If at First You Don't Succeed - Day Two

It’s only day two and already I am off course. When I awoke I stretched and started off on my morning routine as usual. After a few minutes I realized that I was supposed to be writing down my ten blessings for the day. The only problem is that my dog, Miss Maizie insisted on going for a walk and being fed.

So I grabbed my iPhone and started recording my blessings (my first one about being grateful for the microphone feature on the iPhone.) I figured I could write them down later and read them before going to work. Honestly I believe this would have been an absolutely fabulous plan had I remembered sometime earlier than on my drive to work. Luckily I have 26 more days to make this a habit!

Actually at the beginning of the chapter about Day Two Rhonda Byrne does point out that “it takes concentrated days in a row to make gratitude a habit.” It’s like she’s writing this just to make me feel better; thanks Rhonda!  

Today’s practice starts with finding a gratitude rock like in The Secret. I begin by opening my jewelry box and pulling out a rock I painted at Girl Scouts when I was in grade school. It has crudely painted trees and mountains on it because back then I lived in the flat Midwest and I was obsessed with doodling pictures of mountains and trees. (Obviously I was destined to move to the beautiful Pacific Northwest.) 

(I think someone used a bowl to cut my hair!)

However the gratitude rock is supposed to be small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and this one is a bit too large for that. When I get to work I strike pay dirt. Around the base of a planter on my shelf I've arranged rocks including another Girl Scout rock that says "LOVE" in red bubble letters. Still too big, but there is a small clear crystal rock that is inscribed with the word "Gratitude." Talk about perfect! It was a gift last year from Bobbi, the other sales rep at work and my best friend there. 

Honestly the two of us are like an old married couple. We simultaneously love each other and drive each other completely up the wall. We are a lot like the Odd Couple. (Just call me Felix.) Today Bobbi snapped at me for trying to get us organized for a meeting. But she is on six different medications for a horrible cold and I've already asked her a very similar question. (I admit that I tend to obsess over details.) So we apologize to each other a few minutes later. Bobbi is one of the funniest people I know. I show her the rock and tell her about today's assignment, she points out that she gave it to me and we hug. 

Tonight, just before I go to sleep, I will hold my Gratitude rock in my hand and think about all the great things that happened today. My goal is to choose one thing I'm grateful for, feel gratitude and say thank you. As with the Day One exercise I am to repeat this every day. In the morning I'll list ten things I'm grateful for and why, feel gratitude and say thank you. At bedtime I'll review all the best parts of the day, choose one that I'm most grateful for and say thanks once again. 

I already know what I'm most grateful for today. Bobbi and I took a walk by the creek this afternoon where we saw a Great Blue Heron. I managed to snap two photos on my iPhone including one as the magnificent bird flew away. However there's no way that a still photo can capture the beauty of a Great Blue Heron in flight, so I'll leave you with the other photo. Blessings!