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Google places e-mails inside three columns of its making.  There is the inbox, where go what it has decided has some urgency.  Then there is the “Promotions” part with ads for things and notices deemed of secondary or tertiary significance.  Then there is “Social,” where go posts from WordPress, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Here is where the blog posts go, which I should respond to.  I’m not sure how Google decides what goes where, since there is overlap and often I get blog notices in the inbox and advertisements, too.  When I’m feeling extra headaches and extra stress from bad neighbors in the building, the kind of stress that presses on my heart when otherwise it needn’t, the inbox is where I go first to catch up on things.  How much I might ignore depends on how bad the added pains might be.  I’ll go through the promotions next, ignoring most, because it’s relatively easy (because I ignore most of the notices for politics or my money or politics for my money of which I have little, anyway).  The column that’s ignored is “Social,” because I should devote good energy there and too often, especially lately, it seems I have none.

I know I’m missing many things.  And sometimes “Social” e-mails are slid over to the inbox, and I deal with them there because they’re there and so am I.  It’s not much of a strategy or a philosophy, because I let Google decide or WordPress (friends, maybe send things through e-mail).  The current time of extra stress and pain has been going on for a while, and it doesn’t help that the new editor at WordPress (the program) is majorly unwieldly.  But I keep up the writing and the posting part (parts), because that’s how it all begins.  And if you have forbearance, I am

thankful.

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C L Couch

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Photo by Alejandro Barba on Unsplash

Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres, Avenida Fray Antonio Alcalde, Zona Centro, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

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Psalm 26, a song of dissatisfaction

Psalm 26
a song of dissatisfaction

You know, Lord,
sometimes in spite
of all of my deficiencies,
I am dissatisfied

with what I have. I
don’t wish to be
un-thankful, but
there it is. I wish
things were better.

I wish the world were
giving and forthcoming
in all its parts and
places.

I wish we were better
people—generous to
strangers, open to
the differences that
others bring into all
our overlapping circles.

I wish we were more
grateful. Start with me.

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Jacki K’s Free Writing Prompt—What Makes You Grateful?

A Free Writing Prompt for You: What makes you grateful? How do you say, “Thanks”?

from Jacki K

response and illustration

Is that free writing or freewriting? I’ll probably respond to both. And with.  Okay, I start.

Finding something lost makes me feel grateful. And I say thanks. To hear good news from family makes me feel grateful, too.

Longer time on earth—and I like being here, by the way—means loss. Someone dying is not about me, but I can’t help but take it personally. I think we’re supposed to, actually. After all, after death the issues are for those us remaining.

With losses that are severe—yes, loss of life but also loss or lessening of health and means and prospects—the small things to be thankful for mean more. I mean, I suppose losses in life could lead to bitterness, though as a lifestyle I try to move myself away from that. Maybe when I’m old and all alone, I’ll give in.

So lost keys, then. And that one piece of paper with information on it that I need. Sleeping a number of hours without obvious break. A day of color, whatever the season. Which would include a cardinal on the snow. Something new and interesting I see when I drive by. A new-to-me old building to admire or a community announcement that shows the town alive. Remembering to have grabbed exactly what I needed on my way outside the door.

There are many things. Imagine yours.

I do say thank-you and perform small courtesies in kind. Whatever the reaction is matters, though not so much. The joy is in the giving. And so is thankfulness. Small things to be thankful for are gifts and courtesies. I’m a better person when I know these and acknowledge them.

Aren’t we better people for saying and receiving thanks? Giving or receiving? Both? You’re welcome. And thank you.

C L Couch

for the image, kennethkeiferphotography.zenfolio.com (from Google Images)

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