Amy Collette

I started off my morning seeing a black squirrel – the kind with long ears. It darted across the road and up a tree.

Then as I was driving, a huge bird launched out of a tree just ahead, and I followed it down the road. I sped up to get a better look and realized it was an owl! I’ve seen owls before, but only once in flight. It’s an impressive sight.

At lunchtime I went to my favorite spot on the creek. The red dragonflies I saw yesterday were there, mating in mid air.

I wonder why I see so many amazing things in one day. And the answer I get: you’re looking.

That’s really all it takes – awareness. And that comes with practice. I’ve developed a practice of noticing things I’m grateful for, and that has a way of attracting beauty and wonder. Try taking a few minutes every day to look around you. Find some beauty to appreciate – a sunset, a son or daughter, your partner, a tree changing colors. Breathe in the moment and feel it – breathe in again and let it settle in your body. With a third breath, set the intention to carry that feeling with you.

The purple iris did it. Yesterday I spotted the first purple iris of the season, and I lost it. I was instantly crying for our house, for Gertrude, for my history. Those purple blooms define my connections to the house I’ve lived in for the past 14 years. After we bought the house, my husband Tom taught me about flowers – how to plant them, how to care for them, what their names are. The bulbs originally came from the house Tom grew up in. The whole family gets nostalgic when they see those flowers spring up in our yard. Tom’s mother, Gertrude, loved those iris – she passed away last December.

It’s time now for us to leave this house and the purple iris behind. The tears that came when I saw them at first made me put on the brakes and think – oh, no. Maybe we’re making a mistake. Maybe we should stay here forever instead of following our hearts to new places…

And then I smiled. My guidance let me know that it was one of those transformation moments. The lesson is that there are ties here. Those ties could hold me down, or I can acknowledge, honor, and release them. One way to do that is to give myself some time to reflect, remember, and grieve. To be grateful for the good times and the beautiful memories. To thank this house for being a safe and welcome home to us and to the friends and family who have found refuge here.

Then I can move on to our next adventure. And the purple iris will be a happy touchstone to connect me to this part of my life. When they come up next year, I’ll remember.

Gertrude is a gentle, old-world name, and belonged to a kind, soft-spoken woman. “Gert,” as I knew her, was quiet but with a deep spirit that gave her great strength. She said more with her eyes than with her mouth, and listened much more than she spoke.

I’m grateful to Gert for the things she showed me in the way she lived her life and how she raised her son, my wonderful husband, Tom. I’m grateful that she showed me what she saw on the other side, when she was dying. She told me who was waiting and what she saw. Her mother, her sister, and her baby daughter were all there. And she was so impressed that the men took care of the babies!

Thank you Gert, for all you were and are to me, for including me as one of your own.

Thanksgiving gives us a whole day to focus just on gratitude. For me, gratitude is where it all starts – balance, peace, freedom, joy, and most of all, love.

I invite you to start this Thanksgiving to thank the people in your life for their love and companionship. To give thanks for the food you eat and the place you live. For beauty in all its forms. For the pets that love you. For the good times and the tough times and the lessons you’ve learned. With gratitude, hug those you love, starting with yourself.

Then… see if you can make a habit of it.

I learned to do this on a twice-daily basis when I most needed it in my life – and when it was most difficult. I felt that I had no control, that things were spiraling downward. I was constantly worried about health issues, finances, work, relationships. So what did I have to celebrate?

That was the challenge, and it might be for you, too.

So start small. I started by focusing on gratitude when I woke up in the morning and when I went to bed at night. When I gave thanks for a roof over my head and love in my life, I realized I had much more to be grateful for than I thought.

Remember, this is fun, a celebration – approach it with a sense of humor. It’s okay to be grateful for a great pair of shoes or that attractive person you met today.

Once you open the door to gratitude, let its beautiful energy surround you and lift you up.