1. MUM: Everyone loves Elsie, she’s hard not to love and she’s the best Mum in the world. Nothing is an effort, ever. The fact that she’s got an endless supply of washing powder and always invites me to dinner is completely irrelevant. I was grateful to walk into Elsie’s house – our family home – again.
2. LITTLE SISTER WITH A BIG CAR: I’m always grateful to my little sister with the big car who comes to pick me up at the airport with a big heart and an empty boot. Always a treat to have her two boys Ben and Matt in the back with invasive questions for their Aunty...
3. LITTLE PEOPLE: I was so happy to see the little people in my life; Ben and Matt and my other nieces and nephews Liesl, Joey, Max and Audrey. They give good hugs when the Aunty needs them. And they looked cute in the clothes I brought back for them. I especially liked the strawberry princess outfit I picked up for Audrey in Singapore with a strawberry wand and head band. I wish they had one in my size, I think I could sell more books if I wore the red chiffon skirt and tapped the strawberry wand in the air.
4. MY BED: I was grateful to fall into my bed with six feather pillows and 1200 thread count Sheridan sheets. After six hotels, one guest house and one friend’s home (all in six weeks) you can understand my joy to return my little sleeping heaven.
5. ROUTINE: OK, so I know I’m not going to get any sympathy here. But after weeks of meals at all hours, flights at all hours, sleeping in strange places, working sitting upright in bed (writing on my notebook that is), and struggling with time, currency and climate changes... I was truly grateful to get back to routine. Wake up, go to gym, eat porridge, go to office, work all day, go to post office, go see mum, come home, sit on couch and write blog! Ok, so today I had Thai for lunch and then got my nails done and tomorrow I’m going out for dinner also, but there’s routine in planning those little outings as well. And of course the work is exciting so it’s not mundane, but there is some level of routine that makes me feel in control of my life. I need that. So I’m really grateful for the familiar in my life, even though I have a slight case of post-travel depression.
Anita's blog is largely about gratefulness - hers and others - but she also posts about things important to her including books, reading, literacy and Aboriginal arts and culture. The above photo was taken by Tammy Law at Anita's TEDx talk in Brisbane, 2013.
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