It looks a lot like love

It's been close to 3 1/2 years since my last blog post. My life has been busy, too busy for anyone's good. Especially mine.
I left social media almost two years ago. I posted that I was leaving. If you know me casually or even well, you know that I don't do drama. Drama=doesn't really amount ta much anyway. But, it can cause people a lot of stress. One of my biggest complaints regarding social media, or blogging for that matter, is people who think that they've got all the answers to life's questions. None of us have ALL the answers. And, those of you who think you do are pretty annoying to those of us who have most of them. (tongue in cheek with sheepish grin) LIGHTEN UP! You can't see my face nor hear the tone of my voice. You can only see what I allow you to see. This can be problematic when blogging.

Readers can't really tell if you're happy, sad, mad, melancholy, angry or what. Well, I am going to show you gratitude in word pictures.

Gratitude is spending three hours on the phone catching up with an old friend that you haven't spoken to in years. Gratitude is sending a card to let someone know that you are thinking of them, or hand writing an eight page letter to an elderly person, that can be read over and over through tired cataract clouded eyes, validating their life's journey through the words on a page of memories.

Gratitude is sharing a simple meal with a neighbor and conversing about the day's events. Gratitude is sharing the last bite of your sandwich with the little dog who loves you, or feeding and petting the neighborhood cat that begs at your door.

Gratitude is having a drink with a lonely old man and touching his hand gently as he reminisces with tears in his eyes about the love that has gone on before him.
Gratitude is smiling at the stranger brave enough to make eye contact, that you pass in the hallway on your way to get the mail.

Gratitude is allowing yourself to be vulnerable. Sometimes gratitude is just listening, and sometimes it is just saying thank you. Gratitude sometimes just looks a lot like LOVE.

Thank you.

noun

1. 1. the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

      "she expressed her gratitude to the committee for their support"