Grateful 2013

Here is an idea whose time has come. I read it on blogs, FB, newspapers (yes, some people actually continue to read real, smelly, finger staining, crinkly, old fashioned newspapers!) and heard it discussed by people near and far. It is, ta-da, the Gratitude Jar! Yeah, that's it. I know, big build up and that's it. Yup, that's it. The Gratitude Jar. Or Gratitude Box, Gratitude Drawer, or Gratitude Can, if you prefer. Get something, anything, in which to deposit little or big pieces of paper. You will have written something on the paper, something you are grateful for that day. Each day. Everyday. For a year. That's it. Simple & easy. Well, simple. Maybe not so easy. I know I fall into old habits easily and some of the old habits are all about complaining and complaining is not easy to do when we are busy being grateful for things. See how that works? Brain training. I find it next to impossible to complain and be grateful at the same time. So, I received a beautiful wooden box from my eldest son for Christmas. It is made to keep leaves at a constant temperature and humidity. Think tea leaves or tobacco leaves, if you will, though I don't know why anyone would want to think tobacco. This is my Gratitude Box for 2013. It will hold leaves of a different sort. Leaves of paper, items of gratitude, memories to be stored and opened on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2013, so I can look back over a year of blessings. Beats the hell out of making more New Year's Resolutions that don't work! : )