A Grateful Heart
A lot of my personal posts have been about anxiety or love or heartache. I wanted to focus on gratitude and the things that make my heart swell with joy. A gratitude post on Thanksgiving? How original! It’s always important to count your joys no matter if the cherry blossoms are floating through the air, fireworks are going off over an ocean on a summer night, the leaves are piling up in your backyard or the snow is tumbling like dizzy ballerinas.
I’ll always, always be thankful for my family and friends first and foremost. Thank you. I wanted to list 10 things (inspired by Caitlin of Confessions of a Northern Belle’s post!) that are small and not “give ins” but make me smile; that make me grateful. What are yours?
1) Finding the perfect vintage dress. Whether it’s a darling ‘50s dress that reminds me of something Betty Draper would twirl around in or a 60’s Pucci dress that Megan Draper would slink around in - there’s something so special about finding a vintage dress. I love the history of fashion and all the romance and mystery a vintage piece has.
2.) Hearing a song you love on the radio when you least expect it. There’s something magical about putting on your radio and hearing one of your favorite songs from the start playing. The type of song that all your lyrics pluck at your heartstrings and have you singing and smiling on your car ride.
3) A coffee shop. A 7 layer bar. My laptop. Warm coffee. Seat by a Corner Window. That’s just heavenly.
4.) Stumbling upon a secret garden. Beauty that no words or photographs can describe.
5.) The sunsets in coastal Mississippi and Alabama. The prettiest I ever saw. I’m so thankful I lived outside of CT to experience another way of life, meet new people and see those gorgeous sunsets. They were ferocious - all powerful, dragon reds and burnt oranges and hot barbie pinks.
6) Fireflies on a summer night. They’ll always make my eyes crinkle with joy.
7) Every little gift, picture and note my dad gave me. I don’t have a lot since I’ve moved a considerable amount of times since my dad passed when I was 11, but everything he gave me I hold near & dear to my heart.
8) Stony Creek and Mansfield Grove. Two beaches that mean the world to me.
Growing up, Mansfield Grove – an enchanting private beach enclave was my home for the summer. My grandparents' had a beach cottage then renovated it over time. It always smelled like summer. They decorated it with jars of sea glass, blue and red lobster print seat covers, framed maps of the Florida Keys and gorgeous sea shells with those natural rolls and chambers of pale pink echoing the ocean.
Stony Creek is a seaside community within Branford. There is just something so serene and magical about it. They have plenty of boat tours to take you around the legendary Thimble Islands, a small but cozy beach, and plenty of picturesque houses, sunsets and coastal living to fill up a magazine. One of my favorite places on Earth
9) Connecting with someone new, becoming friends and re-connecting with old friends. It’s great making new friends! I love that feeling. The only thing even better to me? Seeing an old friend and laughing about old times. Such a sweet part of life!
10) A new journal. A brand new start to writing + reflecting, to pour your heart out all lyrically and messy as you want.
