I’m fairly certain I have the best counselor in the history of the world. She has a way of redirecting my thinking and correcting my attitude without condemning me. I know that when I walk into her office, I am in a safe place, I am speaking to a trusted confidant, and I can say anything bitter and frustrating. I can be sad and angry, I will have no answers, and she will not look at me less but will offer words of gold and suggest positive with a smile and a hug before sending me back out into the world to try again.

Many years ago, and I know I’ve mentioned this before, my brother and sister-in-law sent us their newsletter every month. One month, they included this quote from Saint Francis de Sales that I cut out and magneted on the fridge for YEARS, because I needed it as a DAILY reminder:

Complain as little as possible of your wrongs, for as a general rule you may be sure that complaining is sin; the rather that self-love always magnifies our injuries: above all, do not complain to people who are easily angered and excited. If it is needful to complain to someone, either as seeking a remedy for your injury, or in order to soothe your mind, let it be to some calm, gentle spirit, greatly filled with the Love of God; for otherwise, instead of relieving your heart, your confidants will only provoke it to still greater disturbance; instead of taking out the thorn which pricks you, they will drive it further into your foot.  – Saint Francis de Sales

My counselor is that calm, gentle spirit, greatly filled with the Love of God.

I am very grateful for my counselor.

I am grateful for wheels on the dumpster. I saw a dumpster down the street with broken wheels. THAT would be such a bummer. How privileged have we become as a society…

I am grateful for Beautifully Broken by Bobbi Jo Reed, the book that Dad insisted I open. I see why, now that I am a few chapters in.

I am grateful for sunshine at lunchtime.

I am grateful for the rare indulgence of a chocolate malt, and a very clever way to package it, with tiny cookies on the straw. Thank you, Pot Belly Sandwiches, and your very nice employee who didn’t judge me for indulging.

I am grateful for a to-do list. I’ll be more grateful to draw a line through everything on it.

I am grateful for post-season baseball and a Royals shirt to wear.

I am grateful for a tuna-free diet.

I am grateful for purple in my marriage.

And I am grateful that the Peanuts Movie is almost here – this would be the one movie for which I would stand in line at midnight in order to get tickets.