I recently returned from a wonderful vacation in South Africa. It was a nice blend of planned excursions and time for relaxation. I’m not one of those people who likes a jam-packed agenda when I’m traveling. I like to have some anchor points of things I know I absolutely want to do and then leave the rest for when I arrive. We always end up meeting interesting people and deciding to do things we never would have known about when researching back home.
One day on this trip I turned to my husband and said, “What do you want to do tomorrow?”
As the words came out of my mouth, they lingered there for a moment. That sentence really struck me, and I felt overwhelmed with wonder and gratitude.
This simple question – what do you want to do tomorrow – said so much. It said that we had the freedom and luxury to choose our day. It said that we were healthy and able-bodied enough to pursue an adventure of our choosing. It said we had the means to make our choice a reality (within reason). It said I had a loved one to share my tomorrow with me. “Wow,” I thought. “I am really, really lucky.”
What types of questions do we ask every day that we take for granted even having the ability to ask? What types of seemingly insignificant, benign phrases actually mean so much more than we realize?
Something as simple as, “What’s for dinner?” can mean so much when you really think about it. How many wonderful aspects of your life are wrapped up in that single sentence?
As you move through your day today, I ask you to take note of these. “What did you learn in school today?” “When do you think we should open the pool?” “How did your presentation go?” “Can you please, please help me fold all this laundry for once?”
Stop and pause for a second to think about what each one says about your life. Think about the assumptions embedded in each. And then let yourself feel that same moment of gratitude for the gift of being able to ask the question.
This Week’s Challenge
Keep a journal of the questions that stand out the most to you this week as you reflect on the many things you have to be grateful for. At the end of the week review your list of questions, and let the beauty of it all sink in.
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Nicole Wood
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