Day 7: Happy Grateful Day

One of the things I have learned over the last 7 days is when you attempt to be more aware and work on certain areas of your life, chances are you will be given the opportunities in plethora. Yesterday was one of those days. As I had written, my fears of things going wrong did. My house wasn't as clean as I wanted, the food I had cooked finished too early and had to sit until my friend arrive, the cable guy ran late and so my husband had to stay behind till her finished while I ran off to my college Alma Mater for the event, I was so nervous that I got sick to my stomach and had to excuse myself for awhile, I was invisible to the others being recognized who never did talk to me, and I made an error on the painting project that I was working on. But you know what? My friend still likes me for me without my mask, the food tasted great, I got over the stomach issue, my husband was able to join my for the social that evening, and I was able to paint over and fix the error. I faced my fears. And today is now day 7.

Last night something happened that brought me to tears. Happy tears. At the social, the Assistant Director of Athletics and Activities came up to me. She had found my old #42 basketball jersey. (They had been selling all the old jersey at the game earlier but hadn't had didn't have any from the years I played up there...). That jersey is more than material and a painted number to me. That jersey represented an instrumental point in my life. A life when I was called to start making some major change in my life. I had lost a close family friend to leukemia, I started questioning where my life was headed and began to look at the convent, and I started to deal with issues that had been haunting me since my childhood. When I wore that jersey everything was alright. I could take out all my fear, aggression, and emotion on the basketball court. When I wore that jersey I could fly. It was my superman cape as it always made me feel stronger at a time when I needed it the most.

As I look at it this morning I feel a sense of gratefulness. (Yeah...I don't know if that's a word but that is exactly the feeling inside me right this moment.) I am grateful for the assistance activities director finding that jersey and bringing and giving it to me. (I was the only one who she did this for). I am grateful for the opportunity I had 19 years ago to play basketball in college at a time when so much was happening in my life.

Today's task of gratefulness isn't only about being grateful for receiving something from the past though. It's about recognizing our life and the events that have brought us to where we are and being grateful for them. It's not taking people or things for granted. It's making sure the people who we are most grateful for in our lives know it. It's saying thank you and I am so happy you are in my life. Why do we so often wait until Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparent's Day or our loved ones' anniversary or birthday to let them know this. Yesterday, the assistant A.D. handed me that jersey, not wanting any compensation, because she had heard my story the week before...because she was grateful that I could share a piece of my experience on the first woman's basketball team with her.

For many of you, today is Sunday...a.k.a. Church Day. A day where we go to church and thank God for our many blessings and seek help for the rest of our endeavors. Why do that only on Sunday? Each morning before we head our separate ways to work, my husband and I hold hands and praise and thank God for the many blessings in our life. Now its time that I let the people in my life know more than one day a week know how grateful I am for them instead of waiting until something occurs to make us re-evaluate and recognize what they mean to us.

Thank you mom and dad for everything in my life. Thank you to my siblings for never making life dull. Thank you Jeff...my dear husband...for never giving up on me and my craziness at times. Thank you to all my friends and especially those who read this blog...it keeps me going and helps me recognize how important this journey is...you truly are my Simon of Cyrene's along the way. And finally, thank you Gary and Amy for the jersey. Thank you for the experience. Thank you for the memories.

Thank you...