In Gratitude

Posted in Life and living, Personal by

focus

Last week was kind of rough. I was in a very thick funk. Over the weekend, in my quiet moments, I was reminded that happiness is still a choice.

I wasn’t unhappy because I had malaria, or because the roads were extra extra stressful. It was because I was so focused on the bad.

A new week is here, and I’m determined to be happy in it, be thankful for it. Here are some of the things I’m happy about today:

  1. In today’s traffic, I got to watch the Lagos sky light up, and it was beautiful.
  2. Lagos traffic is theeee absolute wurst, (yes I said wurst!) but at least, I get to suffer it in some comfort.
  3. The gift of music. Another thing that gets me through. 🙂
  4. Good health is a gift, y’all. Last week I had malaria, but now I am well. When I was doing my chores on Saturday, my body was so happy to be moving, bending, doing things without feeling heavy, slow or woozy.
  5. Family. My house is a busy place. Always a lot of people coming and going, though the permanent residents of the house are actually just 3. I may not like it all the time, but I’m thankful for them. Some people’s family stories are like Nollywood scripts, and many are too scared to really be around their own relatives and family friends.
  6. Friendship.
  7. All the love I have in my life. ❤
  8. It’s my parents’ wedding anniversary! 24 years of marriage, and almost a decade before that! 🙂
  9. MeeMee got her work visa approved! This is particularly amazing because she studied (and has fallen in love with) one of those things that would be useless in Nigeria, 2015. Not useless o, Nigeria needs people like her- but have you seen any openings for Bio-ethicists on Jobberman lately? It’s really wonderful that she gets to work in her chosen field. This gift is one so many people take for granted.
  10. My cousin (he’s 13 months old) is finally learning to trust his own two legs and I’m finding it so amazing to watch. :’)
  11. My favourite song at the moment- Applaudise by Iyanya. I’ve played it so much, my CD will soon scratch, haha! 

Over to you. What are you thankful for?

You don’t have to share it with me, but I’d like you to make your own list too. 🙂

Love,

AB,

xx

21 thoughts on “In Gratitude”

  1. For Life despite everything that pointed to the contrary. Whoop Whoop.
    Love Lost.
    Friendship.
    Nigeria. Despite all our issues..there’s no place I’d rather come from.
    Good music.
    Eba and ogbono soup. 😁😁

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  6. I needed this post as I have been somewhere between depression and despair since I graduated from the university 3 months ago. I need purpose. Anyway, your post reminded me that I was making myself unhappy by focusing on the negatives. Blessed be.

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  7. Hi Ekene,

    I’ve commented before but had to again. I’m Joy from louisville from years ago. Hope you’re well. Absolutely LOVE your blog.
    I totally agree that it’s important to be thankful rather than always focusing on the negative.
    Thank care 🙂

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  9. Hey Ekene, its great to know you’re feeling better and out of your ‘funk’ :)! I went through a similar thing around christmas last year very early on in the pregnancy with my daughter. I had the worst case of hyperemesis (severe case of vomitting & dehydration) so I was in and out of hospital. I had the worst christmas I’ve ever had. I remember laying in bed one of those days in December last year thinking ‘I would give anything to just be able to sit up in bed without feeling like I am carrying the world on my shoulders or that I’m going to lose every single organ in my body.’ It was also on the same day that I came to realise that nothing in this world beats good health. You can have everything in this world, but without good health you’ve got absolutely NOTHING! So I am grateful for health.

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  12. Thanks a lot for this post. These past few weeks have been so stressful for me (Lagos traffic + work). I had to run to the bathroom couple of times to cry it out. But, I have come to realise that we need the bad times to appreciate the good times and I’ll be forever grateful for my health, marriage, my adorable son, my job, my family,….for all the blessings.

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  13. Thank you for this post. Right on time. Got my Step1 exam score yesterday and I’m feeling very bad,but no,i will stop focusing on it. I have good health,a loving husband, a baby growing inside me I’ll be meeting in less than 3 weeks!.Above all,i have God. So I am THANKFUL.

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  14. Good to hear you got over your funk, it happens to the best of us! I have a friend who told me to list 5 things I’m thankful for when I wake up each morning…I havnt stuck to doing it but I see where she was going… I’m thankful for my family and health, Happy Sunday!

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