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Hello! Eva here! Last month, I was talking to my therapist when she mentioned that she sometimes challenges her clients to write down a list of 100 things they’re grateful for. I’ve gone through stints of trying to jot down a few things I’m grateful for every day, but it never lasts more than a few days. That’s why I liked the idea of doing it all at once!
So, one afternoon while on my honeymoon, I started on my list. When we’re asked to think of something we’re grateful for, we typically default to the big things, like our loved ones or our health. But because I had 100 things to think of, I felt free to think of little joys. Like drinking a great Hong Kong milk tea or all the vibrant colors of Mexico City. Or how I was thankful for having The Bug Bite Thing to save me from mosquito bites (IYKYK) and the incredible tuna tostada I had for lunch. I’ve asked my husband to write his own list so that we can save them in the keepsake box we share that’s filled with our photos, cards to each other, and mementos. I think it’ll be fun to revisit our lists as the years pass as a reminder of this time in our lives.
Having done it, I highly recommend you try your own version of this exercise. It doesn’t have to be 100 things if you’re pressed for time. Even if it’s 25 or 50 things, it was fun and insightful to list whatever came to mind.
Speaking of gratitude, this week many of us will gather for a Thanksgiving meal. The last few years, I've been learning more about the myth of Thanksgiving. The other night, I watched the episode of Padma Lakshmi’s Taste the Nation called “Truth and the Turkey Tale.” In the episode, Padma spends time with the people of the Wampanoag Nation, whose ancestors were at that first “Thanksgiving.” It’s a beautiful and painful watch. For me, understanding the origins of Thanksgiving and acknowledging the wrath colonialism had, and still has, on the original Americans, is an important part of being American. It doesn’t mean that we can’t continue to celebrate Thanksgiving, but it certainly puts the holiday into perspective.
Let me know if you end up writing your own list of 100 things! I hope you have a rest-filled holiday weekend!
Eva
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