Thankful

 

Noah has been doing what I've been trying to do over and over and over again. (I'm actually quite embarrassed by this ... I was recently stumbling through past entries and saw the repeated promise of actively seeking peaceful joyful moments and being thankful for the small things.)

So I'm taking notes.

Noah has done this before but I am surprised every time.

We'd said our goodnights, I was walking away.

"And Mom," he said, "thanks for changing my sheets."

The response that tries to rise up is: "don't be thankful, of course you can have clean sheets!"
But then I realize: Yes, good idea. Be thankful for sheets. For clean sheets. For a mom who changes them.

Isn't that the better approach? To just feel grateful for the small details?

He's thanked me in the past for doing his laundry.
This might be because apparently we don't do it enough.
He requested a separate laundry basket and now starts a load from the basket that he shares with his sister. And I watch, impressed.

He's also thanked me for making dinner.

So even though thanksgiving is over and it's no longer the seasonal thing to ponder ... we're still dwelling in a state of thankfulness for the relationships we have, the moments with people, the security of each other, the small routines, and each other.