Yesterday morning, just after waking, I walked sleepy-faced and messy-haired out to the living room as I normally do, where I was greeted with a big smile and an even bigger hug from our housekeeper, Alba. This is not unusual however, Alba and I embrace in a warm hug and cheek kiss every two weeks when she arrives to spend her entire day happily cleaning our house. But yesterday morning, she brought me a big potted bushel of chrysanthemums in warm fall colors and handed them to me saying “For Thanksgiving!”. I thanked her and we hugged again, and I set them on the dining room table.
On the days Alba is here, I usually have my coffee in the kitchen with her and chat for a good 30 minutes or more about life and family and then we both get to work, respectively. But this morning the husband was home as well, so instead of spending extra time with Alba, I sat in the den with him for breakfast. I didn’t really think anything of this until the afternoon, when it was time for Alba to leave –sweaty and with her bagful of lemons from our tree, she found me in the backyard on the phone and said “Goodbye Maegahh, I’ll miss you”. I said, like I always do, “I’ll see you in two weeks, Alba…” and then she started shaking her head and her face became distorted and she started to cry and said “NOoooooo, this is my last time, you’re moving”. She was sobbing by this point, so we hugged and then we hugged again and I assured her that we’d see each other again but she just turned around tearful, and walked with her shoulders slumped to the front door and left. I followed her out and waved as she drove away but I’m not sure she saw me. It was a really sad moment actually.
If I had realized it was her last day, I would have made sure to spend the morning with her. But I didn’t. And I regret it now so much. I am so grateful for the love Alba shared with me through the 10 years I’ve known her and seeing her so sad to leave, made me think that she was grateful for even just the little time we spent together. I’ll miss her when we go.
So Grateful…
Yesterday afternoon, when my husband returned home, he handed me a gorgeous white orchid plant in a pretty gold pot. Two flower offerings in one day? What did I do to deserve such thoughtful people in my life? I’m not always pleasant you know, in fact, I can be downright horrible, but somehow I got lucky. Somehow I am blessed and get to share my life with truly wonderfully special people.
It’s little things like flowers when you’re not expecting them, that make you appreciate the people in your life even more – not only when you receive the flowers, but every time you pass them sitting on the table.
I had a person in my life once who said “Flowers are worthless, they just die” and refused to buy flowers for anyone, including me. I think if it’s at all possible, having spent so much time with that negative attitude actually made me appreciate flowers and people giving them even more.
My husband surprises me with orchids all the time, and it never ever EVER gets old. Each and every time, he chooses a different pot. I’ve never once had a repeat 🙂 I wonder if he knows that I notice this little detail?
He’s far more thoughtful than I am, I’m sure of it, and I am so grateful I get to share my life with him every single day.
So Grateful…
When I first started writing this blog back in 2007, my mom and I were going through a rough patch. In fact, we went through a strange, tension-filled, attack-at-any-moment patch for just about two years. I even wrote a few emotional blog posts about our situation before I found the purpose for my blog. {I complained a lot in the early days} It was a difficult time because even though my mom and I have always been hot-tempered with each other, we had a pretty solid relationship otherwise. I didn’t really think our hostility towards each other affected anyone but us, but my husband and brother assured me that it made everyone on edge when we were together.
I’m so glad those days are over and I am so grateful of the special relationship I have with my mom again. For the past three years, we’ve lived about a 3 minute drive from each other. Yes, technically we could walk, but nobody walks in LA. It’s been so nice to just stop by for a visit and chat {she always has m&m’s stocked for me} and she’s always so happy to see me. Once a week, for almost and entire day since Delilah was born, my mom has watched her, and on the occasion that I’ve gotten all my work done, I enjoyed stopping by to hang out with both of them together. I am grateful for the girl time we all spent together, trying on jewelry, or going on little adventures, or making glittered shoes, teaching Delilah something silly to say to her daddy when she went back home, or just playing in the yard. I’m so grateful to have such a wonderful mom, who I know is sad that we are leaving but man is she being a trooper. She’s come up to the new house with us three times now and has been positive throughout the entire process. But I know she’s going to miss our weekly chatting sessions and so will I.
So Grateful…
I’m so grateful for my life, right now, in this very moment. Sometimes I’m afraid to say “I’m happy”, fearing that it will all be ripped away from me once I admit it, but I am. I’m happy and grateful… and I hope you are too.
Wishing You All a Wonderful Thanksgiving Today
I hope you find a plenitude of things to be grateful for.
