So I did a post in January of last year...
A post about a Gratitude Journal for your spouse... if you want to look back, its right
HERE
A quick summary of it - I took a calendar &
every day for a year, I wrote down something that I was
thankful for about my husband.
Every day.
I actually made it a habit.
Every morning when I would get my breakfast ready & sit down for a minute, I'd have the calendar next to my spot & I'd just think of the day before & something that stood out to me about why I'm blessed to be married to the man I am.
Something that he may have done.
Something that he said.
Some quality about him that reminded me why he is so special to me.
Now, let me tell you - every marriage has its days where you don't agree. Like why can't he take the garbage bag out of the container when its full & carry it out to the can? Why is it always me? ...
Or when he lets me know that its OK for my stuff to stay on the kitchen counter, & his can't?
These are the days that I loved this journal even more.
These are the days that you have to remember why you love this person & look for the things that stand out to you as being thankful... especially on the hard days.
& its funny because some times, things would be repetitive.
Like on Wednesdays, we meet up for lunch. Our Lunch Date. & Ricky makes sure that when we leave each other to go back to work, we make sure to hug, even if we are both rushing to get back on time to finish up the day at the grind.
So on most times, the Wednesday slots simply say "Our Lunch Dates"....
At first, I kind of hated that it was a repetitive thing... & then I thought, there is nothing wrong with the stable & normal of a relationship. The things that happen over & over. Through the years, they are the things that bring comfort. & I am thankful for those moments....
So on New Years Day, I got up & made my breakfast & went to my spot & filled in the last spot for 2015... & then handed it over to Ricky.
I think he was a little surprised.
"Something for every day?"
Yep... every day...
It really was a cool thing to do over the past 365 days.
It taught me to look for the good.
How to appreciate the little things just as much as the big things.
To remind me of why I married this man & chose to do life with him.
In a world where people get so frustrated in relationships, it was nice to change focus on ours.
I have to make a note on this giving some advice about it when you hand it over to your spouse... don't have expectations on how they will react about it or even if they appreciate it. Men think differently then women. Love languages are often different when it comes to a husband & wife. Even if it gets tossed to the side & never read, I've learned that its just good to think of the best in someone every day... that's about making your heart happier. You come out with a better appreciation of the person yourself.
Someone said last year when I posted originally about this idea that it would be a good Valentine's Day gift... it really would.
So, go get those calendars while they are 50% off & start one on February 1st for the ones you love.
It doesn't even have to be for a spouse.
You could do a calendar for your child.
Every day, write down what you see in them, or some sort of act they did that reminds you why you love them. Wouldn't that be something to hand over to your child to read?
Though I'd have to read Harvey Dent's to him... my child has trouble reading....
I think we all need more attention drawn to the good in our lives... & letting others know how much they mean to you....For being simply who they are.
