L-M-N-O-P

Glimmers are another word for gratitude ✨

Every four weeks, as I collect my thoughts for this end-of-month glimmers post, I put together a collage like the one you see above. Most months, creating this collage is easy — the biggest challenge is deciding which photos to choose! But this month, it was a difficult task. As I scrolled through the paltry number of photos I took in November, I realized I had barely enough decent options to include.

The optimist in me might say this was a good thing: proof I didn’t use my phone as much this month! And although that’s true — post-election, I’ve been taking a break from national news, staying off social media, and generally ignoring my phone — that’s not the root cause. It’s because I didn’t do much or go to many places worth documenting visually. I spent most of the month at home, in my head, committing words to the page. And while it feels great to be inching ever closer to my NaNoWriMo goal and a rough manuscript, the idea of stepping away from my laptop and spending more time outside, taking a break from living in my head, feels even better.

If there was ever a month for glimmers, this would be it. Here in the U.S., the latter part of November is synonymous with Thanksgiving — a holiday with problematic roots and an intense focus on gratitude. And while I don’t like to force gratitude on anyone (or to have it forced on me), I can’t help but acknowledge how beneficial it can be to pause and give thanks for the things that you appreciate. The things that make life better. The things that remind us why it’s worth getting up and facing the day, even when the world feels harsh.

If you’ve been reading this newsletter from the earliest days, you might recall that my family has a Thanksgiving tradition of “the thankful alphabet.” As we go around the table, each person shares what they’re grateful for, letter by letter.

It’s cheesy and it’s great, and it inspired me. Here’s an alphabetized version of a few things I’ve been thankful for this month.