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May your troubles be less, your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness come through your door.

Irish Blessing

Call it luck or call it blessings, I feel very fortunate this St. Patrick’s Day.

Just over a year ago, on March 5, Governor Larry Hogan announced a state of emergency in Maryland due to the coronavirus pandemic. The year since then has been difficult for many, but on this St. Patrick’s Day, I can’t help but think just how grateful I am for the many lovely things this year has blessed me with.

If you’re feeling a little unlucky today, I invite you to read on & ponder the little blessings in your life that may have gone overlooked. There is plenty of negativity in life to dwell on, but I find that when I focus on the positive & practice gratitude, my life only continues to brighten.

1. My engagement to the love of my life

I just had to start with this blessing. I could not be more grateful for the man that swept me off my feet nearly two years ago & has not put me down since. I feel so fortunate to have found someone who makes me feel so loved & that I find pure joy in loving. I cannot wait to marry him this August.

2. My supportive family & friends

This blessing goes without saying as well. I am very fortunate to have a loving & giving support system. I truly enjoy spending time with my family & friends, & I cannot wait to see more of these amazing people once I am fully vaccinated.

3. My work

At the beginning of the pandemic, my small business, like many others, struggled. I went months without making much of an income. I am so grateful to have found work, & even more thankful that I have been able to keep my business, which is my true passion, alive. I know I am very fortunate to have found employment when so many are still struggling, so this is a blessing that I never take for granted.

4. My health

This is a big one for me. During the COVID-19 pandemic, my own health struggled for different reasons. I have struggled with chronic illness since the age of 10, & it seemed to get worse just as the pandemic was taking hold. I am so grateful for the support of my loved ones who helped me get through it, & I am grateful for my strong body that fought to get me to where I am now. I feel truly blessed to be where I am now, & that neither my loved ones nor I have been sick with COVID-19. I know we are some of the lucky ones.

5. My faith & church community

When times get hard, I feel like people often turn from or turn to God. I am so very grateful that my faith has carried me through the last year, & despite the pandemic making it difficult to meet in-person, my church family has continued to grow stronger. At United, we have begun to hold services in person, but online, streamed versions are still available, & I meet weekly with my Bible study group on Zoom. It has been a way to stay connected to a supportive & loving community of people, to delve deeper into my relationship with God, & to stay strong in my faith during a very difficult year.

6. Technology

Never have I been more grateful for technology than during the past year. Working from home, online classes, & endless Zoom meetings can get old, but they are truly such a blessing. I cannot imagine what we would have done without these socially distanced options. Thanks to the technology we have today, I have been able to have a job, Joseph has been able to pursue his Master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling, & I have been able to stay connected with friends & family that I otherwise would not have been able to see. It is nowhere near the same as being able to meet in-person, but I am truly grateful for the opportunities technology has given us to stay connected during this lonely time.

7. Healthcare workers

I cannot even begin to thank healthcare workers enough. I cannot imagine the stress, the exhaustion, & the devastation these dedicated & hard-working people must have seen & experienced. To this day, these men & women are still on the front lines, fighting this invisible enemy. I am truly humbled by their selfless care.

8. The Simple Joys

I was blessed with a few amazing trips this past year, & a joyous wedding occasion to look forward to this year, but for the most part, 2020 was a year without much to look forward to. However, I began to find such joy in the little things. Instead of rushing out the door with a coffee in hand, I have learned to slow down & enjoy my first few sips, to savor the flavor & the feeling of the warm mug in my hands. I am learning to take notice to the warmth of the sun on my skin, to listen to the birds chirping in the trees, & to stop & take notice to the changing seasons. I am enjoying the simple joys in my life that I normally would have overlooked in the busyness of life, & they have made the last year of my life truly beautiful

9. Good Conversations

There wasn’t a lot of doing in the last year, but there was a whole lot of talking, & I really enjoyed it. A lot of deep & meaningful conversations came out of the last year, & I felt like I had the chance to get to know people in a new way. Topics we never would have talked about & questions we probably never would have asked were finally ventured because there was nothing else to do. I enjoyed getting to know the people in my life better, & I feel like, despite the distance, many of my relationships actually grew stronger.

10. The vaccine

There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, & I feel like we can finally see it. The vaccine is here. I received my first dose this past week! There still may be months ahead of us, but I feel like I can finally see an end in sight, & I cannot wait to step outside, mask-free, into the new world that will come out of it. Until then, however, I will patiently wait, enjoying all of the many blessings I have, even in this moment, to be grateful for.