JUST BECAUSE

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 239

I’ll be entirely honest with you: I’ve been running on creative fumes for the last few days. I’ve sat down at this keyboard, tried to force some profound content, and realized I was just trying to BS my way through it.

Well, mostly. Yesterday's post about that dear, quiet lady sitting in church? That was real. That wasn't forced at all. Just seeing her there, quietly being present amidst the unseen weight life tends to throw at us, was genuinely good for my soul. I was profoundly thankful for that moment. But other than that one brief flash of clarity, my brain has been a blank slate, and I'm not about to start feeding you guys manufactured garbage just to hit a word count.

There are plenty of heavy, messy things swirling around the world right now that I could easily rant about, but I don't have the bandwidth for it today. Instead, I’m forcing myself to look right in front of me at the simple, immediate blessings.

For starters, it is disgustingly hot and humid outside right now. I am incredibly thankful for the house I live in, and for the air conditioning making my basement actually habitable. I’m grateful for a fridge and cabinets that aren't empty, our incomes, and all that standard, baseline stuff we too easily take for granted. But mostly, I'm grateful for family, friends, and the sheer ability to just bless one another when the mood strikes.

Case in point: Yesterday after service, my friends Shawn and Connie stopped by my office. They’ve both been photography hobbiests like me (and quite good at it); Shawn drug Connie over to look at the Milky Way photos hanging on my wall. He started hunting around for my newest composition of that Frank Schott barn.

I had to confess that the barn wasn't up because I wasn’t pleased with my initial edits. But that little interaction actually lit a fire under my butt. Yesterday afternoon, I fired up the computer, got completely lost in doing the artsy-fartsy stuff, and tweaked the composition. I ran a test print on my big ol’ Canon printer, made a few more microscopic adjustments, then printed another.

Finally, I nailed it. I printed out a 13x19 print that I figured would pass for good enough. I mean, it’s not gallery worthy; but then again, I ain’t no Ansel Adams either.

As I looked at it, I figured, why not? That would make a fun "just because" gift for Shawn and Connie, especially considering it’s his birthday today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAWN! So today, I slapped a title and my signature on the print, and hauled it over to Shawn at work.

Sure, giving the gift was fun, but seeing the pure, genuine grin on his face was the real payoff. When I think about "thanksliving" today, I’m grateful for that look on his face, and I’m grateful to be in a position to give. Sometimes, the best way to get out of a miserable dry spell isn't to force some fake inspiration, but to just share something you've already made with someone who actually appreciates it.

Share a short story of what you’re thankful for today!