A grateful heart

Posted on by WritingfromtheheartwithBrian

My wife winced as soon as she woke up. She had a splitting headache. I told her to lie back down and I would try to get rid of the pain by rubbing her temples and neck muscles. When she got back up after a few minutes and said that the headache was gone, I let out a sigh of relief, almost like the stress in my own back had been removed.

My wife works as a special education teacher. Several weeks ago, one of her students smacked her on the face when he didn’t want to put on his shoes to get ready to go home for the day. When she went to the doctor the next day, he diagnosed her with a concussion. 

Oh, brother.

Saying thank you

I like to put aside a few minutes every Thanksgiving week, find a quiet spot by myself with pen and paper, and list some of the things that I’m grateful for in my life. I’ll think about the challenges I’ve overcome over the past year and the good things, the blessings, that have come to my family and me. 

When I sat down this year, I started by writing down my wife’s concussion and how I was worried and still worry, but grateful that she seems to be recovering. She started off working half days and is now back to full days. She’s still sensitive to loud noises and light, but, overall, she’s doing much better. I’m grateful for the doctors and her physical therapist who have helped her. In addition, I’m grateful for her fellow teachers and aides who stepped in while she was out. 

Help along the way

We’re writing this month on the Heart of The Matter on gratitude and appreciation. The theme is appropriate for the month of November. It’s a good theme for me too. I feel like I have much to be grateful.

I flipped through my calendar and it hit me how I started the year with one job, got laid off, and ended up with another. I spent a few crazy weeks where I worried about our world coming to an end. Yes, I’m prone to over-exaggeration, but there’s no denying it was a stressful time. Of course, we survived just fine, but I remembered how some great friends helped me with my resume and pitch and helped me land on my feet. 

I thought about family and friends. I even thought a bit about my writing. I pulled up my blog and saw that I’ve posted more this year than any other year in the past. I’ve come close to doubling my next highest number of posts and the year isn’t even over year. I feel like I’ve pushed myself and taken my writing in new directions.

A merry season

I thought about the upcoming holiday season. We’ll have a missing plate for Thanksgiving, our middle son won’t be able to come home this year, but come Christmas, all three of my adult children will be home for the first time in months. It will be great to look around the table and see them all in one place.

I thought too about how my kids are generally happy and fulfilled — oh, they’ve got their challenges and mountains they’re climbing — but I love seeing them talk excitedly about their plans and goals. In fact, I would take it one step further, there’s nothing better as a parent than seeing my adult children love each other and be happy. It’s worth all the money in the world and then some.

When Christmas comes, we’ll eat a home-cooked dinner, watch Christmas movies together, maybe even trade a few stories. I can’t wait for it. I deserve to be on Santa’s naughty list, but I feel fortunate, like he’s waved me on through and given me a pass by putting me on the nice list. Thanks Saint Nick.

But I’m jumping the gun, I can’t wait first to celebrate Thanksgiving. What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?  

. . . . .

Please join in on the discussion on the HoTM site. In addition, please visit my personal blog at www.writingfromtheheartwithbrian.com to read my companion piece. In addition, you can follow me on Instagram at @writingfromtheheartwithbrian.

All the best, Brian.

Images by Pexels.

46 thoughts on “A grateful heart”

  1. Glad to hear you’ve found the bounce and joy in you this year, Brian. Best wishes for your wife’s continuing recovery. Once the two of you feel up to it, you can search for the missing plate!

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    1. The missing plate is our middle son who won’t be able to come home this year. He’ll be home for Christmas so we’re excited about that. And thank you Dr. Stein. On my own blog, I write about “having enough” and a story that Kurt Vonnegut used to tell. I try to keep that in mind about the ups and downs of life. Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving.

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      1. Yes, I knew it was one of your kids, but couldn’t resist a punch line. Thank you, Brian and Happy Holidays to you, as well.

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  6. Such a post, Brian. Such a post. The older I get the more grateful I am for the simple stuff. I know it might sound trite and overdone…but good food, family and friends…and laughter. It’s all I really need. And I’m grateful to so many of our blogging friends for enriching my life with goodness, thought-provoking topics and profound sharing. It’s amazing how well we’ve gotten to know our blogging buds…I daresay better than I know many friends “IRL”. Thank you for being one of the blessings, Brian! 🥰

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  7. Seeing your children become adults and also becoming wonderful and fulfilled humans is absolutely the best thing about being a parent. That is definitely my “grateful for” answer!

