I dislike making school lunches. Each morning, I am in a hurry busy slicing cucumbers, washing berries, and filling water bottles, all the while feeling annoyed and even slightly angry. The lunches aren't particularly challenging to prepare. My daughters are content with the food in their lunch box. There's no good reason for my annoyance.
And then one morning a thought suddenly came into my mind — I am so lucky.
Within seconds, those four words bloomed throughout my awareness. I am so lucky to live in a home with electricity, running water, and a functional refrigerator. I am so lucky to live near a grocery store with a plentiful selection of fresh food and snacks and so lucky to have enough money to afford them. I am so lucky to have two daughters who are healthy enough to eat and digest the food I send with them.
I can't tell you where this sudden burst of gratitude came from, but I do know this: that small shift immediately made my morning lunch routine extremely easier. Rather than feeling impatient and annoyed, I felt calm and pleased. Rather than mentally complaining through the whole morning, I was able to appreciate my situation.
I am so grateful for peanut butter. Thank goodness for this magical source of protein that my daughters will actually eat. And jelly, sweet, sweet, jelly. I can't forget sliced bread — oh, the magic of sliced bread! Imagine if I had to cut those slices myself each morning.
Don't get me wrong — I still don't enjoy making lunches. It gives me just enough space from my bad temper to choose a different response to whatever is going on.
A. Even so, I can't stand it.
B. What a mess that would be!
C. My husband also likes my breakfast.
D. All I could think about was how fortunate I am.
E. I found the cure for my bad feelings that morning.
F. I am so lucky to have a job and to have so many good workmates.
G. But the process doesn't feel like such a struggle when I remember to be grateful.
