It’s so easy to get hung up on what is wrong, or simply imperfect. But not this month. This month I want to focus on the many, many blessings and gifts and reasons I have to be grateful; every time I start complaining to myself, I want to redirect my thoughts to things that make my heart sing.

I posted this on Instagram this morning, and I thought I might share it on my blog, too — a shout out to a friend who is more than a friend, a friend who is one of those people that I know cares about me as much as I care about myself.Today I’m feeling so thankful not just for these beautiful flowers but what they represent. Last week, I came home to these flowers on my birthday. From my best friend since middle school, my maid of honor and one of my best supporters. She sent me flowers, and not just any flowers, but peach ones. When we were teenagers and we were as tight as braces after a visit to the orthodontist, she and I didn’t have a song. We had a color. Peach. And we had nicknames – I was Peaches and she was Peachy Keen. We bought each other peach everything – lipgloss, gel pens (it was the early 2000s!), body lotion, matching tank tops from Old Navy. And now we don’t get to see each other very often because we live in different cities, and we don’t talk that often because neither of us are really telephone people. But we can pick up right where we left off. I am so grateful for friendships like this. Friendships where flowers mean a lot more than flowers; friendships you know are always there.
If you’re interested in spending November practicing intentional gratitude — which is a great way to prepare for Thanksgiving and the Christmas season — consider hopping on Instagram and joining in the #getaftergrateful conversation, or Kristin Schmucker‘s #lampandlight November photo challenge. I’ll be sharing reasons I’m grateful on my personal Instagram account every day this month.

~ Laura