I’m Glad To Live In A World Where
The Oxford Learner’s dictionary defines gratitude as “the feeling of being grateful and wanting to express your thanks.” Although having a rather simple definition, gratitude is complex and easily forgotten. I tell myself I practice gratitude often, silently thanking the universe for warm bowls of soup and good hair days; however, it’s natural to give into daily grievances. At the end of the day, sometimes complaining feels better than accepting and moving on.
In Oregon, as fall transitions to winter, the sun goes on vacation and life becomes less colorful. The blue evenings of autumn quickly fade to black and before you know it–the red, orange, and yellow colors have faded to gray. It’s easy to comply with these changes, falling into a cold attitude often as quickly as a tree loses all its leaves. In a tough transition towards the coldest time of the year, I’ve found that gratitude is the saving grace for a bad case of seasonal depression. Even a small change in your attitude can make freezing mornings feel a little warmer.
As someone who is generally optimistic, I still have phases where I become more reactionary to the little things. Yesterday morning I could barely drag myself out of bed. Beneath warm covers and the haziness of a good dream, I didn’t want to face the cold, outside air. It’s natural to have
these reactions, especially when convenience and comfort are at stake. Annoying things happen every day, such as spilling your coffee or locking yourself out. In moments where I reject gratitude, human experiences such as these become powerful enough to ruin my day.
Despite my intense dread for the bitter walk to class, I got up, shivering as I pulled on layer after layer. My roommates and I whined together–cursing the rain and the bitter breeze. I stomped down my stairs, hands shoved deep into my coat. Keeping my head down, my eyes scanned the sidewalk. Leaning down, I picked up a large red leaf, crumbling the dried remains between my fingers.
Nostalgic for warmer days, I reflected on what I missed. I missed T-shirts and shorts, driving with the windows down, and longer days. I was grateful for those things. What was there to be grateful for now? Those things were gone. This is where I had to change my mindset. As the final bits of the red leaf fell onto the concrete, I thanked them for their brief form of entertainment. I smiled at my peers–fellow students with hoods on and arms crossed to keep warm. In a way, we all were mourning together on that chilly morning, abandoning our snug beds and toasty houses for the piercing winds of November. I found comfort in our collective experience, just a bunch of cold college kids hustling to class.
Although at the moment it sucked to walk in the shivering cold, I’m glad to live in a place where I get to experience the season’s change. I’m glad to live somewhere where rain is abundant, dark green treelines border my peripheral, and sunny days become a special treat. I’m glad to go through these changes with my friends. I’m grateful that I can adjust my mindset, turning miserable mornings into at least all-right ones. I’m thankful I can write this now, sharing my thoughts with the rest of you. Whether you’re hot or cold, pissed-off or joyous, sad or happy, I’m glad you can experience such a range of emotions. I’m glad to live in a world where all of my days are different. I’m glad that I always end up feeling better eventually. Turning towards gratitude is freeing; you can’t mess up, and if you do, be glad you did. Acknowledging that there’s always good – something to have gratitude for in your life – makes winter a little less hard. Although we’ll miss it, we can be glad to know fall will always come again.
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