon,
warm evenings,
wisdom and guidance and support received,
seeing the joy that something very small can bring to someone else,
brightly coloured flowers,
Lancaster chaplaincy,
the kindness of strangers,
standing outside in warm summer rain,
learning how places interconnect,
sharing my love of words with friends,
cream cakes,
libraries and museums,
parcels in the post,
always having enough to eat,
space for chatting that embraces both the silly and the serious,
summer trips with families,
walking without a specific plan,
takeaway curry night,
Eurovision,
meeting people not through a screen,
my blog,
books that say a lot in a few words,
meeting someone again in a much better place than last time I saw them,
bamboo socks,
a zoom Iftar meal and memories of previous shared meals,
the first cup of tea in the morning,
parks and public outdoor spaces,
being in the moment,
the early days of summer,
paddling,
scotch pancakes for breakfast,
technology and technical skills,
duolingo,
interfaith / intercultural friendships,
gestures of intimacy and friendship,
curlywurlies and memories of Lonsdale,
waking up to radio 3,
picnics,
glasses,
a friendly postman,
a routine of regular prayer,
the gift of bringing people together and building community,
freshly picked strawberries,
planting bulbs and the memories of the various events and times these were originally bought for,
bamboo towels,
cycling and walking infrastructure,
many shades of green,
optimism.
Removing the repetition and the named individuals has, I realise, somewhat shifted the balance of what is included: rereading the original record shows it has a very definite predominance of people. It was rare for more than a couple of days to go by without a mention of some of the many people, individually, collectively who really matter to me. Though it isn't perhaps reflected here, this, more than anything else shines through as that for which I am most grateful in my life.
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