I couldn’t sleep last night because I could hear a noise and I wondered if it was a pump or fan that needed to be turned off. I went outside to check on things, and decided no disasters were happening, so I came in. Still couldn’t sleep. Picked up a book David’s mother Hanna gave us called My Grandfather’s Blessings by Rachel Remen. After one short chapter I was peacefully asleep. The words helped me see ordinary, day-to-day things as blessings. A hug, a smile, a hummingbird, a swim after work, a simple fresh meal, co-workers helping with a big job, a sunset, a breeze on a hot day. All are little blessings. Rachel was encouraging readers to notice blessings, and to truly receive them like gifts. She also encourages us to give blessings. To family, co-workers, and also to strangers. If I can go through my days noticing all the little blessings more than the frustrations, I could be so much more present and pleasant to be around. I might also have more of what it takes to bless others. From this flows a great sense of gratitude, even if things aren’t going well. We have a lot of tools on the farm, many of them have had troubles this week. ! But it seems one of the most important tools to carry around with me/us is gratitude and an attitude of giving and receiving blessings.