I subscribe to the blog “The Idea of Home” by a woman called Alison Sampson. She recently published a piece in The Age about thankfulness. It was timely because I have been seeking a thankful spirit in my everyday life, and have been encouraging my four year old to do the same. I am not sure how successful I am being with the latter as when ask what he is thankful for he consistently tells me he is thankful for lollies and DVDs.
On Tuesday I am heading to Canberra to attend a conference and will be flying solo with my boys who will be having some grandma time while I am working. I must admit though, that I am dreading it. You see, the last trip I took with my boys was a disaster. I travel solo with my boys not infrequently and usually manage quite well. My coping skills were tested somewhat on my last flight down south when bub 2, who had been perfectly well at the airport developed a fever (he had by the way done exactly the same thing the previous time we flied). This time he took things a step further and vomited all over me. We then sat at the Melbourne airport baggage carousel for an hour and a half, reeking of vomit until my sister, who had been stuck in traffic arrived to pick us up. For the next 48 hours I nursed bub 2 through his illness. It was when I was at my peak of sleep-deprived motherhood that I received a call I had dreaded for years. My beautiful grandmother, one of the most precious loves of my life had died suddenly. As we made plans for another flight, this one to Sydney to attend her funeral bub 1 developed a fever also. I returned home to Cairns only a week after I had left steeped in exhaustion and grief. And so, as I prepare to board another flight alone with my boys I cannot help but be anxious about the journey ahead.
My response to this anxiety has been to format a plan for conscious thankfulness, in particular on the dreaded flying days. If I think back to my last trip I realise there were many things, within the fatigue and grief to be thankful for. The Qantas air hostess that kindly helped me to clean up the vomit on the flight, the woman that offered to carry my bags from the terminal to the plane, that I was with my sister when I heard the news about my grandmother’s passing and that we were able to comfort each other. Most importantly I was and still am profoundly grateful for my grandmother’s love, a legacy that I will hold my entire life.
And so, I hope that I am able, when writing my post about our trip to Canberra, as well as sharing about where we went and what we did, to be honest about what I was thankful for.
What a beautiful post Dani. You have inspired me to do the same, to be mindfully grateful each day.
Thank-you Nicki. It’s not always easy, as you know. xx
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Sorry again about the hour and a half wait dani – couldn’t have predicted it would take four hours from my place (via mum and dad’s to pick up the car seats) to the airport…
Oh Sis, of course it was ok. Glad to have a ride.
Ah now I see that Grandma is the babysitter. That is good – I pictured you at the conference with kids in tow. About your four year old’s thankful list. I kept one of my daughter’s written lists from school. It is hilarious what kids are thankful for. Hers was a mother’s day gift to me – I treasure it still!
Hi Jan,
Yes, I am very lucky that my Mum is able to help babysit the boys sometimes if I have a conference. I strategically pick my conferences so they are not too far away from her hometown of Melbourne. The next one is in Sydney and I am looking forward to some play time there too. How precious to keep your child’s thankful list.