Gratitude Bubbles
I often get what I call “gratitude bubbles.”
Gratitude bubbles are those fleeting moments when the whole world around me seems to shimmer. I’m intensely aware of being alive and how lucky I am in so many ways. I never know when they’re going to appear, and I can never predict what they’ll be about. But they’re glorious in their unexpected fragility.
A few years back, I booked a private party about 100 miles away from home. It was a two-plus hour drive there, seven solid hours of reading twelve people with only a ten minute break halfway through the proceedings, and the same two-plus hours drive back.
It was 8 p.m., and I needed something to eat, so I detoured to our household’s favorite diner. I gave Carle a quick call to let him know not to worry if I was a bit later than expected.
Normally, when Carle and I go out on Date Night, the parking lot is full and the restaurant is bustling.
But tonight, the lot was eerily empty. I pulled in, wondering did they close early? The quiet was surprising.
But open they were.
When I walked in, the front-of-the-house crew welcomed me with delight. Since our usual waitresses were off, I got to meet Michelle.
And my simple order of hot tea and a BLT came out almost immediately, perfectly prepared and a bit “generous” in terms of the bacon, with a side salad of coleslaw, since I was a regular and the kitchen wasn’t busy.
I had the time to savor my meal slowly.
I had the chance to decompress from dispensing wisdom and compassion all day. I wasn’t rushed. I was gently checked on by Michelle as appropriate. And it was food I didn’t have to prepare at home after that very long day.
Perfection doesn’t have to be a big event, or something long-planned. When we are mindful, keeping our focus on the present moment, these gossamer bubbles of exquisite peace can be found around every corner.
I’ve ordered their BLTs before. I eat at that diner often, and coleslaw is a fixture on sandwich plates there. The waitstaff is excellent, and the restaurant clean and modern. I’ve had hundreds of enjoyable meals there.
But last night, everything came together in a quiet moment to gift me with a moment of perfect gratitude, which left me feeling replete, nourished — and loved.
Take a few minutes this week to see if you can discover one of those “ordinary moments of perfection.”
Look at your days and see if there wasn’t something that was simple, but beautiful in that simplicity. Watch for those moments that are made up of commonplace happenings yet when re-examined reveal tranquility, or a beautiful mosaic of being-ness.
When we take the time to mine the treasures of our lives, the brief moments here-and-gone, we can be stunned at our good fortune in finding so many moments of perfection.
Today, enjoy seeking out your personal “gratitude bubbles” waiting to float into your consciousness, triggering endorphin-filled appreciation and pure joy in the moment.