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  8. I enjoyed reading about the things you’re grateful for, Brian. Isn’t it a much better mindset to focus on our blessings than on our misfortunes?

    It’s been quite a year for us. Our son got married in June, I got a pacemaker in August (talk about gratitude for modern medicine), and we recently learned that we’re about to become grandparents for the first time. They haven’t made the news public but gave us permission to tell our friends. I expect it will be Saturday as we’re going to learn the baby’s gender then. (I feel a future blog post coming soon about this, but we’re waiting for their announcement.) We wish they were closer (we’re in California and they’re in south Dakota), but I can’t dwell on that because their happiness is far more important. The frequent flier miles will add up quickly. 😊

    Have a great Thanksgiving!

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    1. I try to focus on my blessings Pete. I’m not always successful. My sarcastic side can veer off on me sometimes, but yes, I think it’s much better. Love, love your list. So many wonderful things. Oh my goodness, so excited for you about becoming grandparents. That’s so exciting. Yes, yes, can’t wait to see your post on it (when you get the go-ahead.) And I hear you about the miles. It can be hard being away from them (our middle son is in California, we’re in Pennsylvania) but it does make the reunions absolutely amazing times. Take care of yourself (and your pacemaker). Thanks so much for sharing and have a Happy and Memorable Thanksgiving!

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      1. Thanks so much, Nancy. This is at the top of our gratitude list since I wasn’t sure they’d start a family. I can’t wait!

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  9. I love this: “there’s nothing better as a parent than seeing my adult children love each other and be happy.” My kids live one mile apart in the San Francisco area and I’m so thrilled. They are there to support each other. We usually have big Christmas plans together with our DIL’s family but this year we are skipping it for her medical reasons.

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    1. Uh, I’m sorry to hear about the plans, but that’s really cool about your children living so close. Right now, mine are stretched out, but we’ll see in the future. I never thought I would like this part of parenting as much as I have. It’s been eye opening for me.

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  11. Happy Thanksgiving, Brian. Yes, we have so many things for which to be grateful. Your wife’s concussion (I’m a teacher, so I can understand) is what can happen when we reach out to help children. Bless her! Our adult children won’t be here, but with their own families far away. Our neighbors consider us friends and grandparents to their little ones, and they want us to join them for Thanksgiving dinner. We are grateful and blessed.

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  12. What a beautiful list of gratitude, Brian. You know what I like best – you show us how to have the right priorities of things to be grateful for! I’m so thankful for this post and all the incredible writing you’ve done on this blog as well as your own this year. So glad Kath is better!

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    1. Aww, what a nice thing to say Wynne! I’m touched, I’ll be thinking of this tomorrow, it means a lot. Thank you Friend! Hope you have a great day tomorrow with the kiddos. I’m sure a crazy time but hopefully you’re able to chill out at some point and just enjoy the day!!!!!🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🍁🍁🍁😎

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  13. In Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving in October but it’s always good to reflect on what we’re grateful for. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to travel to England with my Mum to visit my sister, and to British Columbia last week to visit my daughter. I’m also grateful that my daughter will be home for a week at Christmas and we can all be together. Happy Thanksgiving Brian!

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  15. Such a heartwarming post, Brian. I’m sorry you’ll miss your middle son this Thanksgiving but as you noted, they’ll all be home in just a few more weeks. Enjoy your Thanksgiving and may the next few weeks fly by.

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  16. I’m sorry to hear about your wife but glad she’s on the mend. I have such gratitude for the Special Ed teachers who supported my son when he was in school. Only one wasn’t able to hear how to motivate my anxious son and contributed to his having to be homeschooled (straw that broke the camel’s back). I’m grateful my son earned his high school diploma. That my sweetheart will be retired in the coming months (he’s earned it!). And my little family is safe and sound.

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    1. Thank you so much. She still feels off a bit, but is definitely getting better, starting to feel more like herself. It was great to have two of three kids home for Thanksgiving. I’m missing everyone again, but can’t wait until Christmas. I’m like a little kid looking for Christmas break. Ha, ha. Thanks so much. Happy Thanksgiving and hope you have a great holiday season!!!!

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