Gratitude: Happiness Doubled by Wonder

The final days of summer always produce a sort of wistful melancholy within me. In less than a week, it will be time to pack school lunches again, drag out cooler weather attire, and settle into the welcome rhythms of another year and season of time. For the moment, though, I feel caught in a sort of time warp. Why did this summer feel so long? Why did this summer seem to pass so quickly? Summer has always felt that way to me. It drags on. It flies by.

            Years ago, a friend of mine remarked that as parents, we get 18 summers where our children want to spend their summer days with us. That seemed generous. By the time I was 16, I was working full-time in the summer and skipping family plans. Summers are not infinite. The kids won't always be around. Health and mobility are no guarantee either. The passing of a summer season, in my estimation, deserves a marking of time, an acknowledgement, or a salute in some form.

            This year, for me, that meant scrolling through every single photo I had taken from June until now. For the number of photos I take, it is puzzling how rarely I look through them. My goal was to slowly make my way through the catalogue, pausing to say thanks for the memory and moment behind each photo. I opened my library to June and began to scold myself for taking too many photos. This exercise was going to take some time. And yet, by the end of my ceremony, I couldn't help but think I hadn't taken enough photos.

            Along the way, I discovered moments that had already escaped my memory. With certain photos, I could hear the laughter behind the moment. At others, I could smell the sea or mountain air. The nature photos never do the subject justice, but they are enough to remind me of the sensation of standing in wonder. Photos of the kids delight me. My, how they have grown. Their smiles are enchanting. Photos of Kristen offer the viewer a peak at her glow. My, she is ageing gracefully. There is a magnetism to her smile.

            Apart from a few awkward selfies and a couple of food shots (all of which included bacon), most of my photos were of friends, family, and nature at its finest. What do you do with that? Well, how can you do anything at all except say thanks? What a gift! What riches! G. K. Chesterton once remarked, "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." I think I am slowly learning the truth of those words. 

Saying Thank You 

1. Back: What did this summer give me that I’m grateful for?

2. Here: Can I savour any specific moments / events / connections that come to mind?

3. Forward: What am I grateful for as I anticipate the coming fall season?