Rose among the thorns

A lot of people I know are struggling with lost threads and tangled webs in the tapestries of their lives at the moment, they do not feel rich and they're stabbing themselves with the needles and pins (as I did yesterday). I'm grateful I know it's best to try to be grateful for all the character building you're getting and reminded myself of this when I lugged a heavy bag of shopping to meet a friend for a lift and lunch, only to find she was delayed for at least an hour and a half. I was grateful I hadn't bought ice cream but that I did have my trusty Walkman full of soothing Buddhist chants to encourage me to find the best peace of mind I could despite the freezing breeze and grumbling knees...

I'm grateful for a Post-it note on a stair rail hoping the reader's day was filled with happiness, and a bright rose blooming nearby and staying still enough to snap...

I give thanks that when I finally met my friend the traffic was kind and the popular place we not very optimistically took a short scenic drive to, not only had a free table for two but served us with the most delicious meal either of us has eaten for a very long time!

I give thanks for dark grey clouds against fields glowing green in a glimmer of sun and a little pink magnolia tree I can see from my kitchen window... I give thanks for getting home, sitting down and falling asleep before I'd even taken my coat and boots off!