Each week, as part of my new years resolution to better myself as an individual, I’m going to outline one of my many reasons to be grateful. Sounds a bit twatty but I genuinely believe we become so caught up in life that we rarely leave time for reflection. Reflection allows us the chance to appreciate, understand and inevitably move on to the next stage of our progression in life.
Today, my focus is on experiences
I’ve had some really cool experiences in life and they, along with the crap experiences, have shaped me into the person I am.
As a child, I think my life was very sheltered and this allowed me to have the childhood that many people aren’t lucky enough to have. My experiences of playing out on the street on my bike and my go kart, my experiences of having a gorgeous school with friends I loved to play with. My experiences of day trips and outings and of holidays abroad. I was incredibly lucky to visit some wonderful countries and for this I’m hugely grateful. These experiences have shown me what childhood can be like. It isn’t the perfect childhood as everyones vision of perfect is different. But for me, it was pretty awesome.
In adulthood, I have had so many experiences that I can’t even begin to outline them all.
Starting university as a 25 year old adult gave me the chance to meet some inspiring people, read and learn about subjects of interest and to understand situations I hadn’t previously contemplated. In fact, university gave me one of my first real challenges in life – completing my degree whilst Jude was a toddler and also during the year Elsa was born. I’m grateful that my Professors allowed me to finish the first semester of my second year slightly early because of Elsa’s due date. I’m also grateful they let me wear her in a sling during lectures in semester two! That was quite a time. My gratitude must also extend to Elsa who was the best sleeping baby you could ever imagine and meant I could study all evening once Jude and her were asleep for the night.
Challenges
I’m grateful for the challenges I’ve had as an adult. They have helped me to reflect on situations, realise that most things we stress about are not life and death and ultimately hey have given me the power to handle pretty much any problem thrown at me. Nothing phases me now and for this I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had.
Jude: I’m grateful for Jude because through out experiences as a family, he has helped weed out many of the negative people from our life. I’m grateful that the people remaining are the ones we can truly rely on and trust. I’m also grateful for the experiences that have come along with Jude over the past almost thirteen years. The therapy we’ve been to and the therapists we’ve welcomed into our lives – I remember every single one of them. Even back when he was a toddler I’m grateful for Jude’s amazing physio and Occupational Therapist who started the ball rolling.
I’m grateful for the experiences I continue to have with Jude because every time we leave the house, I have the chance to learn a new lesson.
Sisters
I’m also grateful for the experiences Jude’s sisters encounter because of him. The empathy they are developing and the understanding of the world around them. They are not blinkered to difference nor are they judgemental to those in need. Elsa in particular sees so much. On holiday in Ibiza last summer, she was one of the few people who did not laugh at a man wandering down the street who appeared to be horribly drunk. She told me that she was worried he had a learning disability and that people shouldn’t laugh in case he needs help. Bless her heart, she looks so deep.
Flipping it around, I’m grateful for the experiences Emmeline and Elsa have given to Jude. They play with him, protect him and (despite the typical sibling arguing) love him very much.
So many reasons to be grateful for and I’m sure there will be plenty more as we move forward.
What are you grateful for?
