g r a t i t u d e : :

gratitude:, a photo by urban.prairie.forest. on Flickr.

i wanted their class to be cancelled. it was cold, wet, muddy with more rain on the horizon. we bundled up: wool socks, fleece pants, long underwear, puffer jackets, hats & mitts. more rain gear shoved in backpacks with rain pants already on. hot tea in everyone's thermos. a cozy day snuggled at home sounded better & had i not already signed up weeks prior to be the parent volunteer that's what we would have done.

i'm thankful, however, there was a good plan in place long before could recognize it. sometimes i forget to look through that door of hope that i've left open. i find in dark times my person has been able to keep that door open a little wider, hope being what i hold onto with what seems like white knuckles through a crazy wyoming snowstorm on the 80. in the everyday things i simply forget to look, sometimes overwhelmed by what lies ahead. not difficult things, good things, things making our days full therefore time to let life sink in is a bit farther & fewer between.

the gifts of the day were far more abundant than our layers. i sat on a fallen tree trunk, rain skirt keeping me dry, down jacket keeping me warm. i listened to the creek, watched it's movement, it's constant peaceful hustle and bustle & let life just sink in.