This week I have found myself thinking about all the things I am thankful for in this season of being locked down here in Greece. From the sun shining outside (sorry those in rainy/snowy England!), to the silly antics of our girls, to the delicious food we have eaten together this week – I have found that gratitude for these things has made me smile and helped lift the heaviness that life can sometimes have.
An article from the Telegraph (sorry it’s frustratingly behind a paywall!), that my Dad sent to me this week, states that the appreciation of small things is scientifically proven to do you good. A recent National Institute of Health study examined the flow of blood to the brain when participants were feeling grateful. It revealed that higher gratitude led to more activity in the area of the brain connected to sleeping, metabolism and stress levels – with positive effects on sleep, healthy eating, and anxiety levels.
Co-incidentally, Dave Smith’s book God’s plan for your Wellbeing, which we are currently studying with our church family, also echoed these claims in one of this week’s daily readings. It goes on to say that it’s not enough just to feel grateful but that expressing our thanks externally can help us to have a more positive attitude about life.
I don’t know about you, but right now, in the midst of a global pandemic, I definitely feel in need of some of the positive ‘warm glow’ that a higher gratitude level appears to generate!
I often find these ‘dark’ winter months challenging enough on their own, but with the added pressure of lockdowns due to the Covid pandemic, our family being confined to one space, and also uncertainty about what is to come, I am finding that an ‘attitude of gratitude’ (as I’ve heard it called) is more valuable than ever. Sure, gratitude doesn’t make life perfect, but in the here and now, for me it’s about realising that I have enough; that who I am managing to be each day is also enough.
Since early November 2020, we have found ourselves stationary in Greece, having arrived just as the country locked down due to rising numbers of Covid cases. I am thankful for the security and safety of where we are right now, and also appreciative of the all the indoor and outdoor space our Airbnb rental house provides. It’s been a blessing to be able to spread out, to more easily be able to find our own individual space, and to celebrate birthdays and Christmas here. As I watch our girls play together, it makes my heart happy knowing that in this era of social distancing they have one another as friends and playmates.
As I see friends across the world taking on the challenge having to remote school their children at home, I also consider us fortunate to have already chosen a path of homeschooling for our girls during this time. We use a mostly offline, curriculum that we continue to follow, and it provides rhythm to our days. The girls also have security in knowing how they are going to be learning and what is expected of them. Yes, it’s hard work, and it’s often very intense – you can’t force a child to focus, and I find myself taking deep breaths when my four-year-old shouts at me when I ask her to write her letters out! However, I’m grateful, and find it hugely rewarding when they find achievements in what they have learnt, or when they end the day happy.
I am appreciative that we are near enough to the local beach and surrounding mountains to be able to walk there for exercise, and to the supermarket to food shop, and to even be able to explore the open-air market on a Saturday morning. Our ‘host’ speaks amazing English and has helped us to order meat from the local butcher, which is then delivered to our door. Her family has also gifted us with locally-made (and home-made) cakes, freshly-pressed olive oil from their land in Kalamata, and olives picked from the trees here in the garden. All these things bring joy to our days and mean that whilst we are unable to explore the historical sites Greece is famous for, we have been able to experience some of everyday Greek culture.
The slower pace of life, as we stand still and don’t have to think about where we are heading next or what the latest Covid restrictions in other countries mean to us (for a while anyway) means that I have more time to consider each day the smaller things I am grateful for. These are things that bring me cheer and help me to stay positive each day; these are things I can grasp to help each day to feel different from the last, when there is a risk of each day feeling like a repeat of the one before! They include:
· Picking a satsuma from the tree in the garden, peeling and eating it then and there
· The comfy sofas we can stretch out on and escape reality, watching Cobra Kai on Netflix!
· The wind and sun today that has made doing the laundry for the five of us so much easier (& cheaper!)!
· My husband bringing me a cup of tea in bed most mornings (which also means he got up early with our smallest girls again!)
· My foot (that has been sore for months) being strong enough to play a family game of basketball this afternoon
· The slow lazy weekend mornings which mean Andy has time to create amazing breakfasts
As part of our chosen home-schooling curriculum from Christian Education Europe, our children are given key Bible verses to learn to help guide their spiritual and moral development, alongside their academic work. Bella’s verse for the last few weeks has been from 1 Thessalonians 5:16 “In everything give thanks,” and we have many chats about what we are grateful for. I know for example that she is thankful for the bike that was here at the house on which she has learnt to cycle!
Remembering what Dave Smith’s wellbeing book has said about expressing what we are grateful for has led me to try and pause at the end of each day as I climb into bed, to recognise some of the small things I have been grateful for that day. Even when the day might have been filled with tough moments; perhaps I lost my temper, perhaps things did not go to plan, there are always positives to be found – however small or fleeting. As I fall asleep with gratitude in my heart, I know I am set for a more positive wake up in the morning.
In these dark and challenging days may this passage from The Message version of the Bible encourage you: “Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what.”
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