I usually scowl at Facebook trends / chain letter taggin’ but am down with taking pause to share what I am particularly grateful for.

1. Having to learn patience. Over and over again. Lemme explain how I am learning to at least TRY to be grateful for this.

As I’ve mentioned on this blog in almost every post, Ellis and I have to “commute” to our parking space by strolling three blocks away, then drive about 12 minutes to pick up big bro Monday thru Friday. In traffic.

This week’s drive: Red lights galore. I thought I might end up on the news today when one red-lit left turn arrow done stayed red for almost three minutes straight with two blocks of cars waiting to turn left and with me trying to take deep breaths but feeling Incredible Hulky. I half-expected the likes of one Mr. John Quinones knocking on my window, like he about to sell me flower bouquets but instead saying, “Can you roll down your window, ma’am? This was a social experiment to test people’s road rage on Queens Blvd.”

Driving home later tonight, I saw once again, red light after red light, a whole row of them even after rush hour was long gone. Then I saw each of them turn that beautiful shade of bright green, one by one, like a row of Rockettes’ kicking up their legs.

So I BECAME grateful for the realization that red lights, on the road and IN LIFE, only mean that green lights be comin’, can I get a witness?

2. Came home from a workshop tonight only to get a call from Kevin saying I need to run home after parking the car because Ellis woke up crying inconsolably for Mommy.  I am prone to stay out after parking the car, sitting there, enjoying the still night, responding to emails, making it my mobile office.  This time I ran home.  Thanks for still needing me hward because you and brother growing up crazy fast.

3. I’m all about life-long learning. I love that when I want to grow in a certain area, God provides me with resources and says,”Here you go. Hollaback with what you learned.”

Tonight I attended a great workshop called “Nurturing Your Soul with Monastic Wisdom” about intentionally creating the space to hear God by examining our lives and noticing recurring themes and patterns at the end of the day, or a big review at the end of the year, so that we can better navigate our future.

It’s easier to just escape through social media and TV and other vices at night, especially after long, grueling days, but it was some real meaty and wise stuff that will help our family come up with a Rule of Life/family mission statement.

Psssh, this was not a “challenge” at all. Very easy.  (Poppin’ my gratitude collar)…