40 Days of Gratitude (Day VIII)
There is not a more pleasing exercise of the mind than gratitude.
It is accompanied with such an inward satisfaction that the duty
is sufficiently rewarded by the performance.
~Joseph Addison
Day VIII - Daily Email Chain Letters
These aren't new. They actually started in Shatter for the first appearance of them. And then they existed at me again when the Sparkle Mafia took off like a rocket, while I was in the midst of Korea. And then they didn't happen at all again for the longest forever.
These happen a lot lately, and honestly they make me feel tethered to the ground on several days I'm anywhere but near grounded. They don't happen all the time and there are long hour blocks where they don't exist at all (and even longer blocks when I can't look at them at all because of work). But almost always in the crazy early pre-work morning (and late night for one of us), and then again starting about an hour from the end of work (which is early pre-work-morning for her).
And really they started as being about game. The explosion of all things AU Hogwarts, with the characters and the blending worlds. And they were for a week or two. Except it's been weeks now, and sometimes it's about game, but sometimes it's really never at all, too. Random spotted commentary or inferences, but instead about our lives, the ups and downs.
About work and visitors and life events and books or crazy tv shows being shared around. About brilliantly shining moments or having the worst day or head space in the world. About anything and everything. All those little daily minutiae pieces falling into a puzzle of three other people, and feeling like you fit, like you belong and are loved and supported, unwaveringly and uncomplicatedly, even when you aren't the best you that you can be.
And that maybe that makes you the best you that you could possibly be right now. Just showing up, talking, laughing, comforting, being honest, sharing and accepting all of it.
They make my heart warm even when I'm frowning at everything.
There's something truly beautiful to be grateful in that.