One Thousand Gifts.

Last spring I read the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp after a friend recommended the read. I rarely do my thoughts justice when trying to explain what I've gained from a book, but in the simplest of words I came out of it with the realization that genuine thankfulness sets your heart up to experience real joy.

Basically, the author goes on a metaphorical journey of naming the gifts in her life, and her discoveries from this habitual naming of gifts immediately prompted me to do the same. I've been writing in a small journal that I keep in my purse for the past several months and I'm already up to 457 gifts! It's harder than you think, at least for me. There are so many things I wouldn't have considered "gifts" before, but moreso just things I was entiteled to. This book changed my perspective on what I named as a gift, and I felt like hearing Ann's story gave me permission to name even the most insignificant of life's details. Seeing my rings sparkle, for example. Or getting home from work without much traffic. Even seeing the rollerblading commuter made my list. It's been so good for me to list them, and now I am LOOKING for the gifts of life because I don't want to miss a single one.

Below you'll find a few of the gifts I named this week.

fresh flowers in the bathroom



window dressings



a husband that cooks great food



a new succulent plant

living on this bricked side-walk street

living my life with this man